Pushing down the drumbeat of guilt, he rebuckled the strap and inhaled the peppery tomato scent of their dinner. Dinner smells delicious. What can I do?
She hitched her head toward the cabinets. Spoons are in that drawer, by the refrigerator. Everything else is ready, I think. Ill serve.
Matt let his gaze roam as he fetched spoons to the table. The airy yellow curtains and cheerful floral wallpaper matched his impressions of Holly. The Big Bird clock and Snoopy cookie jar added a touch of whimsy that left him curious to learn more about the active inner child Holly boasted about. The collection of drawings taped to the refrigerator touched a raw spot inside him, reminding him how much he missed his own children. Not having his children around as they grew up was the hardest thing to accept about his current situation.
But he would change his circumstances, reclaim his children and get his life back on track. Or die trying.
So youre a teacher. Matt paused between bites of chili and salad and gave her an encouraging smile. Tell me about your class.
Holly set her spoon down and pressed a hand to the jittery flutter in her stomach. Their get-to-know-each-other chitchat and her fascination with his ruggedly handsome face and brilliant blue eyes made this dinner feel more like a first date than just the good deed shed intended.
Sure, she could have packed his chili in a disposable container for him to take when she drove him back to town. And she admitted his good looks factored into her decision to serve dinner as a sit-down affair, but
Heat unrelated to her spicy chili crept up Hollys neck when other connotations of the word affair waltzed through her mind. She imagined Matts startling blue eyes hazed with lust and his full lips drawing close to hers for a kiss
Holly erased the picture with a quick shake of her head. Clearing her throat, she focused on his question. I love my class. Theyre angels. All fifteen of them. When he raised his eyebrows skeptically, she amended, Well, most of them are angels. I do have a couple who are more of a handful. But seeing those eager faces every morning, being around all that childlike innocence and energy keeps me going on days when Im dragging. She smiled and took another bite of salad. I wouldnt trade my job for anything. Sometimes it feels like Im getting paid to play all day. I mean, where else could I read stories and color pictures and sing songs and play games, all cleverly disguised to reinforce writing the alphabet and counting and learning to read? She stabbed a tomato and aimed it at him. Plus snacks and recess.
He chuckled, a low, rich sound that tripped pleasantly along her spine. Sounds like heaven for that inner child of yours.
And the mother hen. I cant wait to have my own kids, but for now, Ill settle for mothering the fifteen chickadees in my class.
I remember my daughters first day of kindergarten. The bittersweet wistfulness of Matts expression melted Hollys heart. She was so excited to be going to school. Of course, shes smart as a whip and could already read and write.
You have a daughter? Holly thought of the children at the Community Aid Center. Frustration ballooned in her chest that she couldnt fix the problems of every family the center served, that children slept in cars or went to bed without supper.
Matt gave her a sad smile. I have a daughter and a son, Palmer and Miles. Seven and five, respectively.
Whereare they?
He wiped his mouth on a napkin and dropped it in his emptied bowl. With Jills parents just up the road in Iona Falls. Because of my circumstancestheyre better off with their grandparents. For now. He paused, clamped his lips in a tight scowl. I havent seen my kids in two years.
A rock settled in her stomach. Two years? Thats horrible! Wont they allow you visitation at least?
No. There were a lot of hard feelings after Jill died. Buthonestly, I dont want Palmer and Miles to see me like this.
But, Matt, youre their father! They need you in their life regardless of She caught herself, unsure how to finish the sentence.
He lifted his eyes to hers,
his steely gaze a testament to his determination. I intend to get them back. As soon as I can. ButI need a better place to live than the run-down apartment where I am now. He grunted his dissatisfaction. The Woodgate doesnt even have working showers in the community bathroom. I cant subject my kids to those conditions. And I need to find another job.
Holly seized the opening to do a bit of prying, looking for a way to help Matt. What kind of job are you looking for?
He shrugged and gave her an awkward grin. Anything that pays. I cant afford to be as picky now as I might have been in my younger days. My kids are counting on me.
She nodded and rubbed her thumb along her spoon handle as she thought. Do you have any particular skills or training?
He held her gaze for a moment, seemed ready to say something but finally sighed and glanced away. I worked with a construction crew this spring and summer. But the contractor laid off several of us a couple weeks ago when his schedule slowed down.