Rowan softens a little when he sees Stella’s shoulders deflate in defeat. “I’m sorry. I just— “ he closes his eyes and when he opens them again he’s not as defensive. “I really enjoyed it and wanted to help more so I’ve been going on my own.”
Stella’s eyes water as she watches him. “That’s great, Ro. I’m so happy you want to do more.” Stella’s eyes shift towards me questioningly and Rowan seems to know what she’s asking before she even voices it.
The left side of his mouth lifts up as he nods towards her. “That’s how I met Millie.” Suddenly everyone’s eyes shift towards me.
I manage an awkward grin. “He had to show me how to pour paint out of a five-gallon bucket.” I blurt because I don’t know what else to say.
“Oh, those are tricky! Last time I had to tackle one of those I spilled paint all over my parents’ living room!” Tessa, I believe, says. Her smile is kind and wide. She’s pretty, with long wavy red hair and a dusting of freckles across her bare face.
I sag in relief. Maybe I can do this. “I didn’t realize I was supposed to put that little spout thingy on top! Rowan stepped in, just in time.”
“Oh, I hear you, girl. I unfortunately figured that out way too late.” She chuckles to herself, like she’s caught in the memory.
“So, Millie. How did you get involved with the housing project?” Lily asks.
“Oh, I was just looking for something to do and it seemed like a great way to give back to the community.”
Lily sighs as she places her head in her hand and leans on the table. “I admire the work so much. I just wish I had more time to devote to it. Well, that and that I was halfway decent with a hammer.”
I giggle because that’s a skill I’m still trying to master, along with a long list of other things. “Oh, I’m terrible with a hammer as well. They had to put me outside to work on landscaping because I kept banging my hand and not the wood.”
Lily smiles and laughs softly, “How long have you been volunteering?”
Stella is engrossed in our conversation but stays silent.
I purse my lips, trying to think back to when I started. I had to wait until my doctor cleared me, and even then, I still waited a few weeks at my mother’s insistence. “Two months, maybe.”
“That’s so great! How do you find the time? With school and everything else I feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day.” She asks, curiously.
“Oh, I go to school online so my schedule is pretty flexible.”
“That’s great! I wish my major offered more classes online. I would be able to get so much more done.”
Luka, her boyfriend chuckles. “You would hate online, Angel. You love school too much to not be sitting front row in every lecture,” he teases.
She bumps her shoulder into his playfully. “You never know, I might love it.”
“Oh, no, I do know. I would bet money on it,” Luka answers.
She giggles, then sighs. “Anyway, that’s beside the point. What’s your major, Millie?”
“Social Work, I’m working on my bachelor’s degree right now. Hopefully, I can go for my master’s after that.” It’s been a dream of mine since I was a little girl.
“That’s amazing. What made you pick that?” Lily asks, curiosity painting her tone.
I shift in my seat and as I do my leg accidentally bumps Rowan’s. I mouth sorry before smirking and turning back to Lily to answer.
Before I can answer Rowan leans forward, his mouth is so close to my ear that it causes a shiver to go up my spine. His voice is a soft caress. “You trying to play footies with me, Daredevil?”
My head turns slightly towards him and I watch as his eyes dance in delight. “Do you want me to?” My whispered question even surprises me.
I watch his mouth curve into the most delicious smile. “I think I might.”
I bite my bottom lip and turn back to Lily. She’s watching us closely, her expression says she is rather entertained. My eyesdart over to Stella’s involuntarily and I find her wearing a similar expression to Lily’s.
I take a deeper breath and smile as I answer, “I was sick as a child, and I had a social worker that really helped me deal with being in the hospital for long periods.”
Carrie was a godsend. Not only for me, but for my parents too. She helped us for years, stay after stay, Carrie was there, guiding us through the process. She helped us in so many ways and she was there when we finally got the call that there was a match for my heart. I want to be what Carrie was to us for other families.
