He wondered what was next in their relationship, and even that thought surprised him. Usually, by the end of the dinner date, he was either ready for a quick fuck if the woman was not giving off vibes of neediness or possessiveness or ready to go home alone if he felt no desire to continue the evening. Hell, at his age, either of those kinds of dinner dates had become fewer and farther between. His job allowed him little time to get to know someone. Even Allison had proven the difficulty of just having sex with no true relationship.
But Tara was different. Starting off as simply a person in his investigation to needing her insight and experience and to gain more information. Somewhere, in all of that, she became someone he wanted to know, and the more he learned about her, the pull to be with her was strong.
Starting his SUV, he drove home, his thoughts now on her family. McBride. Fuckin’ hell, McBride. Her father had been with the FBI, now serving as a consultant. Sean and Kyle were fellow detectives and friends of his. And the Kings as childhood neighbors. Jesus, could she be more untouchable? He knew the Police Commissioner as Commissioner King. She knew him as Chauncey. If Sean and Kyle decided not to kick his ass, he had no doubt that Brock or Brody King would do so.
By the time he pulled into his condo parking space, he was almost convinced that Tara was not the person for him. Shutting down the engine, he sat in his vehicle and remembered the way she looked when sitting across from him. Her eyes sparkled in the candlelight. Her laughter was infectious, not affected. Her voice was warm, and her touch was soft. Open and honest. Loving and fiercely protective of those she loved. And her kiss—holy hell, her kiss. It had been a long time since he’d engaged in a kiss for the simple purpose of kissing. And now that he had tasted her lips, he wanted to taste them again.
Climbing from his vehicle, he slammed the door, beeping the locks. A grin spread over his face. All right, boys, you might as well know. I’m going to keep on seeing Tara. So, if you don’t like it… bring it on.
14
“I never thought this would be us.”
Tara looked at the couple sitting across the table from her. Both in their thirties, the woman’s eyes were pleading as her hands clasped tightly together. Her husband’s jaw was tight, and he gave off a vibe of wanting to be anywhere but there. Tara was used to that. People seeking a place at the shelter were often caught by surprise at the change in their circumstances.
A little girl wiggled on her dad’s lap, and he leaned over to place a kiss on the top of her head. An older boy was standing in between his parents, leaning his weight against his dad.
“It was as though we got hit from all sides at once,” the woman said. “Lonnie showed up for work one day and the hardware store was locked up with a note on the door saying that it was no longer in business. It took a while, but he found out that the owner had not been paying his bills and skipped out without letting anyone know or paying his employees. We lost our health insurance because of that, and I only work part-time as a clerk in a small store. Lonnie’s been looking, but he can’t find full-time work. He’s a hard worker and doesn’t mind doing whatever he can. He works two part-time jobs while still looking.”
Tara’s gaze scanned the forms in front of her. “I see you have no relatives in the area.”
Shaking her head, the woman replied, “No. Both sets of parents have passed on, but we’ve tried to do everything we can to keep from coming here once we couldn’t afford our rent. We’ve spent the last few months staying at some friends’ houses, never more than a few nights at one place, not wanting to overstay our welcome. Even an apartment wants two months’ rent and a security deposit, which is more than we can come up with at one time. Our boy here got sick and spent three nights in the hospital. Lord, Ms. Wilson, you can’t imagine how much that cost. It wiped us out.”
She smiled and nodded, knowing exactly how much it cost, both in money and in emotional energy. “Based on the information you’ve given us, you qualify for a place here at Ever Hope. You will have a small room that holds a double bed and two cots for your children. The room will include a sink, but there are men’s and women’s toilets and showers down the hall. We ask that you accompany your children to the bathrooms at all times. Breakfast and dinner are served here at the shelter, and a bag lunch is offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”
The woman nodded so quickly, Tara was afraid her head would bounce off.
“What about my children? They go to school, but—”
Waving her hand, Tara said, “Don’t worry about your children. The law requires that their school system send a bus here to take them to their regular school. You’ll find that we have other children catching the school buses as well.”
The woman’s eyes fluttered, and she pressed her hand against her chest. “Oh, thank you, Jesus.”
“Please understand that this room is not yours forever. Your position is made much better because you’re both working, and you’ll be required to attend evening classes on money management, available housing, and work with a case manager on obtaining low-income health insurance. Our goal is to have you out of here in two months, less if possible.”
For the
