“You got it.”
I handed her a wad of twenties. “This is for you.”
She stuffed them into the back pocket of her jeans. “Thanks, guys.” The bar was emptying out. “Stop by anytime. You’re a great draw for business.”
“Always happy to help.” I winked at her.
“Maybe we could do a fund raiser one night. Charge a cover and donate it to the local homeless shelter. My brother—he’s a cop—said we’ve gotten a lotta young runaways lately.”
I checked with Brody and could see the interest in his eyes. “I’m good with that. We’d have to check with our agent to make sure it’s okay, but I’m sure he’ll say it’s not a problem.”
“Awesome. Lemme know.”
We walked to Brody’s Jeep and sat in the car. “I like the idea,” Brody stated, starting the engine. The headlights swept across the two-lane road. “It ain’t like New York here. We don’t get as much help for people as we’d like.”
“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” I waited until we reached his house and he cut the engine. “We can meet Ezra when we take that weekend trip to the city.”
Brody nibbled on his bottom lip. “Yeah.”
“Why do I feel like you’re really not in favor of this?”
“Let’s go inside.”
Once seated in the living room, Brody kicked off his sneakers and lay with his head in my lap. I stroked his hair.
“Talk to me.”
“Dontcha think people will talk? First you’re spending all this time with me here; then we go to New York City together? All these eyes on us…”
I frowned. “I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
“I think you should go alone.”
My fingers, which had been stroking his cheek, stopped. “Is that what you want?”
He grabbed my hand. “No. ’Course not. I wish I could be with you every minute of every day. But we agreed when we started seein’ each other that we’d have to keep it quiet between us.”
Realistically, I knew he was right, but I didn’t like it. “I guess it makes sense.”
“I know you hate havin’ to hide. I do too.” Brody kissed my fingers. “How about while you’re doin’ that, I’ll go to that center Janie mentioned and meet the kids and find out more about them.”
I bent down and kissed him. “You are such a good person.”
Brody’s lips curved under mine. “And you’re good for me.”
I knew I had the better part of the deal. Brody might’ve grown up with next to nothing, but he’d always known love—how to give and receive it. I’d had everything I could possibly want from birth, except the one thing I’d craved—my parents’ time and approval. Meeting Brody, learning how to be a loving partner, had helped me grow forgiveness in my heart. His love gave me hope that as dark as it looked, there might be a light in the future.
“I’ll call Ezra in the morning.”
**
Four days later, I sat in Ezra Green’s offices in midtown Manhattan. He had a spectacular view of the city, but I was more interested in the pictures on his credenza. He noticed where my attention was directed.
“My family.” He reached over and picked up two photos. “This is Roe and me at our wedding. And Roe’s grandmother, dancing her heart out.”
“You never had any issues about your relationship? From your families, I mean.”
Before answering, Ezra set the frames in their places. “Roe’s family was never an issue.”
