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It took almost twenty minutes to get the food relief sorted out, and it was during that time she spotted the car. It wasn’t hard to miss; most of the cars around the church were dull and blended in with the grimy environment. No one wanted to have their brand-new car lifted all in the name of goodwill. She looked up and saw Benjamin step out of the car and hesitated for a moment.No way,she glanced at him as he started walking towards the church. It was incredible how happy it made her to see him here. That her work seemed important enough for him to stop by.
“I was wondering how I’d draw you out,” he said as soon as he got close to her. He turned back again and adjusted his hand-tailored shirt. He truly looked like a million bucks.
“Scared it’d disappear?” Ava asked, looking at his so obviously out-of-place car, a gleaming beauty that contrasted sharply with the others on the street.
“Just a car.” He shrugged, before adding, “I’ve got others.”
“Right. So, what are you doing here, and how did you find this place?” she beamed.
“I have connections…” He paused. “Fine. I asked uncle Barney. And I’m here to see how things are going. I’d like to see what you do all day.” His gaze moved from her to the church. “Quite an old church.”
Ava turned around to look, one hand on her waist and the other stroking her hair. “It needs a whole lot of renovation, yeah.”
She suggested a short tour.
“To show me how bad the place is? Just kidding,” he quickly said when he saw the look on her face.
They spent the next hour touring the church, and she introduced him to the various volunteers, some of whom he had met before.
“I think my hand is sore from all those handshakes. I must have met what, a hundred people? Plus, that lung-crushing hug from Father Brown.”
Ava smiled and closed her eyes. “What can I say; that’s the way it is over here.”
She walked him over to his car and noticed the sudden worried expression on his face.I should ask him about that,she battled within herself.
He looked from her to the church. “You guys need some help down here?”
“Some might say so.”
“I’m being serious, Ava. I feel like you guys could achieve more if you just…had more capital.” Holding her gaze, he asked, “Who are your investors?”
A look of surprise came on her face. “We uh, we don’t have any.”
“Well, that sucks,” he mumbled and then his eyes sparked with excitement. “You know what, how about I uhm, how do I say this?” he gulped and scratched his chin. “How about a donation, from the estate. You are one of us, after all. For the next couple of months at least; you are a Radcliff.”
“Thank you… but I don’t know,” Ava said.
“What is there not to know? I spoke to the pastor when you abandoned me to his hugs and went to get some water. He mentioned that you guys needed a shelter wing at the church. And the roof fixed. And the AC vents replaced. And the plumbing… geez. You need like a whole makeover. Ten million at the least he said.” He shook his head, Ava still looking at him.
“I can’t just take that kind of money from you, Benjamin. I will happily use my own once this arrangement is over,” she announced. He wrinkled his forehead.Weird, Ava too did not like to talk about the timeline of this agreement lately.
“What about your father’s retirement?” he pointed out.
“We will still have the house and the bill will be paid off. There is only so much one person needs. Anyway, I gotta go.”
“Alright, but at least think about it, will you?” Benjamin pressed. Ava nodded.
“I won’t just forget about it,” he declared as she turned with a smile and left.
And he didn’t. Later that evening he tried to convince her once more. It seemed obvious what she should do. Let the billionaire spend a few million for the greater good. But then, what if Lucy used this against her somehow, so she would end up without a dime after this agreement? She could eventually use her own money to help the church if she would just keep a low profile and follow the rules. But Benjamin wasn’t one to give up so easily.
“I’ve been thinking of holding a fundraiser with all the rich folks,” he said to her at dinner in the great hall. “We could raise the money that way.”
Ava loved the idea. “You could help with that?”
“You kidding? I will lure the money out of their pockets like the pied piper of Hamelin,” he chimed in, his voice bubbling with excitement. “We could hold the fundraiser right here. I’ll make some calls, it’d be perfect.”
He bounced off before Ava could say another word. She sat in the great hall staring at her plate, strange emotions surging through her body.Is he being serious or is this a joke? He wouldn’t be that cruel, would he?
