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“I don’t really . . . I’ve never . . .” Her eyes darted back and forth over the table.
“You seem to like to read,” he offered.
She’d been going through his romance collection faster than he’d thought possible with her work schedule.
Her cheeks stained crimson as she reached for her water glass. “Is that considered a hobby?”
“Definitely. It’s one of mine.”
“Me too. I love reading,” Dani added.
“What do you want to study in college?” he pressed, before taking another bite of his meal.
Brynn’s attention focused back on him. “I-I don’t really know. I haven’t actually thought about it yet.”
Because you’ve been too busy trying to survive. His heart broke for her. “What brings you joy? What’s something you’d want to do even if you wouldn’t get paid to do it?”
She licked her lips and set down her fork. “Help people coming from tough situations like others have helped us. I’d like to pay it forward.”
And just like that, another piece of his soul fell for Brynn.
“Then you should do it.” His voice came out gruff, so he cleared his throat as her eyes met his. “I have a degree in social work and psychology. Those help me run the Hope Facility. But you don’t need all that, unless you want to. I have some books at home to help you get started if you want to look at them. Maybe they can help you narrow down your interest?”
A grateful smile split her lips. “I would love that.”
“If you ever want to come to the center and hang out with some of our counselors, you’re more than welcome,” he added.
“Let’s start with the books.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Excitement spun inside him at the idea of sharing something in common with Brynn. If only he could be certain she felt the same way.
Aaron’s phone rang from his pocket, so he pulled it out. “Sorry, let me put this on silent.” His gaze froze on the screen, the message from his assistant confirming what he’d feared.
“Is everything okay?” Brynn asked.
Aaron blinked up at her, sliding the phone back into his pocket as he sighed.
“Was it your parents?” Concern marred her forehead.
He shook his head. “No, I haven’t heard from them. It was a situation at the center.”
“Oh?”
He nodded before grabbing his glass and taking a sip. He set the drink back on the table, his finger tracing the rim as he focused back on her. “We’ve had an influx of teens needing a place to stay. They meet all the requirements for Hope Facility, but we just don’t have the room. I can hire staff, but we’ve run out of the space to build. I hate to turn anyone away. And some of these kids have nowhere else to go but remain on the streets. I hate that I can’t save them all. And I just wish there was a quicker solution. I’m looking into buying some more buildings and converting them, but it will take time.”
“The way you care about these kids, people you’ve never even met, is touching,” Brynn added.
Because I see Emmanuel in every one of them. He cleared his throat. He didn’t deserve any special praise for helping someone in need when he had the means.
“Did you know that forty percent of all homeless youth are part of the LGBTQ+ community? And queer youth are one hundred and twenty percent more likely to become homeless than their heterosexual counterparts?” Aaron asked, quietly.
Brynn shook her head, her eyes widening, as if putting the pieces together that Dani could have ended up that way.
“Nothing will be ready until the spring. That’s a lot of youth from the surrounding states who won’t have a place to go.” Aaron sighed.
“Have you ever considered host families? I mean ones who have been vetted and checked out? Or what about renting out hotel rooms?”
Aaron was struck silent, her idea sinking in and taking form. Would it be possible? He’d have to have Leslie figure out the logistics. Maybe move some teens already well established into locals’ homes so the new ones would have a chance to settle and get acclimated before going through some initial therapy first.
Brynn sank back in her seat. “Sorry, that was probably a stupid idea.”
“No.” He placed his hand on hers, brushing his thumb over the top. “That’s a brilliant idea. It won’t help everyone, but background checks and classes won’t take as long as building new dorms. We could create a whole system of host families. That’s genius.”
“Genius? No.” She shook her head. “But do you think the kids will be safe?”
“We’ll come up with a rigorous vetting process, references, and constant check-ins with the kids.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Thank you, Brynn.”
She nodded shakily, her throat bobbing as she swallowed before she went back to her meal.
Maybe if Aaron consistently showed her he was trustworthy, and that he respected her, she’d open up a little more. Because every time she shared something with him, Aaron couldn’t help but be blown away. The fact that she might have saved dozens of teens from freezing to death this winter, or risking the unthinkable for a warm bed, only made him even more grateful to her.
