Home for Her Family (9781460341186)

by Carmichael, Virginia

  Who was he to walk away from that much money when other people were struggling? Finding your purpose sounds like something rich people worry about when they have a lot of options. Her words echoed around his head, making his worry seem selfish and small.

  Jack watched Kassey and Gabby kick the soccer ball back and forth. Joyous and carefree, they were happy because of Sabrina. His father was happy he worked at the family company. Maybe it didn’t really matter how useful he was. Maybe his purpose wasn’t tied to his occupation. Maybe it was a state of being. Generosity, sacrifice and hard work made people happy, not the job.

  He let out a deep breath and straightened his shoulders. It would be months before his dad was well enough to put in a full day as head of the company. He would take it one day at a time. Maybe Sabrina’s way was better and putting his own happiness a little farther down the list of priorities would give him peace. He didn’t have anything to lose. Anything had to be better than pretending to love life as the company puppet.

  * * *

  “Tía Sabrina, we want to join the team!” Kassey ran across the gym floor with her arms open wide, glossy black hair falling out of her pigtails. Her grin was so wide Sabrina could see all her little teeth. She wrapped herself around Sabrina’s waist and beamed up with the perfect confidence of a child.

  “We do, we do!” Gabby added her voice to the pleading, tiny hands pulling on Sabrina’s pant leg.

  “I think the soccer team is for the mission children.” She felt the familiar sting of having to say no and wished for once, just once, it could be different. She rubbed a hand over Kassey’s hair, feeling the strands flow through her fingers like water.

  Jack walked toward them, a soccer ball under one arm. The rest of the children were being met by their parents and excited voices filled the echoing space. “Actually, any children can join. We started our own team here because the residents have trouble getting to the city league practices. And we do have a few openings.”

  Setting down her toolbox on the polished gym floor, she glanced up into those bright blue eyes and searched for words. Any words. She wanted to nod and agree, but she couldn’t. She had to explain that there was no way she afford sports equipment on top of school supplies, no way she could bring the girls to practice at the mission every day while taking evening jobs, and absolutely no way she could handle one more task in her life. She just couldn’t.

  He went on, his deep voice carrying easily through the noise around them. “We only have practice twice a week, Thursday and Friday. All the equipment is paid for through a special grant organized by one of the local churches.”

  “Please?” Kassey managed to make the word into several syllables while her voice rose two octaves.

  “I don’t know, sweetie. We just have so much going on...” Her voice trailed off at the look on her niece’s face. Disappointment, then a brave attempt to blink back tears.

  “Okay.” Kassey nodded and took Gabby’s hand. They stood quietly, waiting to go home.

  Sabrina sighed. They had sacrificed so much, had lost everything once before. If they had whined and fussed, it would be easier to say no. But that quiet strength tugged at her heart. She turned to Jack, narrowing her eyes. “Tell me the truth. What kind of time commitment is this? And is it really no charge? The equipment is free, but are there team fees? Game fees? Travel fees?”

  “Two practices a week. Games on Saturday afternoon at the inside field on Stanton. Everything free.” He didn’t glance at the girls or encourage them at all, and she was thankful for that. He was giving her space to consider, letting her make the decision without any pressure.

  “So, they need to try out? What if one gets in but not the other?” She crossed her arms. Stanton Avenue wasn’t far from their apartment. She could walk them down there. No fees and maybe the schedule would work, but these two girls had feelings she needed to consider, too.

  He leaned close, dropping his voice. She caught the light scent of soap and masculinity. “We don’t really have tryouts. The kids come and we sign them up. Everybody learns together.” He stood back and the corners of his lips turned up, as if they were sharing a secret.

  Heat crept up her neck and she dropped her gaze to Kassey’s hopeful eyes. This was about the girls, not the coach, although her brain was gibbering something about how seeing Jack two times a week could be very interesting. Maybe she wouldn’t even stink of rotten potato peel next time. “Homework will always have to be done first. And you have to be team players. And help each other.”

  They both let out tiny shrieks of happiness. “We will, we promise!” Matching pairs of dark eyes shone with joy and Sabrina savored the feeling of being the hero for once. She was always the one who had to say no. But not today.

  “Thank you.” The words came out huskier than she’d intended. Her throat felt tight and she swallowed away the sudden emotion. “It’s been a long time since they’ve gotten to do something really fun.”

  “No problem.” He laid a hand on Kassey’s shoulder, face serious. “Next practice is Thursday. You two are saving the team. We were short a few players and now we’ll have enough alternates that no one will get too tired out during the game.” He was speaking to them as if they were newly acquired star players.

  Their expression of wide-eyed glee made her breath catch. There were caring teachers at school and sweet Mrs. Guzman from upstairs. But there was a hole in their lives where a mom and dad should be. She was determined to keep them together as a family, but she knew what she gave them wasn’t always enough. She did her best to fill a mom’s shoes, but this kind of validation, from someone like Jack, meant more than she’d realized.

  Chapter Two

  The shrill sound of a whistle cut through her thoughts. “Hey, I’ll be back.” Jack jogged off to the other side of the gym and started to round up the straggling kids into the group. Sabrina watched his easy stride, the generous smile and wondered what it was about him that made her think he was a little restless. As if there was too much energy for one body, or he had other plans for the rest of the evening.

  Actually, he probably did. A guy like that wouldn’t be unattached. She shrugged off the curiosity and tried to focus on the excited chatter from her nieces.

  “We’ll work really hard,” Gabby said, lapsing into Spanish as soon as Jack left.

  “We promise.” Kassey was so earnest that Sabrina almost laughed. Usually she preferred they speak Spanish only at home, but she didn’t correct them. It made her smile just to see how thrilled they were at the idea of running drills and practicing kicks. They knew the custody hearing was coming up in two months and they were as nervous as she was. Nervous and worried and unsure of what the future held. This would give them something to do besides worry.

  “I know you will. I have no doubt.” She gathered them to her, one on each side. “You always make me proud.” Leaning down to kiss one small head, then another, she knew that whether or not they scored a single goal, being on the team would be a gift to their self-esteem. Lord, as always, You are full of surprises.

  Sabrina glanced back toward Jack, watching him chat easily with the parents who’d arrived to collect their kids. He seemed to be one of those people who made friends with everyone, anywhere, anytime. Even knowing that, she couldn’t shake the memory of how it felt to talk with him. She felt heard, for the first time in a long time. Maybe that’s why she’d talked about how she loved metal and machinery. It certainly wasn’t something she shared every day. Or at all, really. Of course, no one had ever asked her why she wasn’t a secretary or a preschool teacher, something more feminine. She’d heard plenty of comments in the past two years. Some people thought it was cute, some people thought it was weird and a lot of people thought it was a man’s job. But no one had ever asked her why.

  Gabby was speed talking her way through a wish list of soccer gear and Sab
rina nodded, not really listening. Jack seemed so full of energy, so much more alive than anyone around him. What was it about him that made her want to stop and take a deep breath, to shrug off her massive schedule for just one moment and do something fun?

  He met her gaze across the gym and she turned away, embarrassed to be caught staring. Whatever the reason she’d shared her past, it was a sure sign that she needed to get out more. One short conversation and she was overthinking her life. It didn’t matter why she did the job she did and it certainly didn’t matter what he thought about her.

  She had one goal, and that was to get legal custody of the girls. To do that, she needed to keep them afloat, pay the rent on time and look like a responsible parent. Maybe when it was all over she could think about her own needs. For now, she just had to keep her head down and do what needed to be done, and that included avoiding Mr. Deep Thoughts. As cute as he was, she wasn’t going to be having another heart-to-heart with Jack Thorne again anytime soon.

  * * *

  “Gavin will be over in a minute to talk to you. He’s the other coach and has the schedule for next week,” Jack said. He must have startled Sabrina, because she jumped at the sound of his voice. “And some waivers to sign. You’re their legal guardian?”

  “Temporary. There’s a hearing soon and we’re hoping it will be settled by the time summer starts. They want to give my sister the chance to contest the motion. Every time they set a date, Rosa says she’s coming back for the hearing, but then she’ll ask to postpone it. This is the last time she can ask to retain her rights, and I don’t think she’ll show up.” Her face was stoic but there was an old sadness in her eyes. One hand smoothed Gabby’s dark hair in an absentminded motion.

  He wanted to say something but wasn’t sure what. Congratulations didn’t seem right.

  “Tía, you should help. You love soccer.” Gabby tugged on her aunt’s hand.

  “Yes, you should,” Kassey chimed in. “Coach Jack, she played on a soccer team, too.”

  “Did you? We need another coach here.” Jack grabbed at that fact like a drowning man. They could talk soccer. That was a safe subject.

  “Only in high school. It wasn’t anything.”

  “On a team?” Gavin returned from the supply closet. “We really do need someone, especially someone who can speak Spanish. Some of the newer residents have trouble following the directions and Jack’s Spanish isn’t up to speed.”

  Jack resisted giving Gavin a casual punch on the arm. The man knew a few words and thought he was fluent.

  Sabrina laughed and the sound stopped Jack in his tracks. She was so beautiful. He’d already known that, but when she laughed, it was as if a light had been turned on inside and she shone for the world to see.

  “I suppose if you need a token Spanish speaker, I could lend a hand. I’ll be here anyway since we take the bus back and forth.”

  “So?” Gavin’s voice held laughter.

  “So, what?” Jack turned, frowning.

  “I asked you what you thought. Should we nominate Sabrina for coach status?” Gavin was chuckling now, not even bothering to hide his amusement. “Looks like we lost you somewhere along in this conversation.”

  Sabrina’s brows drew down. She said, “You know, it’s really okay. If you don’t think it’s a good idea—”

  “No, I think it’s a great idea.”

  “Then it’s settled. Welcome, Coach Sabrina,” Gavin said.

  She grinned. “Thanks.”

  “Jack.” He turned his head and saw Jose winding his way through the gym. The stocky man’s dark skin couldn’t hide the tattoos visible from biceps to wrist, but his red polo was neatly pressed. Grant had all the mission staff wear a uniform, mostly for simplicity, but it also was a sign to the residents of who was an official staff member. “Are you teaching snowboarding classes this spring? My nephew wants to learn.”

  “Not right now. Probably not until October.” It killed Jack to say it, but snowboarding was on hold. Actually, his entire plan of launching a business of snowboarding clinics up on the mountain was in limbo.

  Jack glanced at Sabrina and saw her eyes flick to Jose’s tattoos. He could understand her wariness, especially if she knew the meanings behind the markings. Jose had turned his life around, but his body still bore the marks of a life on the streets. “Jose, this is Sabrina Martinez.”

  He held out a hand with a wide smile. “I’m the intake specialist. Mostly paperwork. Very boring.”

  “Oh,” she said, and then recovered quickly. Jack could tell she was surprised that Jose was staff and not a resident. “Nice to meet you.”

  Jose turned back to Jack. “Well, if you change your mind, I’ve got a ten-year-old who’s nagging me to death for lessons.” He started for the cafeteria door.

  “If I could save you from that, I would,” Jack answered a little wistfully. He would love to be spending all his time up on the mountain instead of behind a desk.

  “Look, there’s the director.” Jack waved an arm and called, “Grant, would you like to meet our newest team members?”

  The dark-haired director carried his little boy in his arms, his red tie wrapped firmly in the toddler’s fist. “Sabrina, I should have warned you about Jack and his ability to draw people into the team.” His voice was layered with good humor. “And these two young ladies seem to be the very players we needed. God sent you to us just in time.”

  Kassey and Gabby smiled shyly. Jack caught Sabrina’s gaze and he winked. Between Gavin’s princesa comment and Grant’s directorial blessing, these two were going to pop with happiness. He loved this nonpaying job more than anything he’d ever done as a VP. In a world that seemed cold and ugly, all of this attention was just what the girls needed.

  “Sabrina, tell me you fixed the old Hobart. I’m afraid to go in there. Marisol might eat me alive, so I’m bringing Gabriel for protection,” Grant said.

  “Abuelita!” The little baby crowed the word and pointed to the kitchen. His blue eyes were fixed on the entrance as if Marisol would exit at any moment.

  “See? He knows where he can find her. In a moment, buddy.” Grant’s smile faded and his heavy brows drew down. “Either the machine was too broken to fix or it was a simple cleanup job. Please tell me it was the latter.”

  “I took off the front panel and cleaned out the pieces. All the slicers looked fine, but there was half a potato jammed into the main hopper. All it needed was a little industrial solvent, a bit of degreaser and—” she glanced at Jack “—a spotter. Seems to be running okay now.”

  Relief filled Grant’s eyes. “Wonderful. You’re worth your weight in gold. And not just because those machines cost twenty thousand dollars.”

  She snorted. “I think your gratitude has more to do with Marisol and it being two days before Easter.”

  “How right you are.” Grant ducked his head as Gabriel ran a chubby hand through his dad’s hair. It stood up straight on one side and Kassey giggled at the sight.

  “Your baby is fixing your hair,” she told Grant.

  “He likes to do that. He’s trying to make me into a rock star.” Grant pretended to devour Gabriel’s hand and the little boy giggled.

  “My aunt says mohawks are weird,” Kassey went on.

  “No way,” Jack said, pretending to be astonished.

  Gabby giggled and nudged her sister.

  Jack raised an eyebrow at them. “You think I should try one?”

  “No,” she said, her voice soft. “Not that. What you said, my aunt doesn’t let us say that. She says we use too much slang, like her friend Maya.”

  “No way!” He opened his eyes wide. The girls responded with muffled laughter and delighted grins.

  Sabrina’s face was pinker than before, if possible. “They’re making me sound like a tyrant.”

 
“Not at all. My grandmother hates slang, so I can understand those rules.”

  “Gabriel, there you are.” Marisol came toward the group, arms outstretched. The little boy held out his hands in response and Grant passed him over to be covered in kisses. “There’s my boy. So big, so tall!”

  Grant tilted his head at them and whispered loudly, “I never get any attention anymore. It’s Gabriel this and Gabriel that. Like I don’t even exist.”

  “Mentiroso, I give you lots of attention. And you ignore me. I tell you to cut your hair last week and you don’t listen.” She turned a critical gaze on him and clucked her tongue. Gabriel giggled at the sound and held a small hand to her mouth.

  “Calista likes it a bit long in the back,” Grant said, shrugging.

  “And that’s what happens when you get married.” Jack ran a hand through his own dark hair, cut short on the side and just a bit longer in the front. As active as he was, he didn’t want to have to fuss with his hair all the time. “You don’t even get to choose your own haircut.”

  “Is that why you date every girl in town?” Marisol’s tone was light but her eyes missed nothing. “Always dating, never married. One date and then the girl is just a friend. Why? You like your hair so much? When you are old and it all falls out, then you will have no wife and no hair, either.”

  Surprised laughter burst from Sabrina and she tried to cover it with a cough.

  “I just haven’t found the right one, Mari. I admit, I’m picky.” That, and he was never sure if they liked him for who he was, or the fact he was the vice president of Colorado Supplements. “But I can never have too many friends, right?”

  “Friends, friends.” Marisol’s dark eyes rolled heavenward. “There are better things than friends. Look at this baby. I’m sure your parents are waiting for grandchildren.”

  “Well, Evie and Gavin can help them out there.” He tried not to look concerned. And he wasn’t, really. His parents had never really seemed excited about grandchildren. He glanced at Sabrina and saw her smile had slipped a bit. Marisol was making him out to be some sort of playboy who was determined never to have a family of his own.