* * *
Amy shoveda last bite of the delicious cinnamon roll in her mouth and pushed the rest away. She’d barely made a dent in all the food Charity had brought. Amy was stuffed.
No longer hungry, Kallie played with her spoon and straw.
Amy’s full stomach churned as she realized how little money she had. Thirty-seven dollars. Lance must have taken her tip money from her wallet again, and she’d almost drained her checking account paying for gas last night.
Thanks to Lance, she didn’t even have an emergency credit card anymore. Instead of increasing her limit, like he’d insisted after he maxed it out last month, she’d cut it up. She’d paid for it that night when Lance came home. His drunken rages had become more frequent over the past year.
She attempted to pay for breakfast from her meager funds, but Charity refused. “Honey, it’s on the house. Any woman who can get Ben out of the garage eats for free.”
What’s that supposed to mean?He didn’t even stay to eat with her.
Thank goodness.She would’ve lost her appetite if he’d been across the table from her. Especially if he continued to stare at Kallie with those intense blue eyes.
Having worked for years as a waitress, she’d met all kinds of people, and she’d become good at reading them. She couldn’t seem to figure Ben out. He seemed to be filled with sorrow, and everyone around him reflected that sadness.
With a full stomach, and no longer trying to quiet a fussy toddler, Amy focused on her dilemma.Now what?She was destitute and broken down in the middle of nowhere. She should have thought this through before she left in such a hurry last night.
Memories of Lance in her bed with the brunette brought the sting of tears to her eyes again. She blinked them away before they could spill over.What’s wrong with me? I am not a crier. Besides, he doesn’t deserve more tears.
True. This was not how she expected things to turn out, but she was better off getting out now instead of waiting until Lance’s next fling or drunken rage. One thing she was certain of, Lance would never change.
Ben offered her help but at what cost? She needed to do what was best for Kallie. Getting herself into another bad situation was a terrible idea.
Can I trust him?Despite his bushy beard and brooding eyes, he didn’t appear dangerous. She’d known plenty of dangerous men in her life, but she hadn’t seen that lecherous make-her-skin-crawl-look in his eyes like she had seen in theirs. His eyes held pain and sorrow.
Of course, Lance hadn’t appeared dangerous when she first met him. She couldn’t trust anyone right now. Trusting people gave them power to hurt her.
A few minutes later, Ben slid into the seat across from her. Amy’s breath caught as every muscle in her body tensed. He both frightened and intrigued her. It didn’t help that she’d felt an undeniable warmth against her low back earlier when he’d touched her. The sensation had been so powerful, her senses were still on high alert.
“Did you enjoy your breakfast?”
“Immensely. Your aunt brought us a little of everything.” She motioned to the plates of partially eaten food. “Including her famous ‘Big Ol’ Cinnamon Roll’.” She set the plate that held half the pastry in front of him. “I think it would please Charity if you helped me with this.”
He stared at the plate, and one corner of his mouth briefly raised in a half-smile before dropping again. “She’s a fantastic cook, isn’t she?” He broke off a piece and put it in his mouth. His eyes closed, and a look of pleasure softened his features.
Amy’s gaze lingered on his face.Is he smiling?Judging by his brooding nature, she had a feeling it didn’t happen very often.
Ben opened his eyes and caught her staring at him. He held her gaze for a long moment before lowering his eyes.
He pulled a paper from his shirt pocket and put it in front of her. Light reflected off the gold band on his left hand.He’s married.She felt like an even bigger fool for thinking he’d suggested an intimate relationship as payment for his help. Of course, that hadn’t stopped Dennis from propositioning her.
What made Ben any different? And what had she agreed to by accepting his help?
“Here’s my parent’s address. They’ve agreed to let you stay with them.” His voice was confident, assertive.
His parents.Amy breathed a sigh of relief, then hesitated. “I don’t want to inconvenience anyone.”
“You won’t. My father’s a doctor and my mother’s the high school principal. Neither is home much.”
And he’s a mechanic? That must have been a source of contention with his parents.
“They have a large house and plenty of room for you and...” His gaze rested on her daughter. “Kallie.”
Was it her imagination, or did his voice hitch when he said Kallie’s name? Amy lifted her daughter from the highchair and held her protectively. Why did pain fill his eyes every time he looked at her?
“Why are you helping me?” Amy asked.
He twisted the wedding band on his finger as his gaze dropped to the cinnamon roll.
Amy doubted he actually saw it.
He cleared his throat. “My life... would be very different right now... if someone had helped my...” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “The ones I loved.”
