“Well, I guess I’ll leave you two to enjoy your date,” Maddock said as their food arrived. “Nice to see you again, CeCe. See you tomorrow, D— Rafe.” Maddock caught himself before he said ‘Doc’ again, pulling his fingers across his lips like he was closing a zipper.
Rafe and CeCe said their goodbyes and dug into their steaming crocks of lasagna.
“So, Maddock seems to think you’re a pretty good teacher,” CeCe said, carefully cutting a bite of her dinner and sliding it into her mouth. Rafe was impressed with how gracefully she handled the sauce-slathered dish. He usually managed to stain his shirt every time he ate, but CeCe made it look effortless.
“I try to make it interesting. My classes aren’t a requirement for most students, so I have to make them appealing enough for them to take them voluntarily.”
“I’d love to hear you teach sometime.”
Rafe’s chest fluttered at the image of CeCe sitting in the back of his classroom, listening to him teaching. He knew he’d have a hard time concentrating on what he was saying with her beautiful face distracting him, but the idea excited him.
“You could sit in on one of my classes if you’d like.”
“Really? I’d love that. I didn’t go to college. I like learning, it’s just… most schools don’t really have good systems in place to help blind students.” CeCe’s gaze grew distant as she remembered the struggles she endured in high school.
“You don’t seem like the kind of person who would let anything stop you from going after what you wanted.”
CeCe’s countenance lifted at the observation. He was right. She’d taken control of her own destiny since those painful days of her youth, and now she was a successful woman carving out her own path. Blindness no longer dictated what she could do.
“When’s your next class?” she asked, suddenly eager.
Rafe told her about the different classes he taught through the week and the days and times of each, and he encouraged her to call him for a ride if she wanted to go to one. “The campus is crowded and sprawling. I’m sure you could handle it, but I’d love to escort you. I wouldn’t mind being seen around campus with a beautiful woman on my arm.”
CeCe loved the way Rafe offered his assistance without making her feel like she needed it. With everyone else, her hackles raised as soon as they insisted on helping her, and she immediately wanted to prove she didn’t need anyone’s help. Rafe made it seem like she’d be doing him a favor instead.
They talked till their plates were empty and so was the restaurant, blind to everything but each other. Finally, Rafe sighed as he looked around the room. “I’m not really ready for the evening to end, but I think they’re about to close; we should probably clear out,” he said with resignation.
“We could go to my place for a little while, if you’d like,” CeCe whispered.
Rafe’s heart sped up at the offer. “Your sister won’t mind?”
CeCe shook her head with a grin.
They drove back to CeCe’s place, and she let them in, the sound of the TV masking some of their noise.
“So how was your date with Professor Hottie?” Jessica called from the living room.
CeCe stepped into the room with Rafe right behind her. “I’ll let you know when it’s over, but pretty good so far!”
Jessica’s jaw dropped as she spotted Rafe. “Oops! Sorry. Uh, I’ll just, uh, head to my room…” Jessica scrambled from the couch and took off down the hallway, leaving Rafe and CeCe chuckling at her hasty exit.
The TV was playing the opening credits of a romantic comedy, and the two got comfy on the couch to watch it. Dexter climbed up in-between them and put his head on Rafe’s lap. “Dexter, get down! What are you doing?” CeCe pushed on his behind to dislodge him.
Rafe chuckled and gave the dog a scratch on the head while Dexter grudgingly climbed down. “He wasn’t bothering me; I like dogs,” Rafe said, but he took the opportunity to scoot closer to CeCe.
CeCe smiled at him as his legs touched hers and his arm went around her shoulders, and the confluence made Rafe’s breath and heartbeat quicken. He stared at her, his face inches from hers, her lips close enough to kiss, and he wondered if she could sense him. Her breathing sped up, and he could hear her tiny little gasps as she stared at him blindly. Slowly, her eyes closed, and her lips opened slightly as she leaned towards him. Without thinking, Rafe tilted his head and brought his lips to hers, barely touching her. She gasped, and her eyes flew open, a myriad of emotions reflected in them.
“I’m sorry —“
“Don’t be,” CeCe interrupted his apology and leaned in again.
Rafe let his worried thoughts escape him as he rushed to claim her lips, her long, soft hair and gentle fragrance enveloping him. He pulled away long before he was ready to, not wanting to overwhelm her, and she moaned as his lips left hers. The sound went straight to his center and made him want to lay her down and take her, but instead he scooted backwards a little and tried to calm the hormones thrumming through his body.
He’d dated other girls before, but none made him feel the way CeCe did — desperate, wanting, needing.
“Maybe I should leave,” he whispered, even though every inch of his body was screaming the opposite.
CeCe sensed her own emotions skyrocketing out of control and nodded reluctantly.
Rafe stood, helping CeCe to her feet, and they walked hand in hand to the front door. “I had a great time tonight, Rafe. Thank you for everything.”
“The pleasure was all mine, CeCe,” he murmured, his voice still husky with desire. He pressed one last chaste kiss to her lips before letting himself out, the cool night air instantly clearing his overwhelmed senses.
Chapter 7
Rafe barely made it through church on Sunday morning, he was so consumed with thoughts of CeCe. The only thing that stopped him from getting up in the middle of the service to call her was the fact that he knew she taught Sunday School and was probably too busy to answer, anyway. He thought about texting her, but he knew she’d have to have her phone read the message out loud, and he didn’t think she’d appreciate her class full of children hearing what he wanted to say to her. Instead, he satisfied himself by hitting the home button on his phone over and over again, just so her picture would appear on his lock screen. He usually had enough self-control to leave his phone in his pocket during church, so he hoped that anyone watching him today thought he was just checking on a patient.
The minute service was over, he bolted for the front doors, his intense expression enough to ward off anyone who considered approaching him. The midday sun blinded him as he pushed through the doors, and he couldn’t see the screen to find her number. “Call CeCe,” he demanded of his phone, jabbing at the button. He relaxed as soon as he heard ringing.
“Hi, Rafe.” Her voice was like warm water soothing tense muscles, and it instantly relaxed him.
“Hi, CeCe. I wasn’t sure if you’d be out of church yet.” He doubted she had raced from the church like he had, possessed with his desire to talk to her.
“I’m just cleaning up my classroom.”
He tried to picture her wiping down tables and packing up her supplies, and he immediately wondered what she was wearing. So far, every time he’d seen her she’d been in a skirt or dress, looking sweet and feminine. He imagined her Sunday attire was no less lovely, but he longed to see it. It made him realize how important his sight was to him, and he tried to comprehend what life would be like without it. What a loss it would be if he could never see her smile again! He wondered if she longed to see his face, or if she was so used to her lack of sight she didn’t miss it.
“What age do you teach?” He reached his car and climbed in but didn’t start it. He didn’t want to go home if he could help it. He’d much rather make plans with CeCe if she was available.
“I have the twelve-year-olds. The younger kids tend to get into too much mischief when they know their teacher can’t see them.”
Rafe tried t
o imagine himself as a 12-year-old boy in CeCe’s classroom. He would’ve probably had a crush on her. The Sunday School teacher he had at that age had been a crotchety old woman and definitely didn’t inspire any preteen fantasies.
“I bet all the girls in your class want to look like you and all the boys want to kiss you.” Rafe could hear his own longing echoed in the sentiment.
CeCe’s soft laugh made Rafe’s insides suddenly feel overheated. He started the car so he could turn on the air conditioning. Music instantly blared from the too-loud radio.
“You’re a Taylor Swift fan?” CeCe laughed at the song that was playing.
“Sure, why not? She’s a beautiful, talented, independent woman. She reminds me of someone else I admire.”
CeCe murmured her appreciation, embarrassed but flattered.
“What are you doing this afternoon? Would you like to have lunch with me?” Rafe asked, turning down the stereo a notch, but letting the song play in the background. Thinking of CeCe made him want to listen to love songs.
“Well, I actually promised Emily that I would meet with her today. We’re going to the park for a picnic.” CeCe suddenly had a desire to see how Rafe acted around children; it told a lot about a person. “But you could come with us if you’d like.”
Rafe gulped. He would love to check on Emily and see CeCe interact with her, but would the girl spill his secret? He’d only spent a few minutes with her in the exam room; would she recognize his voice?
CeCe noticed his hesitance. “It’s okay if you’re not interested. I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that.”
“No, no, I’d love to hang out with you and Emily! Should I meet you somewhere? Or can I pick you up?”
Rafe could hear the smile in her voice when she responded. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes if you’d like to pick me up here.”
Rafe drove to the church near CeCe’s apartment and found her waiting for him outside while Dexter did his business in the bushes. CeCe’s bright, pink dress showed off her smooth shoulders, and the full skirt swung around her knees playfully. Rafe had a sudden urge to ask her to twirl so he could see the skirt flare out around her.
“You look beautiful in that color,” he greeted her, taking her hand and kissing it. He wanted to trail kisses up her arm, but instead he settled for one on her cheek. “You match my tie again.”
“You’re wearing a pink tie?” Her face lit up at the image.
“And pink socks. I like to coordinate.”
CeCe chuckled. “That I wish I could see.”
“My favorite color is purple, though,” Rafe said without a hint of sarcasm, and CeCe didn’t know whether or not to believe him.
“You’re teasing me… aren’t you?”
Rafe burst out laughing, and CeCe elbowed him. “What? You don’t like purple?” he asked.
“It was my favorite color when I was little. Jessie used to tease me for being such a girly-girl, but that’s the way she dresses me.” CeCe took Rafe’s arm and let him lead her to the car.
“Has she always been such a tomboy?” Jessica dressed herself like a teenage boy with issues.
“I think she hides behind it, tries to keep people away. I guess we all have our coping mechanisms.”
“Do you think she’ll ever get past it?”
“You can’t erase the past, Rafe.” CeCe’s voice grew hard, resenting the implication. “Our experiences make us who we are just as much as our DNA does. You can’t just expect it to fade away over time. The effects are immutable.”
“I’m sorry, CeCe; I didn’t mean to upset you.” He reached out tentatively for her hand and squeezed when she didn’t pull back from him.
“It’s okay, Rafe. I just want to make sure you understand that I am who I am. I’m not going to get any better. A lot of people have tried to ‘fix’ me over the years, but the pieces have already been glued together, and this is how I am now. I’m not broken, Rafe, I just have a few scars left over. But I’m proud of who I am, and I don’t need fixing. ”
Rafe’s own heart fractured at her words, and he longed to pour every ounce of his angelic power into her, erasing her scars. She had no idea he had the power to heal her, but if she did, would she even want it? She wore her blindness like a badge of honor.
“I understand, CeCe. You don’t need to change for me.” Rafe tried to lighten the heaviness. “If you were any more perfect you’d never be willing to go out with me!”
CeCe chuckled, and her mood lifted. She knew Rafe accepted her blindness. He wouldn’t have pursued her if he didn’t.
They turned a corner and approached the group home where Emily was staying, an old Victorian painted a dull gray, short on charm and gingerbread. A teenage boy slammed the front door and grabbed a bicycle lying in the grass, yanking it upright and throwing himself onto it as he pedaled furiously down the driveway.
Rafe helped CeCe to the door which was answered quickly by a woman with gray-streaked hair and deep frown lines.
“Hi, I’m CeCe. I’m here for Emily,” she greeted her, and the woman nodded.
“I’m Ann, her house mother. Come on in. I’ll get her; she’s in her room.”
She didn’t offer a tour, but Rafe glanced curiously around the common areas. Worn, plaid couches lined the walls of the living room, and a few kids lounged on them, watching television. A girl about thirteen with earbuds in her ears and a black hoodie covering her head was peeling the outer layer off her sneakers, dropping the dingy white pieces onto the brown carpet. A younger boy sat in the corner, rocking and whispering to himself, counting from one to ten over and over again. When he got to ten, he would look up at Rafe and CeCe before starting over, as if he were timing their visit. Rafe could hear another child in a bedroom overhead thumping around and yelling obscenities.
CeCe squeezed Rafe’s elbow, and he placed a hand on top of hers in reassurance. Emily emerged from the back bedroom, clinging to Ann with one hand and running her fingers along the scuffed and stained walls with the other. Her bronze hair was freshly brushed, and she wore a pink tee shirt and blue jeans with rainbow-striped sneakers. The three of them looked like they had coordinated their outfits for a family photo.
“There she is,” Rafe whispered, and CeCe moved forward.
“Hi Emily, it’s CeCe. Do you remember me?” The little girl nodded then whispered hello, remembering that CeCe couldn’t see her.
“This is my friend, Rafe. He’s going to go with us, okay?”
“Hi Emily, it’s nice to meet you.” Rafe prayed that Emily wouldn’t remember him, and if she did that she would be too shy to mention it.
“We can do lots of things by ourselves, even though we can’t see, but sometimes it’s nice to have someone else around to look out for us. My dog, Dexter, is here, too. He helps me when I’m by myself. Would you like to pet him? He’s really friendly.”
Ann lead the girl closer till her fingers brushed the dog’s fur, and Emily reached out tentatively to pet him. Dexter nudged her hand with his head, eager for the attention, and panted in excitement.
“Are you ready to go, Emily? I thought we’d get some lunch and take it to the park for a picnic. Then you can play on the playground. Would you like that?”
A look of panic crossed her face that only Rafe could see, and he tried to reassure her. “Don’t worry, Emily. I’ll make sure you’re safe. You used to like to play on the playground, didn’t you?”
“I like the swings and the monkey bars,” she murmured.
“Well, then that’s what we’ll do first, as soon as we get some food in you. What would you like for lunch?”
CeCe’s heart melted as Rafe spoke to Emily, his voice kind and friendly. She didn’t know if he’d be any good with children since he was used to teaching college students. The fact that he knew just what to say to ease Emily’s fears made CeCe’s eyelids flutter, and she sucked in her lips to control her emotions.
“Can we get McDonald’s?” For the first time, her voice was loud
er than a whisper.
Rafe chuckled. “That’s fine by me. CeCe?”
“Whatever you want, sweetie.”
Rafe helped Emily climb in the backseat next to Dexter, and the dog immediately cuddled up next to her, plopping his head on her lap. They drove to the nearest McDonald’s and loaded up on chicken nuggets and french fries, then parked close to the playground. There was a picnic bench nearby, and they carried their goodies to it, Dexter reaching out to sniff Emily’s bag every time she swung it near him.
“How old are you, Emily?” CeCe asked, nibbling on a french fry.
“Eight and a half. I’ll be nine in November,” she said around a mouthful of chicken nugget.
CeCe grinned at the typical answer. “So, are you going to be in third grade next year, then?”
Emily’s brows pinched and her lower lip puckered. “I don’t know. I didn’t finish 2nd.”
CeCe frowned at Emily’s worry. She would have to find out what the plan was for Emily’s schooling so she could reassure her. The school year had ended just a few weeks past, and CeCe didn’t want Emily to be worried about it all summer.
“Did you make good grades when you were in school before?”
“Uh huh. I was on the honor roll.”
“Then I’m sure you’ll move up to 3rd grade next year.” CeCe placed a gentle hand on Emily’s.
“How can I go to school when I can’t read or write anymore?” Her voice quivered like a mouse’s whiskers.
“I went to school, even though I couldn’t see. It was a special school. They taught me how to read Braille. Have you ever heard of that?”
“Miss Ann said it was letters made out of bumps and you read them with your fingers.”
“That’s right. You’ll learn how to read like that. It’s not hard, just different. And there are special computers that will read things out loud to you, too. And I’ll help you.”
“You will?”
“Sure, we’re friends now, right? I’ll help you whenever you need it.”
Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4 Page 49
