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“Save it, Humphries.”
“No, I need to do this.” He sighed. “You’re right. It wasn’t cool of me to set things up and lie to everyone just so I could get you alone. I like you. So much. But that’s not an excuse and I don’t want you to think that’s the kind of guy I am.”
“We all make mistakes,” I mumbled. A memory of my nails digging into Deacon’s back as I gasped against his lips took over. I shook my head. “Trust me. I’m no better than you.”
“Yes, you are, Angel. You’re so committed to your faith and you always challenge me to grow as a human being and as a teacher. You’re a great role model to the kids and to everyone on staff.”
Conviction stung my chest. I couldn’t listen to him anymore. “Get to the point. What do you want, Humphries?”
“Peace. Our friendship back.” He squirmed. “Nothing about yesterday was normal. It’s been a crazy few hours, right?”
Crazy? I almost laughed.
Crazy was hooking up with a man I’d just met when I’d spent my whole life avoiding stunts like that.
Crazy was that same, one-night hookup offering way too much money to pay for my father’s chemotherapy.
Crazy hot.
Crazy temptations.
Crazy propositions.
I’d set all the patients from that asylum free. He had no idea.
Humphries eased closer. “I’m never setting a foot in San Pedro again.”
“Did you know,” I said wistfully, “that my dad used to come here on family trips? He bought ice cream and ate it on the beach while watching the waves.”
Humphries listened intently.
I pooled my hands together and stared at my fingers. “More than anything, I want to bring my dad back to San Pedro and buy him a cone.”
“You talked about your mom last night.” Humphries swung his arm over the back of the bench and leaned toward me. “You hadn’t mentioned your parents in a while so I thought things were getting better, but is your dad still sick?”
My stomach tightened. “He has cancer, Humphries. That’s not like the flu.”
“Sorry.”
“No,” I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed in through my nose, “I’m a little on edge. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. Things are really hectic with my family right now. Yes, my dad is still sick and my mom quit her job to stay with him.”
“It must be hard. All the chemo.”
“We’ve only done one round. He needs another, but we…” I stumbled over the words.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” Deacon’s voice filled my head.
“What?”
“It costs a lot of money.”
Humphries made a duck face. “If you told the staff and Principal Amy, we could set up bake sales and maybe do a raffle.” He patted my shoulder. “You’re a valued member of our school, Angel. We’d do anything to help.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
