“Risse, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jake finally replied after several seconds of contemplation.
“Jake, Cheydan works for your father’s company…”
Jake cringed at the name. Why was it always about Cheydan?
“He overheard your father telling his new secretary to send a check for $50,000 to The Amora Sophia Foundation, at this address.”
“Is that some kind of charity?” Jake still had no clue where this was going.
“Not a real one. Cheydan couldn’t find any record of it online. Amora Sophia is the name of my Spanish teacher, which is just totally bizarre. Jake, why are you working here? Are you… is your father doing some kind of money laundering?”
“What? No! I don’t even know what you’re talking about! Is that what you think? That my father’s a criminal?” Jake spat the words between gritted teeth.
“Your father doesn’t really strike me as a philanthropist,” Risse whispered.
“Did Cheydan give you this idea?”
“He’s the one who told me about it. He was worried about me getting close to you.”
“And you think I’m involved, too? That I’m some kind of con man, pulling a job with my father?” Jake had quit whispering and was practically yelling.
“I don’t know what to think, Jake. I don’t know anything about you. All I know is that it looks awfully suspicious. That’s why I came to you, to find out the truth. I’m asking you to be honest with me.” Risse begged him with her eyes to deny it, to convince her of his innocence.
He had no idea what was going on; maybe his father was money laundering. He wouldn’t put it past him. But how could he ever prove to her that he wasn’t involved in it? He couldn’t, and he shouldn’t have to.
He was in love with her, but all it took was one wild accusation from her friends to turn her against him. How could they ever have a relationship if she couldn’t trust him? He didn’t know why he even bothered trying to win her. He’d never be the kind of person she wanted.
He slammed his chair against the table and walked away.
He ignored every resident who called to him as he passed, anxious to get out of there and not caring about anyone. It was only when he passed Rebecca Anderson’s room that his eyes did a double take and he hesitated. She was lying on the floor, dragging her legs behind her as she tried to crawl towards the bathroom.
“Rebecca, what are you doing?” Jake rushed into her room and reached to help her.
“Leave me alone! I can take care of myself!” She screamed at him and batted him away.
“Why are you lying on the floor? Did you fall? Why didn’t you press the call button?”
Jake tried to get his hands under her arms, but she reached out and scratched him, dragging her sharp nails down his biceps, ribbons of blood spouting from his bare flesh.
“What the hell!?” Jake bellowed, and slapped her square in the face. The movement made her lose her precarious balance, and she toppled over, cracking her head on the bedside table, spraying blood in every direction.
For a moment, the world stopped spinning, and Jake watched in horror as Ms. Anderson’s blood spewed out from her in crimson waves, and the life drained from her face as her eyes went slack.
Help arrived as the word was forming on his lips, and Jake turned to see Charisse, followed closely by Mrs. Hariden. The world was muted by his shock, but the loud clacking of Mrs. Hariden’s heels broke the silence, reverberating in his ears like the sound of a firing squad cocking their weapons. They raced towards him in slow motion, their faces twisting into caricatures of shock and horror.
“I was trying to help,” Jake said, but now the noise around him was overwhelming, and he couldn’t tell if his voice made any sound.
Chapter 12
Charisse let the milk spill from her spoon as she stared blankly into her cereal bowl. Why did she feel so lifeless? Nothing seemed to matter any more. Nothing brought any excitement or sense of purpose.
She normally adored the holiday season and was eager to help her mother with the decorations, but after Charisse turned her down for the fifth day in a row, Faith gave up and decorated the house herself. Risse hadn’t blogged in a week, hadn’t even gone to Sunnybrook for three days. She knew they needed her help, now more than ever, but she just couldn’t stand the constant questions.
When Jake first started there it had taken the residents a week to remember who he was, but now they couldn’t seem to forget him. They couldn’t remember why he wasn’t there anymore, though, so Charisse found herself repeating the same excuses over and over again, till the words soured in her mouth. They didn’t need to know the truth, that Jake had been told not to return after the incident with Ms. Anderson.
Ms. Anderson was going to be okay, fortunately. The head wound that had looked life-threatening because of all the blood loss had actually been fairly minor. She needed a few stitches, but she was feeling just fine. Well, as fine as she ever felt. She was still just as grouchy and cantankerous as always, maybe even a little more so.
She wouldn’t admit it, but Charisse had a feeling Ms. Anderson kind of missed Jake, too. The two seemed to have some kind of a bond, both stubborn and bad-tempered. Rebecca had actually vouched for his innocence, claiming that he was trying to help her and her injury was an accident. The bruise on her face said differently, though.
Charisse dumped her uneaten cereal down the garbage disposal and shouldered her book bag. She normally enjoyed school, but even her friends and favorite classes couldn’t brighten her doldrums lately.
As she pulled her Beetle into an empty parking spot, a flash of excitement crossed her face. The car in the spot next to her looked just like Jake’s. Her smile quickly faded, though, as she realized it couldn’t be his; he didn’t go to her school. Someone else must have one like it.
As she walked past the front office, she glimpsed a leather jacket that looked familiar, and she did a double take. As the person turned, their eyes locked and she stood frozen, mouth hanging open. Jake Henley stared at her from behind the office window.
Beneath the leather jacket, an ivory sweater and dark jeans hugged his tall, trim body, and Risse found her eyes dragging slowly up and down it. He had a map of the school in one hand and a book bag slung over his shoulder, and he walked towards her slowly, his face registering a mix of conflicting emotions. Charisse was pretty sure her own face mirrored them.
“Jake? What are you doing here?” she murmured as he approached her.
His eyes drew together and softened at the sight of her. “Registering,” he sighed. “I got expelled from Indy Prep after what happened.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice was kind with sympathy.
Jake shrugged.
“The residents have been asking about you; they miss you — especially Dominion. I miss you, too,” Charisse blurted.
A slow smile spread across Jake’s face as her words registered. “You could’ve called me.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me; I thought you were mad at me.”
“I don’t know anything about The Amora Sophia Foundation,” Jake said, in lieu of admitting his complicated emotions.
“I believe you.”
The corner of Jake’s lip lifted slightly. He decided to change the subject before they said anything that might ruin their fragile peace treaty. “So, do we have any of the same classes?”
Charisse took the schedule from his hand and glanced at it. A small smile crossed her face at the irony. “One. Spanish with Señorita Santino — Amora Sophia.”
Jake chuckled darkly. “Of course. Maybe I can get some answers.”
Risse nodded, smiling gently. “You want some help finding your locker?”
Jake’s eyes lit up as soon as he entered 4th period and saw Charisse already waiting. She smiled and tilted her head towards the empty desk beside her. Jake crossed the room in two strides and sat down next to her.
“How’s your first day going?�
� she asked, genuine concern wrinkling her brow.
“Interesting.” He’d never been an unknown before; his reputation had always preceded him. But here, no one knew anything about him. Sure, his name had raised a few eyebrows, but he still felt like he had a chance to reinvent himself. Too bad he didn’t know who he wanted to be.
The bell rang, and Señorita Santino began talking before they had a chance to finish their conversation. She glanced at Jake and went through the same introduction as all his other teachers.
“Class, we have a new student today, James Henley,” she announced, arm outstretched his way.
“I go by my middle name — Jake,” he explained to the class, and Charisse looked at him in surprise.
“Bienvenido, Señor Jacob,” Señorita said, and the rest of the class murmured a similar welcome.
Jake had been taking Spanish at his old school, and they must have been a little further along in the curriculum because he had already learned what Señorita Santino was teaching. He was glad, though, because it gave him a chance to focus on something more interesting — namely, staring at Charisse.
He wished he had sat behind her, because it was kind of awkward to stare at her from the side. He had to turn slightly her way to see the teacher, though, so he focused his eyes on his periphery and soaked in her presence.
It had only been a week since he’d seen her, but it felt like forever. He stared at the long, shiny hair tumbling around her shoulder and followed the slope of her nose as it pointed away from her strawberry lips. He couldn’t see her eyes from that angle, but he imagined them sparkling.
Her fuzzy red sweater clung temptingly to her breasts and made him want to cuddle her like a teddy bear. The bright color made her pale skin glow in comparison. When she leaned forward, a tiny gap between the bottom of her sweater and the top of her jeans taunted him with a ribbon of flesh along her back, and he itched to trace it with his fingers.
When Señorita Santino gave them a few minutes to work on their assignment, Risse finally graced him with a glimpse of her full face.
“I was thinking, when class is over, maybe I could ask Señorita if she knows anything about The Amora Sophia Foundation,” Jake mentioned.
“Sure, why not? Maybe she knows something. There’s probably a simple explanation. Did you ask your dad about it?”
Jake shook his head but didn’t try to explain. Life with his father had been pretty awful in the week since he lost his position at Sunnybrook and got expelled from his high school. Since his father took every opportunity to berate him for his foolish choices, Jake tried to steer clear of him as much as possible. He definitely didn’t want to bring up something potentially incriminating.
“I have lunch next period. Is there anything decent to eat in the cafeteria, or do you usually go out?”
“I normally just get a salad, but I think the rest of the food is okay. I have lunch next period, too. Do you want to sit with me? I could introduce you to some people.”
Jake winced, imagining himself trying to fit in with her friends. He was pretty sure they wouldn’t like him. “I’m not sure I’m up for anymore meet and greet today. I think I’ll just run to Chipotle.”
He paused for a pregnant moment before asking, “Would you like to come with me?”
Risse tilted her head and smiled gently. “Sure; that sounds like fun.”
They swapped answers on their worksheets for a few minutes until class was over, then Jake and Risse made their way to the front of the room where Señorita Santino was tidying her papers. The attractive Hispanic teacher was just past 40 but didn’t look it. Her long dark hair and trim figure could easily pass for 30.
“Hi Jake, Risse, how can I help you?” she asked, looking between them curiously.
Jake turned to glance at Charisse, not sure how to start the conversation. Risse just smiled, encouragingly. “Señorita Santino, Risse told me your first name was Amora Sophia, and I was wondering, have you ever heard of The Amora Sophia Foundation?”
Her head tilted, and she squinted her eyes in confusion. “The Amora Sophia Foundation? Is that a real thing?”
“Umm, yeah, I think so. I mean, I don’t know anything about it, I’ve just heard of it. Some kind of charity. My dad just mentioned it.” Jake was loathe to explain in any more detail, in case it was a cover up for money laundering.
“Your father… is he James Henley?”
Jake nodded. “You know him?”
“Well, I used to. We went to school together. But I haven’t seen him in 20 years.”
“Oh.” That was not the response he was hoping for, and Jake had no clue where to take the conversation.
“Well, never mind, just wondering…” He quickly turned and walked away, hoping she wouldn’t ask any more questions. What was his father up to? Whatever it was, it didn’t look legitimate.
Risse sensed his worry and didn’t press the issue. Whatever was going on, she was pretty sure Jake wasn’t a part of it. They strolled quietly out to the parking lot, and Jake laughed when he saw her Beetle parked next to his BMW.
“Your car or mine?” He smiled when Risse approached the passenger door of his vehicle. He unlocked the door and she climbed in, admiring the control panel and stroking the leather upholstery. It smelled like his cologne, and Risse sighed in pleasure. Jake fantasized that it was his skin she was stroking instead.
“You haven’t been blogging much lately,” Jake said, anxious to break the ice and get the focus off the Amora Sophia mystery.
“You’ve been following me?” Charisse dodged the question with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.
“I missed you, too,” Jake admitted, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. Risse smiled and laid a hand on his.
“Thanks for giving the world’s biggest jerk a chance,” he said, quirking his lip as he gazed at her.
Risse’s eyes grew wide as she realized he must have seen the video where she talked about him. Her mouth opened and closed mechanically, but she didn’t know what to say. “I… I’m… sorr—”
Jake shook his head, silencing her. “You were right about me. I was a jerk, probably still am, but I’m trying harder not to be.”
“I know,” Charisse whispered.
He wanted to kiss her right then, and his gaze flicked back and forth between her eyes and her lips, trying to decide whether or not she wanted him to. She stared back at him, but there was as much hesitation in her eyes as there was longing, so eventually he dropped his gaze and focused on driving.
“I have to go back before the judge this Friday since I can’t complete my community service assignment,” Jake said, wanting to get all the bad news out of the way.
“What do you think will happen?” A look of worry darkened her features.
“If I’m lucky, he might assign me to some other kind of community service, but he’ll probably put me in juvie.”
“No!” Charisse gasped, grabbing his arm. “Can he do that?”
Jake nodded. The rest of the lunch was awkwardly quieter as they tried to find less consequential things to talk about. As much as Jake enjoyed Charisse’s presence, he was anxious for the lunch to end.
The rest of the week passed too quickly. Jake reveled in watching Risse during Spanish class, and he even sat with her at lunch a few times, meeting her friends. They were nice to him, but he was hesitant to get close to them since his time there was probably limited. Instead, he awaited his court date and prayed his future wasn’t about to be ruined.
Chapter 13
Charisse returned to Sunnybrook that evening on a mission. The familiar scent of gravy and antiseptic greeted her and made her realize how much she had missed this place. Her first stop was Mrs. Hariden’s office, where the stern matron sat behind her desk with a scowl on her face and a stack of important looking papers scattered in front of her. Risse hesitated, suddenly doubtful that it was a good time for what she came to ask her.
Nancy’s face brightened as soon as she saw her. “Risse! It�
�s so good to see you! Please tell me you’re coming back and not resigning.”
Risse smiled but dropped her head, nervous. “Yeah, I’m back. I’m sorry I left you hanging. It was thoughtless of me. I just needed a little break.”
Nancy nodded. “I understand; the residents here can be challenging, to say the least. But they’ve been asking for you. They really miss you. And Maggie is desperate for your help.”
“Have they been asking for Jake, too?” Risse dared to ask.
Nancy sighed and gave a small smile. “Yeah, they miss him, too. The ladies especially. Cougars.” Mrs. Hariden chuckled.
“Mrs. Hariden, I’ve talked to Jake since the incident, and I believe what happened was just a terrible accident. He didn’t intend to hurt Ms. Anderson; he was trying to help her. He just overreacted when she attacked him.”
“That’s what Rebecca says also,” Nancy admitted.
“Mrs. Hariden, Jake has to see the judge on Friday, and he might get sent to juvenile detention if he can’t finish his community service. He’s really trying to get control of himself, but I think if that happens, he’s only going to get worse. Would you please consider giving him another chance?”
“I don’t feel comfortable having him around the patients,” Nancy said gruffly, and Risse’s hopes plummeted along with her countenance.
“But I suppose we could still use his help in the kitchen.”
Risse lifted her head, her face shining with happiness. “Oh, thank you, Mrs. Hariden! I promise you won’t regret it! I’ll keep an eye on him myself, make sure he doesn’t get into any trouble.”
Nancy harrumphed but nodded.
“Oh, by the way, do you know anything about The Amora Sophia Foundation?” Risse remembered to ask.
“Sure, it’s a charity that gives money to help pay for the care of some of our residents. We get a check from them every month.”
Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4 Page 22
