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Mara looked at the cup, blond brows dipped into a small frown. “Why are you bringing me coffee?”
“Because I want to talk to you. Can I come in?”
She shrugged. “You’re already in. Is that box for me?”
“To share with me, sure.”
“Fine.” She grabbed the box and I followed closely behind as she made her way to the kitchen, where Mara set the box down and tightened her robe. Then, she double-knotted it, as if reminding herself of what had happened the last time we were alone together in this room. “What are we talking about?”
“What are you doing today?”
“I haven’t decided yet. Why?”
“So suspicious.” I flashed a smile and took a slow sip of coffee, giving Mara time to do the same so that she could relax. “Will you feel better if you get dressed?”
Her big brown eyes widened and then narrowed to slits as a long sigh rushed from her chest. “Yeah, I guess. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Mara turned back and aimed a finger my way. “It’s too early for cute. Don’t be cute.”
“Can’t help it,” I shot to her retreating form. “But I’ll try since you find it so irresistible.”
An annoyed groan was the last thing I heard before the slam of her bedroom door, the message clear. Stay out. Not that I planned to go there, not today anyway. I had a little something else in mind, and I wasn’t afraid to use coffee and sweet treats to make it harder for her to turn me down.
A few minutes later, Mara returned wearing jeans that hugged her curves and a plain white t-shirt that drew my attention to perfect, tear-drop breasts. “Okay, give me that box and get to talking.”
“I have something I need to do today and I want you to come with me.”
Those big brown eyes looked up at me, burning with skepticism. “That’s about as vague as you can be while still using words, Xander.”
I nodded, conceding her point. “That’s because I want you to say yes to spending some time with me before you find out what we’ll be doing.” Mara still wasn’t convinced. “I want you to see the man I am today and this will be better than telling you.”
I stood in the middle of her kitchen, leaning against the countertop as butterflies fluttered in my gut, mixing with the hot coffee and anxiety, while Mara sized me up. While she decided whether or not to trust me. To give me a few hours of her precious free time. “Fine, but if it’s something weird I’m leaving.”
“I’ll drive you back, no arguments. Scout’s honor.”
She glared. “You were never a Scout.”
My smile grew wider. “So you do remember some things. Good to know.”
“More than I would like to remember, most days.” The words were soft spoken but the anguish in her voice rang out loud and clear. She pushed off the table and squared her shoulders as a determined look spread across her face. “Let’s do this, then.”
“It won’t be awful, I promise.”
“I know,” she sighed, the words came out almost reluctantly. “Let’s get going, just in case it is something weird.”
I laughed and put a hand to Mara’s lower back and guided her to the front door, giving her space to lock up before we made the short trip to my car, where I opened the door for her. “Buck up, buttercup. We’ll have fun. I promise.”
When Mara looked up at me, brown eyes practically golden in the sunshine, barked out a laugh. “Buttercup?”
I shrugged. “I’m trying something new. You like it?”
She thought about a moment and shrugged in return. “I don’t know yet.”
I was a hell of a lot better than a no, and with a slow smile and a wink, I shut the passenger door and jogged around to the driver’s side. The hard part was over.
She said yes.
Thirty minutes later, Mara turned to me with an incredulous expression on her face. “This is where you wanted to take me?”
I looked up at the small brick building that housed the Brothers & Sisters Program and then back to Mara with a nod. “Yep. I try to make it here at least once a month to let the kids know someone gives a damn.”
Mara said nothing as she stepped from the car and I still wasn’t sure if this was a move that would help or hurt. She made her way to the front door and walked in without waiting, leaving me to scramble to catch up with her. “Why did you bring me here?”
“So you could see for yourself that I’m not that selfish boy you knew. I’ve changed and grown, and I’m doing what I can to help kids who think there’s no one invested in what happens to them. This part of who I am too, Mara.”
