by Judy Angelo
Indie cocked her head to one side. “So how does the orphanage fit into this picture?”
“Here’s the thing. Once I’d decided to help one family I felt I had to do more. Then, as if by some predetermined destiny, one of my South African employees mentioned the orphanage. It had fallen into severe disrepair. The orphans often had nothing to eat."
“But, how is that?” Indie frowned. “What about the social services?”
“This wasn’t a government institution. It had been run by missionaries who, for whatever reason, packed up and returned to their countries. My best guess is that it was due to lack of funding.”
Indie gave him a genuine smile of gratitude. She’d long since given up on any attempt at being flirtatious. In fact, she’d almost forgotten about that part of the plan. Rather than trying to tempt him, her smile meant she was truly interested in his story. “And that was when you stepped in.”
He nodded. “Correct. That gift fell into my lap and I snapped it right up. And never felt better.”
Indie shook her head in admiration. Who would have thought a Canadian billionaire would find so much joy in helping others so far away? “I can see that for you it's more than just giving money to a worthy cause. You’re actually involved in what goes on in those kids' lives, aren’t you?”
“I try to be, as much as I can. That’s why I didn’t mind the excuse to head back to South Africa to get you settled. I’ll introduce you to each one of them. We have sixty boys in the home.”
“A good number,” Indie said, nodding. She was going to have her hands full but she was up for the challenge. Then as she looked over at him her curiosity got the better of her. “You’ve done a great job in creating a surrogate family but what about a family of your own? Is that something…you want to do?”
Then, just in case he thought she was zany to ask such a personal question she leaned back and put up her hand. “Just curious.”
He gave her an unfathomable look then tightened his lips. “I was looking forward to having a family once. It didn’t work out.”
“I’m…sorry to hear that.” Now she was really curious but there was no way she could dig deeper without coming off as rude. She gazed over at him, hoping he would continue but, typical male, that was where he shut up. Just when things sounded interesting.
“Yeah, life.” He shrugged. “I learned my lesson. Walk cautiously in life, especially when making huge decisions. Some people are just not what they seem to be.” He gave a grunt of what must have been disgust because on his face was a pained expression.
Interesting-er and interesting-er. So he’d been hurt…or betrayed…by a woman. That much she could guess from what he’d said.
And here she was, trying to trap him into the very thing he seemed bent on avoiding.
But hers was for a worthy cause, she reasoned. And besides, there was no denying she was genuinely attracted to him. And the more she learned about him, the more she liked him.
But the man was obviously suffering from the emotional bruises of a past relationship. So how in the world was she going to get him to fall in love with her now?
CHAPTER SIX
Twenty-five days to the deadline and Indie still had a long way to go in getting Stone Hudson to fall in love with her.
After the longest airplane journey she’d ever undertaken they’d rested at one of the grandest hotels in the city then a chauffeur wearing khakis came to pick them up in a Jeep Wrangler that looked perfect for the rugged terrain.
Stone was casually dressed today looking like an outdoors man in army-green slacks, khaki-collared shirt rolled up to the elbows, and boots. Indie couldn’t help staring, maybe for a few seconds longer than she should have. She liked this rugged look of his. It was how she’d pictured him from the first day they’d met – big and tall and imposing against a wild landscape.
Her attire was pretty much the same as it always was – jeans, denim shirt and boots. She blended in perfectly.
Today they would be heading out to the boys’ home in Enkosi and she would meet Jenna Pringle who had been running the place for the past year and a half. She would also be introduced to each of the boys. And, before the day was out, she would get Stone Hudson to kiss her.
Indie’s lips curled at her private joke. Now where had that thought come from? She hadn’t had that in her plans for the day. Not at all. But there it was. The thought had popped into her mind and now she couldn’t get rid of it. Tessa’s spontaneity and craziness was definitely rubbing off on her. And, as crazy as the idea was, she would do everything she could to make it happen. Time was going fast and she had to get this party started or she’d be on the losing end of this challenge. And Indiana Lane was not a loser.
The journey along the highway took a little over an hour until they turned off onto a smaller road that led into more rural terrain. Eventually the asphalt road ended and then they were bumping along a dirt road which became more like a track. That portion of the journey lasted almost forty-five minutes until finally they saw the compound up ahead. They pulled up in front of a long, low building painted white with a strip of red and yellow flowers running along the length of the wall. As the Jeep pulled up in the yard a very pregnant woman with fiery red hair ran out of the front door and headed toward them. Ran may not have been the best word choice, though. Waddled would be more accurate.
“Stone!" The woman didn’t even wait for him to get out of the vehicle. As soon as she got close enough she reached into the open-back van and gave him a fierce hug.
As Indie watched she cocked an eyebrow. She couldn’t help it. Strange employer-employee relationship, where the woman felt comfortable to hug her boss like that. But then again, she was pregnant. Indie would lighten up and give her that. When pregnant, anything was possible.
“I’m so glad you came back so soon,” the woman was saying. “You would not imagine.” Then she turned to look at Indie sitting in the back seat with her bags beside her. “And this is my salvation. Thank you so much for coming.” And before Indie could even reply the woman had come around to the back seat, leaned over and was hugging her, too.
Indie couldn’t do a thing but hug her back. She couldn’t be rude, of course. And it seemed that the woman was a natural-born hugger.
The redhead pulled back then grinned at Indie. “I’m Jenna, by the way. Jenna Pringle. We’re just finishing up lunch. Come on in and meet the boys.”
She stepped back so that Indie could hop out of the Jeep and then she took her hand, leaving the men to follow them. There was no shyness about Jenna Pringle, not an ounce of reserve. She seemed to be the kind of person who would just welcome you into her home, no questions asked, no explanations expected. Was this how she’d be expected to behave in this job – effervescent and bubbly? If so, they’d have a long wait because Indie didn’t do bubbly.
Jenna walked quickly but Indie’s longer legs helped her keep up quite easily. Soon the three of them – the driver seemed to have disappeared – were in a long, brightly lit dining room with about ten tables around which sat boys ranging from toddlers to teenagers around fifteen or sixteen years old. As the visitors entered they all stood and, in unison, said a polite, “Good afternoon.” They were smiling brightly and all eyes were on Stone. It was obvious to Indie that he was known and loved.
Jenna waved to them to be seated and as they did, the previously quiet dining room began to buzz with the chatter of sixty excited boys. One of the youngest, eyes bright as stars, jumped up from his seat and ran over to Stone where he wrapped his chubby arms around a green-clad leg.
“Mosola,” Stone said with a smile and crouched down so his face was level with the child’s. “Come give me a hug.”
He got a huge smile and a hug around the neck that looked like it would cut off his air but he didn’t seem to mind at all. Stone was laughing as he hugged him back then he stood up with the child still clinging to his neck. Soon another little one ventured forward then another, until Stone was surrounded
by at least a dozen little boys, all demanding their hug. And Stone delivered.
Next, he went from table to table, greeting the older boys, addressing each of them by name. Indie wondered how he remembered them all but he seemed to have no trouble and it was clear that the boys appreciated the attention.
“He really loves those boys.” It was Jenna, right by her elbow, and she was whispering to Indie. “And you’ll love them, too, as soon as you get to know them. They’re all so sweet. You’ll see-”
She was cut off mid-sentence when a bell started to ring. "Lunch time is over," Jenna shouted over the din. “Time for the afternoon classes. Follow me.”
The boys formed a neat line and without Jenna having to say a word they filed out of the dining room and off to wooden buildings that stood at various ends of the compound.
Jenna took Indie on a tour of the classrooms. “We have eleven teachers,” she said, “covering the little ones in preschool right up to grade ten. For the higher grades the boys go on to high school in Johannesburg.” They’d reached a building cheerfully painted yellow. She held the door open. “Welcome to your new home away from home. After today, she’s all yours.”
It was a neat little bungalow that seemed to serve as Jenna’s office. A desk and file cabinet sat next to the sofa in the living room, partially hidden from view by a screen decorated with African print with stripes of orange, yellow and black. Surprisingly, the bedroom was the largest room in the house, with a huge four-poster bed with a canopy from which pale white curtains fell. A closer look told Indie those weren’t curtains but mosquito netting. Smart move. She knew from personal experience how vicious the tiny insects could be.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Jenna spread her arms wide. “The driver will soon bring your bags. The few things I have here are packed and ready to go. In fact,” she lowered her voice in a conspiratorial whisper, “as soon as Stone called to say he was bringing you, my husband and I started clearing up the place. I was never so happy to lose a job.” Then, as she saw Indie’s face she laughed. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. You’ll love it. It’s just that Kirk and I want to get ready for our baby. This will be our first and, being so busy, we haven’t had a chance to prepare.”
“When are you due?” As far as Indie was concerned that baby looked like it should have come out already. Jenna looked about ready to pop.
“In two weeks, but you know babies. They can come a couple of weeks early or a couple of weeks late. I could go into labor right now.”
Indie put a hand on her arm. “Please. Don’t. Let me at least get settled first.”
The pregnant woman laughed and stroked her belly. “My baby has been good to me so far. I know she’ll cooperate just a little bit longer.”
“Oh, it’s a girl? Have you chosen a name yet?”
“We're still working on that. We have some names on our list - Diamond, Crystal, Jessica. One of the teachers suggested Imani, which means faith.”
“Very nice,” Indie said, nodding. “I’m sure she’ll be as beautiful as her name.”
They were interrupted when there was a knock on the door and Jenna opened to see one of the teenage boys with a tray covered with a striped cloth. “Cook sent lunch for the lady,” he said, and laid the tray in Jenna’s arms.
“Thank you, Mfana.” She took the tray and headed to the tiny dining room. “Come on, Indie,” she said over her shoulder. “We can talk while you eat.”
While Jenna brought her up to speed on what needed to be done to ensure the smooth operation of the home, Indie enjoyed a meal of boiled yams, curried chicken and carrot salad, also curried.
As she listened to Jenna talk, Indie realized that the job was going to be a lot more work than she’d thought. In addition to supervising the home with the assistance of six home mothers, Jenna was also principal of the school and she even filled in as substitute teacher when any of the staff members fell ill. Indie was going to have her hands full.
As long as she could find time to be with Stone.
She took a pause from her meal as she thought about that. Her primary purpose for being here was to get to know Stone – fast – and to get a marriage proposal, but based on all that Jenna had told her she didn’t even know if she’d find time to go to the bathroom, let alone go man hunting. She grimaced. Things were not looking good.
“Don’t worry, Indie. It’s not that bad.”
Indie blinked. She looked across the table at Jenna who was smiling at her.
“I know you’re worried. I can see it on your face. But you’ll be all right. The staff is very supportive. They're like my sisters and brothers.” She reached over and patted Indie’s arm. “And they’ll give you all the help they gave me. I’m sure of it. They want this home to succeed just as much as we do.”
Indie nodded. If Jenna only knew…
This was a good time to change the subject. “Where did Stone disappear to?”
“I guess he’s spending time in each of the classrooms, chatting with the boys. He always does that. That’s why they love him so much. We all do.” She got up. “Now you finish eating. I’m going to get Kirk to pick up my stuff. “She left Indie and headed for the front door.
So this is it. Indie looked around. This little house would be her place of abode for the next few weeks, maybe a whole lot longer. She knew her personal weakness. Once she’d attached herself to a cause she would see it through to the end. And if she wasn’t careful, whether things worked out with Stone or not, she’d most likely spend as long as it took to ensure
the success of the boys’ home.
A few minutes later there was a rap at the front door and Indie opened to find a tall, gangly man with a shock of brown hair standing in the doorway.
“Hi,” he said with a warm smile. “I’m Kirk, Jenna’s husband. One of the drivers just dropped her home and she asked me to pass by.”
“Yes, of course.” Indie stepped aside. “Won’t you come in?”
“Thanks.” He brushed his palms against the seat of his very worn jeans. “Jenna said I should come over and pick up some bags. Do you know where they are?”
“I did see a couple of bags in the bedroom, in the corner by the window.” She waved her hand toward the room. “Go on in. I’m sure those are the bags you're looking for.”
He gave her a polite, almost apologetic nod, then headed for the bedroom. “Yep,” he called out, “it’s them all right. Jenna’s forever tagging her bags with these little pink strips of cloth.” He came out of the room with the bags tucked under his arms. “Ever since we heard it’s a girl you would think pink is the only color in the world.”
Indie gave him a sympathetic smile and went to hold the front door open. “She’s just excited, that’s all. As I’m sure you are, too.”
His bashful smile and the blush creeping up his neck told Indie she was right. He gave her another quick nod and then he was through the door, lugging the bags toward an ancient-looking pickup truck. He threw them in the back then jumped into the cab. The engine turned over immediately, sounding like a very healthy, well-tuned machine, nothing like what the outside looked like. He gave her a wave. “If you need anything, just send one of the drivers to fetch me. I’m not even a quarter mile away.”
“Will do.” She waved until he disappeared down the dirt track.
Alone again, Indie headed back inside where she washed the lunch dishes then she sat down at the desk and began to go through the notes Jenna had left for her. Orders to be placed for school and home supplies, a staff meeting to be planned for the teachers two days from now, a progress report to do, one that Jenna hadn’t even had the time to touch. Boredom would definitely not arise as one of her problems. Not at this place. There was just too much to do. Never one to procrastinate, Indie grabbed a notepad and began to write her plan of action.
She was absorbed in her second task, pulling the notes together for the progress report, when she heard a knock at the door.
She looked up. How many hours had she been at it? She glanced over at the desk clock. Three-thirty in the afternoon already. Where had the past couple of hours gone? It seemed like less than half an hour since she'd sat down at the desk.
She got up and stretched then strode to the door. It was probably Kirk coming back for more of Jenna’s stuff. She didn’t mind. Although he seemed shy she might just strike up a conversation with him, maybe ask him a few things about the region.
She pulled the door open, a welcoming smile already on her face. But it wasn’t Kirk who filled her doorway. It was Stone.
“Hey,” he said, smiling down at her. “Overwhelmed yet?”
Indie laughed. “Not yet.” Her heart feeling light with the pleasant surprise of his visit, she stepped back to let him in.
“Brave girl,” he said as he ducked his head to step through the doorway. Then he turned to her. “But don’t worry. You do have a second in command. A vice principal of sorts. Anita is her name. A competent woman. In fact, before Jenna came on board she held the fort for a good two months.”
“That’s good to know. I was wondering why Jenna departed so suddenly, like she was leaving me to sink or swim.” Indie waved a hand, directing Stone over to the couch. “Good to know I have somebody here who knows the ropes.”
“Of course.” He sank into the chair and stretched his long legs out in front of him. “You need time to get your feet wet. Anita will pick up the slack while you’re in learning mode. In fact,” he crossed his ankles then rested an arm on the back of the chair, “you have a top class crew. All this ship needs is a good captain to keep her pointed in the right direction.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said, and she meant it. “I already have some ideas I’d like to implement in the home and even in the school.” Warming to her subject, she sat in the armchair across from Stone and leaned forward. “What do you think about adding vocational subjects to the curriculum for the older boys? I remember in school I used to love tinkering with old cars. What if we offered introductory courses in auto mechanics, building construction and agriculture? The way I see it, it could only complement the academic curriculum. It certainly wouldn’t hurt.” She tilted her head. “What do you think?”
