an invitation more. She had no doubt that if the two of them were alone, anywhere outside of a business-only situation, dinner wouldn’t be all they’d be having. Reason enough to end this little tête à tête. “I’m afraid I can’t.”
He might continue to persist, and she was surprised to find that, even knowing better, she almost wanted him to. Maybe he’d find a way past her defenses, find a way to make it okay to take what she wanted and damn the consequences. Only the consequences, in this case, were huge and didn’t only involve her. She remembered Kristen’s ultimatum. Brooke had to protect Rachel. There was a hopeful thought in the back of her mind that she could bring him around to her point of view. But she couldn’t be sure she wasn’t just grasping at straws.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just grab a cab.”
Chapter Four
The next day, Drew entered the homeless shelter ready to work. He’d contacted the manager earlier in the week to let him know he’d like to volunteer. He was wearing Brooke down. He could tell, which would have been great, except she was having an unexpected impact on him, too.
Yesterday after the meeting with the florist, he’d forgotten the number one rule. Don’t get emotionally involved with the opposition. In any way.
What the hell had happened yesterday, anyway? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d lost track of what he was doing. Lost track of his goal like that. He’d asked her out ? That wasn’t part of the plan. He wasn’t against using his charm, but getting involved with Brooke wasn’t on the agenda.
But he’d genuinely wanted to have dinner with her and discuss all things wedding. What was the matter with him? Brooke had an engaging charm of her own. It was her big, compassionate heart. The way her eyes looked when he was talking about his parents’ deaths. He got sucked into that vortex of support and caring; just like he’d gotten sucked into the memory of his mother when he’d smelled apple and cinnamon in Brooke’s apartment. Even now that memory tempted him.
He shook it off. He had a job to do, and that job entailed getting Brooke to settle out of court. He couldn’t go soft now.
Once inside the homeless shelter, he strode up to the counter. There were a few people getting the evening meal ready, and he spotted Brooke working with a large pan of mashed potatoes. He took the apron someone handed him and made his way behind the counter.
As she struggled with the weight of the pan, he grabbed it to steady it. She looked at him with a smile on her face, genuine and welcoming, until she did a double take when she saw it was him.
“You are stalking me.”
“I just volunteered yesterday. How was I supposed to know you’d be at this shelter?”
Her eyes narrowed, and it was clear she didn’t quite believe him, but that was okay. This was about getting close to Brooke. Getting to know her and how she thought and what was keeping her from settling out of court. “I guess it’s your time you’re wasting chasing me around. I don’t know how you guessed where I would be, but I find it difficult to understand why you keep pressuring me.”
“I’m here to work at this shelter. That’s all. It’s a coincidence we’re here at the same time.”
She looked him up and down. “Next time you come here to..ummmm… work , you might want to change out of your thousand-dollar suit. You might get it dirty. Oh, and watch out for your fine wool coat. Cashmere, right? I’m sure you wouldn’t want it stolen.”
She jerked the pan out of his hands and staggered a bit. Turning her back, she set it on the counter next to the gravy.
The manager greeted him with a hearty hello and told him he’d be ladling out the gravy after Brooke gave out a serving of the potatoes.
People were lined up out the door. The night was cold, and for a moment he thought about all the people here who had no homes, and fear writhed in his gut like worms.
Who knows
He might continue to persist, and she was surprised to find that, even knowing better, she almost wanted him to. Maybe he’d find a way past her defenses, find a way to make it okay to take what she wanted and damn the consequences. Only the consequences, in this case, were huge and didn’t only involve her. She remembered Kristen’s ultimatum. Brooke had to protect Rachel. There was a hopeful thought in the back of her mind that she could bring him around to her point of view. But she couldn’t be sure she wasn’t just grasping at straws.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll just grab a cab.”
Chapter Four
The next day, Drew entered the homeless shelter ready to work. He’d contacted the manager earlier in the week to let him know he’d like to volunteer. He was wearing Brooke down. He could tell, which would have been great, except she was having an unexpected impact on him, too.
Yesterday after the meeting with the florist, he’d forgotten the number one rule. Don’t get emotionally involved with the opposition. In any way.
What the hell had happened yesterday, anyway? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d lost track of what he was doing. Lost track of his goal like that. He’d asked her out ? That wasn’t part of the plan. He wasn’t against using his charm, but getting involved with Brooke wasn’t on the agenda.
But he’d genuinely wanted to have dinner with her and discuss all things wedding. What was the matter with him? Brooke had an engaging charm of her own. It was her big, compassionate heart. The way her eyes looked when he was talking about his parents’ deaths. He got sucked into that vortex of support and caring; just like he’d gotten sucked into the memory of his mother when he’d smelled apple and cinnamon in Brooke’s apartment. Even now that memory tempted him.
He shook it off. He had a job to do, and that job entailed getting Brooke to settle out of court. He couldn’t go soft now.
Once inside the homeless shelter, he strode up to the counter. There were a few people getting the evening meal ready, and he spotted Brooke working with a large pan of mashed potatoes. He took the apron someone handed him and made his way behind the counter.
As she struggled with the weight of the pan, he grabbed it to steady it. She looked at him with a smile on her face, genuine and welcoming, until she did a double take when she saw it was him.
“You are stalking me.”
“I just volunteered yesterday. How was I supposed to know you’d be at this shelter?”
Her eyes narrowed, and it was clear she didn’t quite believe him, but that was okay. This was about getting close to Brooke. Getting to know her and how she thought and what was keeping her from settling out of court. “I guess it’s your time you’re wasting chasing me around. I don’t know how you guessed where I would be, but I find it difficult to understand why you keep pressuring me.”
“I’m here to work at this shelter. That’s all. It’s a coincidence we’re here at the same time.”
She looked him up and down. “Next time you come here to..ummmm… work , you might want to change out of your thousand-dollar suit. You might get it dirty. Oh, and watch out for your fine wool coat. Cashmere, right? I’m sure you wouldn’t want it stolen.”
She jerked the pan out of his hands and staggered a bit. Turning her back, she set it on the counter next to the gravy.
The manager greeted him with a hearty hello and told him he’d be ladling out the gravy after Brooke gave out a serving of the potatoes.
People were lined up out the door. The night was cold, and for a moment he thought about all the people here who had no homes, and fear writhed in his gut like worms.
Who knows
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