Love Inspired August 2014 – Bundle 1 of 2 (53 page)

Paige was impressed at how much the vendors made the town square look like a country
market. She’d driven past on her way back from Sarah’s Home the other night, but it
had just been a patch of grass and park benches then.

As they walked closer, the heady, sweet scent of ripe fruit and fresh-baked bread
filled her lungs. Amber jars of honey caught the sunlight and cast prisms onto the
ground. Tiny pumpkins decorated with painted faces in different expressions dotted
every table. Pyramids of yellow corn, squash and zucchini filled a whole table, butting
up against a refrigerated compartment on wheels with fresh meat and large blocks of
orange cheese encased behind glass.

“Were you looking for anything in particular?” Shelby asked.

Paige glanced over her shoulder at where Caleb and Maggie talked on the corner. “Can
I ask what you meant when you said I’ve been getting under Caleb’s skin?”

Mayday! Why did she ask that? So much for telling herself not to find out more about
him.

Shelby waved to a family near the red band shell. “Let’s just say he brings you up—often.”

Paige stopped. “In an I-can’t-stand-that-girl way?”

The corners of Shelby’s lips tipped up. “No. Not like that. But I think I’ve probably
said too much already.”

“Sorry.” Paige ran her fingers along the edge of a table where a vendor sold bracelets.
“I don’t want you to break any sort of sisterly bond, but I guess I’m having a hard
time understanding your brother.”

Shelby turned and tilted her head. “Caleb’s not hard to figure out. He’s basically
an open book. I mean, he takes care of everyone—way more than he needs to—loves kids
and teaching, and keeps to himself for pretty much everything else.”

“A regular Rochester.” Paige selected two bracelets to try on.

“Huh?” Shelby wrinkled her nose.

“Sorry. English teacher.” Paige laughed. “It’s from the book
Jane Eyre
.”

“Does this Rochester guy at least get a happy ending?”

“Eventually. But he’s a grouch for almost half the book.” Paige selected the orange
cloth bracelet. She’d wear it to Sarah’s Home this week and see if Smalls noticed.

“That sounds like my brother.” Shelby rolled her eyes.

“What sounds like your brother?” Caleb’s voice made both of the women jump.

His sister offered a silly grin. “Paige says you’re like some fictional guy named
Rochester.”

Heat raced up Paige’s neck. Hopefully Caleb didn’t know English literature well enough
to know who the character was. She spun around to meet his eyes.

He knew.

Caleb tilted his head and squinted at her. “That brooding guy with his wife locked
in an attic?”

Shelby burst out laughing and fanned her face. “Oh. That’s so funny. You didn’t tell
me that attic part.” She sucked in air. “Have fun explaining that one.” Shelby squeezed
Paige’s arm and turned to talk to the young family next to her.

* * *

Caleb bit back a smile. Paige always came off as so knowledgeable and put together,
it was fun to catch her off her game.

Paige’s cheeks turned candy-apple red. Her mouth fell open. She closed it. Then opened
it again. “I guess I shouldn’t have said that.”

He shrugged and softened his voice. “I don’t remember that much about him. I haven’t
read that book since my high school days—and that was a long time ago.”

She offered him a soft smile. “Hey. We’re about the same age, so I’m going with it
wasn’t that long ago.”

Turning back to the booth, she handed the orange bracelet and her credit card to the
person manning the booth.

“Cash only.” The clerk pointed to indicate a small handwritten sign on the table.

“Oh. I didn’t bring any with me.” Her cheeks flushed again. “Will you be here next
week?”

Caleb pulled out his wallet and handed a few bills to the clerk. “I’ve got it.”

Paige turned quickly toward him. She worked her lip between her teeth. “You don’t
have to.”

The clerk handed him some change and the bracelet.

Caleb motioned for Paige to put out her wrist. “Perhaps I wanted to.”

“I’ll pay you back at school on Monday.” She held out her arm.

His fingers brushed against her hand as he tied the bracelet on. “There’s no need.”

“I should.” Her eyes darted to his.

He squeezed her hand awkwardly. “Consider it a welcome-to-town gift.”

“Thank you.” She spoke so softly he had to lean closer to hear her. She blinked a
couple of times. It almost looked like she was holding back tears.

Over a bracelet? Perhaps it had been too long since someone offered her a gift for
no reason other than they cared. Maybe she was low on money. Either way, he wouldn’t
push the issue.

They fell into step together.

She broke their silence first. “I picked orange because it made me think of Smalls.”

Caleb chuckled. “That’ll make his day when you tell him.”

“He seems like a good guy.” Paige glanced at a cart selling gelato.

“Smalls has a good heart.” Caleb adjusted the bag of vegetables he carried. Ever since
the first day at Sarah’s Home, he’d wanted to find a way to warn Paige about getting
close to the boy because of the family’s connections. “But both of his older brothers
are heavily involved in one of the gangs, so I worry about him a lot.”

“Don’t you see?” She stopped in her tracks and a small child darted around her. “That’s
why the work each of us do at Sarah’s Home is so important.”

Images of Smalls’s brothers, Pete and Cameron, popped into his head. “We didn’t save
his older brothers.”

“But you offered them another option.”

“You really have a heart for the students there.” He stared at her—the genuine hope
in her voice and the shine in her eyes made him soften about Sarah’s Home for the
first time in a long time.

“I guess I believe everyone deserves equal opportunities.”

He swallowed hard. “Which means you’re still set on serving there in a long-term capacity?”

“Absolutely.”

He let out a long breath. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

“You’re not getting rid of me. You know that, right?”

“I’d still like you to reconsider.” And not because of any close ties to kids that
might break her heart by disappointing her.

Paige stepped closer. “Just so you know—I did think about what you said the other
day. I weighed the dangers, but I’m still going to be volunteering. Even if you don’t
like that.”

“Can you at least promise me that you’ll only go if I’m going to be there? I’d feel
more comfortable about it if you’d agree to that.” He put both his hands up to stop
her from starting to talk. “Now, before you answer, let me tell you that I’ve only
missed one night in the past two years.”

She shrugged. “Doesn’t sound like there’s much to promise.”

If he had his way, he wouldn’t miss another day as long as Paige was going to be there.
Sarah’s Home needed him more than ever.

* * *

After Caleb left, Paige bought an ice-cream cone from Founder’s Creamery and snagged
a seat in the gazebo. She pulled up the email function on her phone and opened the
note she’d received from Mom late last night. She hadn’t thought they’d been serious
about selling the place, but in less than a week her parents had found a buyer for
her childhood home. When the sale happened, one more familiar thing would be gone
from her life.

Paige rested her head in her free hand. Knowing her mother, she’d already started
packing up the house, and Paige did not want Mom sifting through all her belongings.
They were boxed in the garage at the moment, but when it came to her mother, anything
was game. She made a note to talk to Maggie to find out if there was a place she could
store her extra things if she went to get them.

Knowing she’d never spend another night under the roof of the home she grew up in
stung a little bit. Then again, it also served as yet more confirmation that moving
to Goose Harbor had been the right decision.

A couple of girls she knew as students congregated on the gazebo steps but didn’t
seem to notice her. They pointed at Amy, who happened to be strutting around the market
in spandex pants and a sports bra, and started laughing.

“How much work do you think she’s had done?” One girl snorted.

“Oh, tons. No one has a chest like that without surgery.”

Amy now walked within earshot, but the girls weren’t paying attention.

“She’s such a joke. No one likes her.”

“Please feel sorry for me...I’m stuck on the volleyball team with her.”

“My dad said when she was in high school she slept with the whole football team and
still no one asked her to prom.”

“She’s pathetic.”

Why were girls so mean to each other? Paige’s throat clammed up even though she wanted
to tell them to stop.

Amy glanced over her shoulder at them and then made a beeline for the town hall. She
swiped under her eyes before pushing through the front door. The sight finally spurred
Paige to action.

She snapped to her feet and surged forward. “Girls, it’s not okay to talk about someone
like that.”

They all froze—clearly unaware that she’d been sitting a few feet from them.

Finally one of them regained her composure. “She couldn’t hear us.”

They didn’t get it.

“That doesn’t matter. It’s called respecting people and respecting other women. Being
a girl in this world is difficult enough—we don’t need to spend our time cutting each
other down.” Paige joined them on the steps. “Beyond that, she’s a teacher at your
school so she deserves your respect.”

The shortest girl crossed her arms and jutted out her chin. “That doesn’t mean we
have to like her.”

Paige sighed. “You’re right to a point. We all click with some people and not with
others and don’t have control over that, but we do have control over our words and
how we treat people. I want better for you girls than to use your words and conversations
to hurt others or convince yourself you’re better than someone.”

They all mumbled that they understood, but who knew? She caught the short one rolling
her eyes as they walked away. Paige was sure to end up in a Twitter status.

Collecting her bags, Paige made a split-second decision to check on Amy. If she had
heard...

She crossed the street and opened the front door to the building. While the main portion
of the town hall wasn’t open on the weekends, the small lobby had access to restrooms
and was left unlocked during the farmer’s market. Paige walked into the women’s restroom.
Amy dabbed at her eyes in the farthest mirror. Clearly she’d been crying.

Paige approached her slowly. “Are you okay?”

Amy scowled at her. “You must have loved overhearing that. What a riot for you.”

“Actually, I hated it.” Paige balanced her purse and bag on the sink. “No one should
talk about another person like that.”

Amy faced her. “What if what they said was true? What if I’ve done every single thing
they said?” Her face crumpled. “No wonder people hate me.”

Paige debated moving closer to hug her, but Amy wouldn’t have received that well.

Help me say the right thing.

Paige ducked into a stall and collected a long strip of toilet paper. She handed it
to Amy. “If what they said was true, all that stuff happened in the past. If you don’t
want those things to be true, you don’t have to be that person tomorrow. That’s the
best thing about each day—it’s the chance for a do-over in life.”

“But that stuff doesn’t go away.”

“Sure. It’ll always be a part of your makeup. It all adds to your story and shapes
who you become, but it doesn’t have to be who you are. Does that make sense?” Paige
offered what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

“Maybe.”

“Can I do anything for you?”

Amy turned her back on Paige. She yanked a hooded sweatshirt from her bag and tugged
it on over her sports bra. “Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Of course not.”

Amy wanted to be left alone, so Paige gathered her bags and made the trek back to
the West Oaks Inn. The whole walk home Paige thought about her conversation with Amy.
The woman had so much in her past that held her back. Amy could have been a well-liked
person if she would let go of the baggage and drop the prickly exterior in order to
open herself up to others.

She paused on the bridge and traced her fingers over the petals in the latest bouquet
Ida had left for her dead husband. Ida dwelled on yesterday too, but she didn’t let
it tarnish her warm persona.

What in Paige’s life did she need to leave in the past in order to move forward and
be different tomorrow?

Distrust, disappointment and hurt.

The words winged their way across her heart. Despite what it looked like, no one had
the perfect life—not Maggie, not Amy, not Ida, not Caleb, and she’d only just met
her, but probably not Shelby, either. Yet they seemed able to open themselves up to
people and trust others.

Perhaps Paige could do the same.

Chapter Eight

P
aige slung the heavy messenger bag over her shoulder and headed into Sarah’s Home.
After three weeks of working with the students and seeing their potential, tonight
she was excited to share her plan to help them go to college. When she pushed through
the front door, Smalls and two more of the students were there to greet her.

“You came back.” Smalls grinned.

She nodded as her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light inside the building. “You always
sound so surprised.” Paige motioned for the three students to follow her into the
side room where there were tables that could accommodate all of them. Thankfully,
these were the three students she had decided to hunt down tonight to talk to because
they were seniors in high school or, like Smalls, had graduated already.

“That’s because each time you leave I always think that’s the last time we’ll see
you. No disrespect, but a pretty woman like you just don’t belong on this side of
Brookside. People like you don’t stick around in places like this. You’re too good
for it.”

Her heart twisted in a knot.
People like you
. Who had told the teen such a thing?

Praying for the right words, Paige set her bag on the table and then looked up, making
sure she had the attention of all three of the students. “That’s not true.” She paused
to make eye contact with each of them. “There is no such thing as
people like me,
okay? There are just people, and we all have value. Not one person is better or worth
more than another.”

She pulled the stack of pamphlets and college booklets out of her bag. “At the school
where I work, we have a whole wall of information about colleges, and I noticed that
there was nothing available like that here so I brought some with me tonight.” She
fanned the booklets full of flashy photos of college students smiling in dorm rooms
and chatting on manicured lawns across the table.

Smalls crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “That’s because none of us go
to college. We can’t even get out of this city. No one here’s got the money for that.”

The girl seated next to Smalls leafed through a catalog for one of the state universities.
“Let’s be straight, Miss W. We barely make it out of high school.”

Paige pursed her lips for a minute. She wanted to scream. Who had taught these students
that education was out of their reach? Who told them they were stuck without hope?

Give them hope.

She took a deep breath. “I believe that each of you is capable of going on to college
because I think every single one of you has ideas that can change the world.”

Smalls pushed back in his seat and narrowed his eyes at the stack of catalogs. “A
body doesn’t have to go to school to change the world.”

“You’re right.” Paige nodded. “Completely right. But if you wanted to go to college,
I wanted you to know that it’s a very real option.”

“Belief doesn’t pay the bills.” The girl wistfully sighed and placed the college handout
back on top of the stack.

“No, it doesn’t.” Paige pulled another bundle of paperwork out from her bag. “But
scholarships and grants, along with work-study programs, can help. Right here in my
hands I’m holding the information for more than thirty scholarships that you could
each be eligible for. I spent last weekend researching each of them, and I really
think any of you have a good chance.”

She handed a packet for a small college nearby that awarded money to people wishing
to pursue creative writing and performance to Smalls. With his love of slam poetry,
he’d be a shoo-in for the university’s program.

Smalls scanned the paper. “You did all this...for us?”

“It wasn’t much.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Looks like an awful lot.”

“If anyone is interested, I’m happy to help you with entrance essays and the paperwork
for the scholarships. I’ll walk with you through each step if you want.” She squeezed
the hand of the student who’d stayed silent. “I’ll even drive you to college visits
if you decide you’re considering one of them.”

“Thank you.” The girl next to Smalls breathed the words more than said them.

* * *

Caleb stood in the doorway listening to Paige talk to the seniors about going to college.
He’d never thought about taking them through the college-application process, let
alone arranging college visits. But that was because these teens didn’t want to go
to college. Besides, even if they wanted to, most of their grades wouldn’t garner
them acceptance to a lot of places.

He cleared his throat. “Marty’s serving up root-beer floats in the kitchen and says
he’s going to start his talk on managing money in about five minutes. You guys might
want to head in there before everything’s gone.”

“What money are we supposed to be managing?” Smalls laughed. He tapped on Caleb’s
bicep on his way into the hall. “Unless you let me manage your money—I’d only take
a little off the top.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Caleb grinned at him. The two other students filed out
of the room, each with some of Paige’s college paperwork under their arms.

Paige left her bag on the table and moved to follow the students, but Caleb caught
her arm before she could leave. “Can we talk for a minute?”

“Sure.” The word might have been casual, but the tilt of her head was not.

“Listen. I think it’s great that you believe in the kids and want to give them some
hope.” Caleb tried to think of the correct words.

“But.” Paige crossed her arms and raised her chin. “It sounds like you’re about to
say that I shouldn’t believe in them.”

He took a step closer and lowered his voice. “But maybe encouraging them to try the
impossible isn’t the best thing.”

“The impossible?” Her voice went higher.

“The reality is that most of these kids aren’t cut out for college.”

“One, they aren’t kids. They’re young adults who are about to be considered independents
in the world, and we need to prepare them for that.” She uncrossed her arms, her hands
landing on her hips. “And two, what’s the point of having a place like Sarah’s Home
if the person running the show doesn’t believe in the students here?”

The conversation was getting out of hand quickly.

Caleb motioned frantically with his palms toward the ground. “Keep your voice down.”

“Why?” Paige took a step closer. Her hands were fisted at her sides now, her arms
shaking. “Are you afraid they’ll find out that their leader doesn’t even believe in
them enough to offer a chance to get out of this city? I’m really glad the board calls
the shots and not you.”

He closed the door to muffle their voices. Hopefully no one down the hall had heard
her. When he turned back around, she raised her eyebrows and tapped her foot. If they
weren’t in the middle of a debate, the sight would have made him smile. She was too
small to ever look intimidating.

She wasn’t understanding. He believed in these students. Didn’t he? Of course he did.
But he also knew their situations and realities.

Caleb took a deep breath. “The fact of the matter is that some of them will never
get out of this city. That’s just how life here is. Sarah’s Home exists to teach them
to thrive here and show them that it’s possible to live in Brookside without turning
to crime.”

“But—”

He straightened his spine. “Telling them that they can achieve whatever their heart’s
desire is only setting them up to fail. Is that the best? Letting them face even more
disappointments and discouragement than they’ve all already had to live through?”

Paige grabbed the door handle. “They deserve the chance to try if they want to. I’m
not saying college is a fix-all for all their problems, or even that it’s for all
of them. But every single one of them should know that if that’s what they want then
all of us here will do whatever it takes to help them because we believe in them and
want the best for them. Period. And if that’s not the case, then Sarah’s Home should
close its doors tonight and never open again.”

She yanked open the door and fast-walked down the hall.

Caleb sank into a nearby chair and rested his head in his hands. He replayed the conversation
and cringed at his own words. Paige was right. He’d stopped believing in the students
here. Sarah’s Home had become an obligation—a task to complete to honor Sarah—no longer
a place he rushed to because he cared about the individual students. When had that
shift happened? Where had his joy in serving gone?

He glanced around the room, his gaze landing on the pile of college catalogs. As much
as he didn’t want to admit it, having Paige around was the best thing for Sarah’s
Home. For the students. For him. She was changing his heart more than he cared to
acknowledge at the moment. Paige cared about these teens and their future. Really
cared.

Now Caleb wanted to care again, too.

* * *

“Who knew finding a place to rent would be that easy?” Maggie dried off the glass
mason jars she had the inn guests use for drinking lemonade on the porch. “Usually
the rentals are hard to come by because even though they free up some in the off-season,
tourists still rent them for weekend use year-round.”

Paige scanned her phone and searched for the closest place she could rent a small
truck. Before her courage waned, she needed to get on the road to Chicago, face her
parents and their questions again and collect the rest of her stuff.

She glanced back at Maggie. “It looks like a storybook house. A couple lilac bushes
line the house and the Realtor said the entire front patch will bloom with tulips
in the spring. The house is sky-blue, all except for the entrance. It’s built of a
bunch of stones that form a circular area by the front door. Almost like a castle
turret, even if it’s only one story.”

“I think I know the house.” Maggie finished tucking the jars away in the cabinet.
“The third one on Belmont Lane?”

Paige nodded. “It’s only a one bedroom, but that’s all I need. If I leave for Chicago
in the next hour I’ll be able to get there, pack the rest of my stuff into the truck
and be back here before dinner tonight.”

“How long is the drive?”

“Just over two hours.” Paige fished through the contents of her purse. Lip gloss,
gum, wallet—all the essentials for her spontaneous day trip were accounted for.

“You must be one quick packer.”

“Oh, no. My stuff’s all boxed up already.” Seeing as she had thought she’d be moving
it into Bryan’s condo at any moment, the boxes had stayed in Mom and Dad’s garage.
Waiting. Now they could be liberated. Besides, it would be nice not to have her stuff
divided between two homes.

The lease she’d signed didn’t start for another month, but she couldn’t stand one
more day of wondering if her mom had rummaged through her things or tossed any of
her belongings. Always a minimalist, her mom didn’t seem to grasp the concept of having
a sentimental attachment to some of her things. Once Maggie offered her the use of
the basement to store her boxes, she knew she needed to get back to Chicago right
away.

Paige clicked the GPS function on her phone. “Is there an easier way to get to Smithton’s
Rent-All?”

“Ugh. Don’t go to Smithton’s.” Maggie pulled a face.

“What’s wrong with them?” Paige set down her phone.

“Someone need a truck?” Caleb’s voice made Paige jump.

She whirled around. “How do you always sneak up on me?”

“The way I see it, you’re the one always running into me.” Caleb grinned and snagged
a carrot stick off the platter Maggie was about to set out in the lobby.

“Oh! You.” Maggie swatted at his hand, a smile showing she didn’t really care. She
picked up the platter and used her hip to open the door that led to the guest area
of the inn.

Picking her phone up again, Paige tried to ignore Caleb. She needed to figure out
a plan to get her boxes, and talking with him right now wouldn’t help that. Besides,
she was still frustrated about his attitude toward the students at Sarah’s Home after
their disagreement the other day.

She scrolled through the list of truck-rental places. Why did so many of them close
by noon on Saturday? Saturday was when people moved. In the Chicago area the businesses
were open extra late on the weekends. So finally, a downside to small town living.

Caleb braced his hands on the island. “Paige, I need to talk—”

She held up her hand. “I’m kind of in a hurry right now.”

His face fell. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry.” She put the phone back into her pocket. “I need to get to one of the
truck-rental places before they close.”

“How about the use of a free one?”

Paige adjusted the hair ties on her wrist before looping her purse on her shoulder.
“I’d say that’s even better.”

“Where do you need to go?”

“Chicago.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Is it just for the day?”

She nodded. “My parents are moving, so I want to pick up the rest of my belongings
and come back here tonight.”

Caleb pulled out his car keys. “I’ll drive you, but I want to talk first.”

“I’ve found that when someone says that, it usually isn’t a good thing.” Paige perched
on the edge of the stool.

“The other day at Sarah’s Home—”

“Please.” She looked down at her fingers. “I don’t want to fight again. Not if we’re
going to spend the day together.”

“Hear me out.” He pulled out the stool beside her and sat down. His knee bumped against
hers. “I stopped by today hoping to see you. I thought a lot about what you said—about
our need to believe in the students. And you’re right. I...I’d lost sight of that,
and I wanted to thank you for reminding me.”

She glanced up at him and was met by his soft chocolate gaze. “Really?”

“When I lost Sarah...I realized I’ve been holding on to a lot of anger and directed
it at Sarah’s Home and inadvertently onto the students there. We never found out who
attacked her that night, and I’ve always wondered if one of the students knew and
didn’t say anything. I think—” His voice failed him for a moment. “I think I stopped
caring about them for a while because of it.”