Page 17 of Stealing Home

I should step back and stop hugging him, but instead I tighten my hold.

“Why do you stay? Do you love him? Is that why?”

“No. I think I hate him, but I’m trying to figure it out,” I reply.

He cradles the back of my head. “Think fast. I worry about you being here.”

I do too. I don’t say it out loud, but I don’t think I need to. As usual, Scott sees too much.

* * *

“Hey gorgeous,”Scott says when I show up to the field the next morning, ready to handle registration.

“Good morning, hotshot.” I can’t help smiling at him.

Scott steps close enough to whisper to me. “I was worried about you last night.”

“You were my hero yesterday,” I whisper back.

He graces me with that heart stopping smile. “My services are always available.”

One of the other guys from the team comes up behind him and squeezes his shoulder. “Dude,” he hisses to Scott.

“Are we ready, guys?” I ask to divert attention.

“Yes ma’am. I’ll go get the equipment set up,” Scott’s friend says.

“We got a lot of registrations on-line, but there might be more that come in today,” Scott says, all business.

The sudden change in his demeanor throws me, but I understand. I’m a little grateful for it, actually. When Scott is around I forget myself, and that could be dangerous for him. Nando is a vindictive son of a bitch and will turn on Scott in an instant if catches us flirting. It doesn’t matter that Nando doesn’t really want me, he doesn’t want anyone else to have me either.

Wren shows up, with a gaggle of kids trailing after her. I welcome the distraction from Scott, before I slip up and get him in trouble.

“When you said you had a lot of kids to sign up I wasn’t expecting six,” I tell her as I hand each kid a number.

The kids all run off toward the field and she comes around the table to join me while I help more parents with registration. I pull out the spare chair I put there, probably in a vain hope I’d have a few more minutes with Scott before I had to walk away from him for good.

The sun peeks out from the clouds, and even though it’s spring it gets too hot for the sweater I threw on over my t-shirt. I forget all about the bruises Nando left on my arm and peel off my sweater. Wren’s eyes drop to the yellowing bruises, a question in her eyes.

Instead of pity I see understanding.

“Let’s talk about that job,” she says.

I nod. My throat is too thick to thank her.

“I’ve been doing the marketing, billing, ordering, payroll, and accounts payable for the last ten years. With business growing the way it has been, and a new baby on the way I can’t keep up. I need someone to run the financial side so I can step back a little. I hope you won’t be mad, but I asked around and found out what you were being paid at the university. Criminally low, by the way, and we’re prepared to offer you a raise to your previous salary by five thousand a year.”

My mouth falls open. That amount will let me get a place of my own, and keep paying for Leena’s school since they let me pay monthly. Next year is her last year, and she’s already had people from Julliard come to hear her play.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

Her eyes drop back down to the bruises on my arm. “I know what it’s like to live with someone who doesn’t treat you the way they’re supposed to. There’s an empty apartment above the shop. It’s a bit loud during the day, but at night when the shop is closed it’s nice and quiet.”

I pull my sweater back on. Chewing on my lip I nod. “Yeah, I think I’d like that too. How much is the rent?”

She squeezes my hand. “Let’s call it a perk of the job.”

“I have to at least pay the utilities,” I press.

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