Redeemed Hearts Read online

  “So you’d be willing to help then?” Aidan tried not to appear too eager as they entered the kitchenette. He snapped on the light, revealing a serviceable area with a stove, an older fridge, a sink and counter, as well as a rectangular workspace in the middle.

  “Sure. It sounds worthwhile for the kids.” She opened the oven to peer inside. “Speaking of kids, what can you tell me about Lindsay Brown?”

  Aidan blinked at the sudden change in topic. “She’s a good student. Has a younger brother, Matt, who can be a challenge at times. Why?”

  Chloe pulled her jacket tight, reminding Aidan to check the heating system.

  “I don’t know. She just seems so sad all the time.”

  Aidan frowned and stepped toward her, close enough to smell her perfume. “Let me give you some advice. It’s best to stay out of the students’ personal lives.”

  She bristled like an indignant hen. “How can you say that? Some of these kids need us to get involved. If their parents aren’t looking out for them, don’t we have an obligation to do so?”

  Her unexpected anger took Aidan by surprise. A bitter swirl of emotion swam in his stomach as the image of Emily Andrews came to mind. “Not everyone wants to be helped, Chloe. Sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.” He’d learned the hard way that good intentions did not always count when things went wrong. He switched off the kitchen lights and strode into the gym.

  The clatter of Chloe’s high-heeled boots warned him she wasn’t about to let this go. Her hand on his arm stopped him, as did her amber eyes, which burned bright.

  “What happened to make you so cynical?”

  He pulled his arm free and paced away, stopping with his back to her. He closed his eyes against the tide of memories sweeping in. Loathe as he was to talk about the past, he needed to make Chloe understand the dangers involved. He turned to face her. “I used to be like you when I first started teaching. That changed when I tried to help one of my students, a troubled sixteen-year-old girl named Emily.” He paused to contain his emotions. “She confided in me, told me she was being abused by a family member. I tried to intervene. Called in Child Protective Services…and got punched out by her father for my efforts.” He rubbed his jaw, remembering the unpleasant sensation. “After several sessions with a social worker, the girl finally admitted she had lied to get my attention. Turns out she had some romantic delusions about me.” He forced back the anger he still carried. “I got suspended for trying to help someone I thought was in trouble.”

  “I’m sorry. That’s so unfair.”

  “The point is you need to keep things strictly professional. Let the school counselors handle anything else.” What did he see in her eyes? Sadness, confusion, regret?

  “I’m sorry, I don’t know if I can do that,” she said softly. “But I’ll keep it in mind.”

  Her phone chirped out some pop tune. She pulled it out, grimaced at the display, and stuffed it back in her pocket.

  “Aren’t you going to answer that?”

  “No.” Color tinged her cheeks.

  “Your boyfriend?” The words came out too harsh.

  “Ex-boyfriend.”

  “Does he call often?”

  “Yes, but I don’t answer.” She pushed out the front door.

  Aidan turned off the main lights, locked the door, and then followed her to the car.

  Chloe sat, staring straight ahead.

  He slid into the driver’s side, hating the unspoken tension. “What did he do?” Aidan’s question was quiet as he pulled onto the street.

  Her phone chimed again.

  When she accepted the call, he frowned. She’d rather talk to the jerk than answer him. Not a good sign.

  “Richard, I told you to stop calling.”

  Aidan couldn’t make out his response.

  “I don’t care what…” Chloe rubbed a hand across her forehead. “Nothing has changed, Richard. Don’t call again.” She disconnected with a loud huff and crammed the device into her purse.

  Aidan let a minute pass in silence. “He wants you back, doesn’t he?” What guy wouldn’t?

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s far too late for that.”

  7

  At the loud rapping, Chloe looked up from the book of recipes. Who would drop by unannounced on a Sunday afternoon? Maybe Aidan wanted to borrow a cup of sugar. Did she have any sugar? Her heart rattled against her ribcage. She set the book aside, wishing she was dressed in something other than old jeans and a sweatshirt. She smoothed her hair down, wet her lips, and opened the door. “Nick. What are you doing here?”

  Her cousin’s normally cheery disposition was eclipsed by his glare. “I need to talk to you, Chloe. If you’re not too busy.” The last words dripped with sarcasm. Was he mad at her?

  “I’m never too busy for you. Come in.” Her mind raced over any possible offences. Had she not been nice enough to the new nanny? No, she and Mrs. Smythe had got on just fine when they met. Chloe couldn’t think of a thing she’d done to deserve Nick’s displeasure.

  Then realization dawned. It was Sunday, and she hadn’t attended church service. Again. Her cousin, the minister, would expect her to be there. She led him to the living room with a guilty heart. “Can I get you something to drink? A snack?”

  “No, thank you.” He perched on the edge of the large, green armchair and gestured for her to take a seat.

  Maybe if she dove right in, she could diffuse the situation. “So how was church today?”

  “Fine. Not that you’d know, since you haven’t bothered to attend one service since you’ve been home.” His blond brows cinched together. “This isn’t like you, Chloe. You never used to miss church on Sunday. Has New York changed you that much?”

  How could she tell him she didn’t feel worthy to step into the Lord’s house? “Sorry. I—I overslept.”

  “Stop it.”

  Her head jerked up at the harshness of his words. Suddenly, she was fifteen again, facing Nick’s wrath over her rebellious actions. When Chloe’s father died, Nick had stepped in to take over as the man of the household. She hadn’t always appreciated his interference. Like now.

  “I want to know what’s happened to you. Why you’re acting so different since you’ve come home. And why you’re working at the high school. What happened to your job in New York?” The worry in his eyes masked the anger.

  Apparently Lily hadn’t shared her concerns with Nick about Chloe’s lack of employment.

  “I left Oliver’s.” She crossed to the fireplace to fiddle with a picture frame on the mantel.

  “Why would you do that? I thought it was your dream job.”

  “A difference of opinion got…out of hand. Anyway, I’m home, so it all turned out for the best.”

  “Not good enough.” Nick turned her to face him. “I want to know what Richard did to you. And don’t tell me this isn’t about him, because I’m not buying it.”

  Blazing eyes bored into hers. Love fueled his anger, she knew. A love she cherished all the more now that Nick and Lily were her only family.

  “If I tell you, you’ll want to hurt him, so I think it’s best you don’t know the details.” Coward. It was better for her if he didn’t know the details.

  “Did he hit you?”

  “No.”

  “He cheated on you, didn’t he?”

  Unable to bear his scrutiny, she moved to the window where a soft breeze lifted the lace curtain. “Not in the way you think.”

  “How then?”

  She braced for his reaction. “I found out Richard is married.”

  Nick’s brows shot skyward. “Married? You mean separated?”

  “Not exactly.” Chloe hugged her arms. “But he swore he was planning to leave his wife when the time was right.”

  “Isn’t that a convenient answer?” A nerve pulsed in Nick’s jaw. “So he used you, had a good time at your expense, then cast you aside when he got bored?”

  “It wasn’t like that.” How could she
explain it when even she didn’t understand? Chloe searched for something to say. “Look, I’m not the first person to get mixed up in a bad relationship. It’s over now, and I need some time to recover.” She tried the same pleading look she’d used on him as a teenager when he’d caught her doing something wrong. Maybe it would still work.

  He blew out an exasperated breath. “You’re asking for space?”

  “That would be helpful, yes.”

  He paced as though gathering his thoughts, and then finally looked at her. “What are you going to do now? For work, I mean.”

  “I’m thinking of starting my own business.” As she explained, the lines in his face gradually relaxed.

  “I don’t know how much call there is for a bakery in town, but if anyone can make a go of it, you can.” He smiled. “I’m sorry about everything that’s happened, but I’m very glad you’re home to stay.” He opened his arms.

  Chloe stepped into his warm embrace, relief spilling through her tense muscles. The great thing about Nick was he didn’t stay mad long.

  When she pulled away, he held her by the shoulders. “Remember, Chloe, in times of crisis, it’s best to bring your problems to God, not hide from Him. I expect to see you in church next Sunday.”

  Her momentary relief faded. “I’ll do my best.”

  ****

  “Good job, everyone. Cleanup starts now.” Chloe stuffed her hands into the pocket of her white apron.

  The eating portion of the class was over, and now the dreaded dish duty began. They had made an excellent beef stroganoff, complete with salad and dessert, and had just finished enjoying the fruits of their labor. The eager students, ones like Lindsay, Ellen and Daphne, jumped up to clear the dishes.

  Tommy, a lanky redhead, patted his stomach. “This class was the best idea ever.”

  Chloe chuckled. “Glad you’re enjoying it, Tommy. If you work as hard at washing the dishes as you did eating the food, you’ll be on your way to an A, I’m sure.”

  Tommy made an exaggerated leap for the sinks.

  Chloe started to stack the plates and caught herself humming. After two weeks in Mrs. Merriweather’s class, Chloe could honestly say she’d never felt this content. Working at Oliver’s had been exciting, but catering to the clientele every night got tiresome. And the stress eventually caught up to everyone. Here, the immense satisfaction she gained from watching the kids master a skill was a surprise to her. She even had a few star chefs in the making.

  Lindsay Brown was one of them.

  Chloe’s gaze strayed to her pet student as Lindsay loaded the industrial-sized dishwasher. Dylan Moore stood right beside her, close enough that his hand strayed to her hip. A telltale pink tinged Lindsay’s cheeks as she cast a shy smile over her shoulder.

  Warning bells rang in Chloe’s head. Visions of Richard doing the same thing to her when he first started hanging around the kitchen at Oliver’s flooded her brain.

  “Mr. Moore, I’m sure Lindsay can load the dishes by herself. Why don’t you get a towel and dry those pots?” She folded her arms and waited.

  He glared, whispered something to Lindsay, and then grudgingly moved toward the sink.

  Lindsay darted a quick look at Chloe before returning to her task.

  When the kitchen had been returned to its normal state, Chloe turned her attention to Lindsay, thankful to find her alone. Chloe wanted to get the girl’s mind on something else besides a certain boy. “Lindsay, have you ever heard of the Junior Chef Challenge?”

  The girl wrung out the rag over the sink. “I don’t think so.”

  “It’s a cooking contest, held once a year. Students compete for a scholarship to a leading culinary school. From what I’ve seen of your skills, I think you’d have a good chance of winning.”

  The girl’s eyes widened. A glimpse of joy bloomed before her expression darkened. “There’s no point in entering, Miss Martin. Even if I won, I couldn’t leave home.” She scrubbed the counter with more vigor than necessary.

  “I’m sure your mother wants you to get a good education. To follow your passion.”

  “It doesn’t matter. I can’t abandon my brother that way. My mother works two jobs, and without me around, Matt would get into trouble for sure.”

  Chloe put a gentle hand on Lindsay’s shoulder. “Are you willing to sacrifice your dreams for your brother?” she asked softly.

  Lindsay lifted her chin. “If that’s what it takes, then yes.”

  Lindsay hung up her apron and walked into the hallway where Dylan stood waiting. The boy took her hand as they left.

  Chloe sighed. The girl’s decision not to attend college might have more to do with a certain shaggy-haired senior than her brother.

  8

  Standing outside the door to the recreation center on Saturday morning, Aidan whistled to get the motley crowd’s attention. All heads swiveled in his direction. “I want to thank everyone for coming out today. Your help will go a long way in getting this place ready for our new youth center. When I open the door, I want everyone to divide into teams and await further instructions inside.”

  Aidan flung the door wide and stood back while the teens poured by. He shook his head, awed that more than twenty kids had shown up to help paint the gymnasium and games room. His dream was slowly becoming a reality, and he had Chloe to thank for it.

  “Are you going to stand there all day or start painting?” Chloe grinned and plopped a baseball cap on her head, pulling her long ponytail through the opening.

  “I can’t believe you got this many kids to come out,” Aidan said as they entered the building. “How’d you do it?”

  Her smile grew wider, creating an enchanting dimple in one cheek. “Easy. I bribed them with food. Pizza and homemade cookies. Works every time.”

  “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  Her bright laugh echoed as she headed over to join one of the groups.

  Aidan squashed the urge to follow her and crossed the room in the other direction.

  The teens divided themselves into five groups of four with a couple of stragglers.

  He picked one crew to work on the games room while the rest he assigned to a different wall in the gym.

  Chloe took Lindsay and Daphne into the kitchen to start scrubbing the appliances.

  At least she was out of sight for the time being. Saved him the distraction.

  Three hours of sweat and effort later, the crew broke for lunch.

  Chloe brought out several large pizzas and a container of cookies.

  “You made the pizza?”

  “Not just me. The kids helped yesterday after class. And I made the cookies last night at home.”

  He snagged one of the sweets. “That’s what smelled so good. Every time I went out into the hall, I could smell something incredible.”

  Her beaming smile melted his insides, while the cookie melted on his tongue. He’d certainly be a customer at any bakery she opened.

  The kids took their food out to the gym. Aidan grabbed a slice of pizza and started to follow the others, but stopped at Chloe’s scowl.

  She was staring into the gym, her mouth pinched.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Dylan Moore is making moves on Lindsay.”

  He peered over her shoulder, trying to ignore the rush of her floral perfume.

  Dylan sat beside Lindsay, feeding her bites of pizza.

  “And this poses a problem for you?”

  She whirled to face him so fast their noses almost touched. “Lindsay’s a sensitive girl. And I know Dylan’s type. He’ll dump her as soon as someone prettier comes along.”

  “How do you know this after only two weeks with the kids?”

  “Oh, come on, Aidan. Dylan’s reputation is hardly a secret.”

  He set his plate down on the nearest surface. “And Lindsay is perfectly aware of it. If she chooses to go out with him, that’s her decision.”

  Chloe’s brows shot together. “Even if she’s throwing
away her future?”

  Exasperation spurted through him. “How does a teenage crush translate to Lindsay throwing away her future?”

  Chloe moved to the counter and started to box up the leftovers. “She’s not even considering going to college and I think Dylan is a big part of the reason.”

  Aidan banked down his irritation and kept his tone level. “I told you, Chloe, you can’t get involved in these kids’ lives. The best you can do is offer advice. Whether they choose to take it or not is up to them.”

  She turned blazing eyes on him. “Sorry, that’s not good enough. I can’t sit by and watch a talented girl throw her life away.”

  Though Aidan admired her passion and her dedication to the students, he couldn’t agree with her methods. But arguing with her would get him nowhere. With an inward sigh, he headed into the gym, vowing to keep a discreet eye on Chloe and hope she didn’t do something she’d later regret.

  ****

  In the basement of her building, Chloe crammed the sheets into the washing machine, dumped in the soap, and dropped the lid. Her insides still hummed with frustration after her conversation with Aidan.

  How could he care enough about children to work in the education industry, and even start a youth center to help them, but ignore their personal problems with such ease? It didn’t make any sense.

  She punched the button to start the washer and then bent to pull her clothes from the dryer. Maybe Aidan could turn a blind eye, but she couldn’t. If it took every trick she had, she’d get Lindsay to enter that cooking competition.

  Her cellphone vibrated. She pulled it out and accepted the call.

  “Chloe? It’s Myra Goodwin. I’m calling to check on your status regarding the shop on McIntyre Street. I have another customer interested in the property.”

  “Just a minute, Myra. I can’t hear you very well.” Chloe’s stomach dipped. She hadn’t expected this, mainly because the store had been empty for months.

  Chloe stepped into the hallway away from the noisy machine, mentally calculating the total in her bank account now that her severance pay had been deposited. She’d presented her business plan to Mr. Johnson, the bank manager, and filled out her loan application. He’d promised he would make his decision early next week. Though fairly confident he’d grant her request, she couldn’t go ahead without that extra security. Yet she wasn’t about to let this property slip through her fingers. “I should hear from Mr. Johnson about the loan by Monday or Tuesday.” If the bank turned her down, she’d be forced to approach Nick about her trust fund. Still, she had no idea how long it would take once Nick approved the idea.