The spark was even stronger that time. He pulled back his hand and rubbed it where she’d touched it.
“Sorry,” he said. “Static shock, I guess.”
“I didn’t feel anything.” Eve wore an innocent expression.
Darius wasn’t fooled. How many times had she used it to get out of trouble when she’d been caught whispering in class?
“I’m going to be honest here, Eve. I’ve already told Kayn I’m not sure I want to take this on.”
“Well don’t decide yet.”
She reached for her purse, and it was like she’d dropped her pretense and had turned all business. She woke her phone and searched through it. She slid it to him, and he picked it up. A pretty Hispanic girl posed in a picture, holding a certificate.
“And?” he asked.
“That is Sophia Hernandez. She’s seventeen and an excellent student. That says a lot considering the health issues she has to deal with. I know that a charity organization like the one Kayn is proposing wouldn’t normally accept nominations from people working on the team. But since this program is still in the early stages, and he’s already done a test case with Sona’s grandmother, I was hoping you might consider doing another test case with this one.”
“What is Sophia’s situation?”
“She has lupus.”
Darius gave a soft groan. Seventeen with lupus. His favorite aunt hadn’t been diagnosed with it until she’d been in her late twenties. It’d killed her before she was fifty. Not everybody with lupus died from it, but it was a tough disease. He slid his fingers over the screen to enlarge the picture. In spite of the girl’s bright expression, she had shadows under her eyes and seemed a little pale.
“How long has she had it?” he asked.
“She started showing symptoms at twelve but wasn’t diagnosed until a couple of years ago. She’s been involved in local organizations that talk about childhood lupus.” Eve leaned back in her chair. “She’s even started her own charitable organization with the focus to draw attention to the disease and raise money to fund research to create a test to help with diagnosis. She’s a good kid.”
Darius couldn’t help feeling like he was being manipulated. Eve knew about his aunt, but he couldn’t remember ever having mentioned her to Kayn.
“Did you know about this girl before?” Darius asked his friend.
“Nope. Eve just said she had a likely candidate and asked if it was okay to propose her.” Kayn shrugged. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to consider it.”
Easy for him since he was walking away.
“How do you know her?” Darius asked Eve.
“She’s from back home.” She leaned forward, her manner intense, hands clasped before her on the table. “Sophia’s mother runs a housecleaning business. You may not remember, but my mother is involved in volunteer work. She found out about Sophia’s fundraising efforts and got involved.”
Darius let out a breath, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. Lupus was one disease his family knew well. It impressed him that the girl had decided to be proactive.
“I came prepared to tell you I wouldn’t do this.”
“I know.” Kayn’s tone showed the first bit of humor in weeks. “That's why I invited Eve. I figured she’d be able to talk you into it.”
“I’m still not convinced you shouldn’t keep it going yourself rather than handing it off,” Darius said, rubbing his chin.
Like Eve’s family, his had always been involved in local charities, and one of the first things he’d done when he’d become rich was to set up an endowment. Darius liked being able to give back, even more now that he had a lot of money. Otherwise he’d have stuck to the “no” he’d given Kayn when he’d first asked.
With Eve sitting across the table from him, Darius was second-guessing himself. That she, of all people, had stepped back into his life after all these years seemed serendipitous. He’d been stupid and scared all those years ago and walked away from her. Until now, they hadn’t crossed paths. If he said he wouldn’t do it, he might not get another chance with her.
“But I’ll think about it,” he finally said.
“If you don’t take it, it’s dead. Rafe has too many other things going on, and Ez has his hands full with that musical program he’s helping with. It’s in your hands now.” Kayn rose and left the room.
Darius stared at the door closing behind his friend. He glanced at Eve.
“Do you know what that’s all about?” he asked. “He hasn’t been the same since he came back from Ireland.”
