Hank’s appreciative gaze swept over Ruby and his eyes lit up. Deanna noted that Ruby looked equally intrigued.
“No problem,” Hank said at once, then forced his attention to Kevin. “You really like fire trucks, huh, kid?”
“You bet,” Kevin said eagerly.
“Personally, I prefer the men who drive them,” Ruby said, regarding Hank with frank appreciation.
Deanna took note of his broad shoulders, dark-brown eyes and only a dark shadow of hair on his shaved head. He was definitely Ruby’s type—unrepentantly male.
He grinned at Ruby. “Is that so?”
Deanna shook her head as the three of them left. “Your friend is a brave man. Ruby’s a wonderful friend, but she’s fickle. She has a habit of discarding men like tissues when they don’t live up to her ideals, and they seldom do.”
Sean chuckled. “Then I think they were made for each other. Hank is a notorious flirt.”
Deanna shot a look at him. “He’s not married, is he?”
Sean looked hurt by the question. “Of course not. What kind of guy do you think I am? And even if he were, what’s the harm in asking him to show Ruby and Kevin around the station? I didn’t set them up on a date.”
“Sorry,” she said at once. “I overreacted. It’s just that Ruby’s a lot more vulnerable than she looks. Most men miss that.”
Sean stared after them, his expression thoughtful. “Yeah, I imagine they do. She looks as if she could handle anything that comes along.”
“When her guard’s up she can,” Deanna agreed.
“But she lets it down too often and too quickly?” he guessed, surprising Deanna with his insight.
“Exactly.”
Sean turned back to her. “I doubt anything much can happen between her and Hank with Kevin along as a chaperon.”
Deanna nodded. “You’re probably right. Why did you make such a point of getting rid of them, by the way?”
“Like I said, I wanted to talk to you about the money thing.” He held out the envelope. “I want you to take this back.”
Deanna’s hackles immediately rose. “Not a chance. And there is no ‘money thing,”’ she responded edgily. “You made a loan, which was extremely generous of you, by the way. I’m paying you back. It’s a business matter.”
“It’s not as if we signed loan papers and there’s some huge penalty if you miss a payment,” he retorted. “It was a hundred bucks, not a thousand. I wish it could have been more. After the fire destroyed everything you owned, I thought a few extra dollars might help you get back on your feet, buy a few essentials. I certainly didn’t need it back right away.”
“Maybe in your world a hundred dollars doesn’t amount to much, but it was a lifeline for me.”
“That’s exactly my point. You need it right now. I don’t. It’s certainly not worth working yourself into exhaustion to pay me back.”
Deanna groaned. Now she understood why he’d gone all worried and protective on her. “Ruby’s been blabbing, hasn’t she? Did she tell you I was working too much?”
“She mentioned two jobs and extra hours on top of that,” he admitted. “That’s crazy.”
“It’s not crazy if I want to start over and get out of her apartment.”
“Is she complaining?”
“No, of course not.”
“Well then, what’s the rush?”
“It’s a matter of principle.”
“Is the principle worth more than your son’s happiness?”
Deanna stared at his suddenly harsh expression. “What kind of question is that?” she demanded heatedly. “Nothing is more important to me than Kevin’s happiness and well-being. And what right do you have to question that? You don’t even know me.”
Despite her sharp response, he didn’t back down. “Maybe not, but I can see what’s staring me right in the face. Kevin needs his mom, not an extra few bucks for groceries.”
“Maybe if you’d gone hungry you’d feel differently,” she snapped.
“I have,” he said bluntly. His unflinching gaze clashed with hers. “And I’ve gone without a mother. I’m here to tell you that there’s no comparison. I would have gone hungry every night of my life, if it had meant seeing my mother again.”
Deanna felt as if he’d landed a punch squarely in her gut. Even without details, that revelation explained a lot. No wonder he was taking her situation so personally.
“I’m sorry,” she said at once, shaken by the raw pain in his voice. “What happened? Did she die?”
“No,” he said tightly. “She and my dad walked out on me and my brothers. My brother Ryan was eight. I was six. And Mikey was four. As far as I know, they took the twins, who were only two, with them. We never saw them again.”
“Oh, God, how awful,” she whispered, trying to imagine a six-year-old having his entire family torn apart. What could possibly have driven his parents to do such an awful thing? Hadn’t they understood the permanent emotional scars likely to be inflicted on the boys they’d left behind?
Even when she’d been at the lowest point in her life, when Kevin had been screaming all through the night with colic, and she hadn’t known where their next meal was coming from, Deanna had never once considered walking away from him. He was the reason she’d had for going on. She wouldn’t have allowed anything to split them up.
She started to reach out to touch the clenched muscle in Sean’s arm, but after one look at his shuttered gaze, she drew back before she could make contact. “I really am sorry.”
“I don’t need your pity. I only told you that so you’d realize that I know what I’m talking about. Don’t shortchange your kid on what really matters.” He shoved the envelope back at her. “Keep the money until you really do have it to spare.”
Years of stubborn pride told her to refuse to take it, but the look of despair in Sean’s eyes made her relent. She put the envelope back in her purse. At the same time, it took every bit of restraint Deanna possessed not to reach out and hug the man standing beside her. He
