her and Theo’s lives trying to appease his own guilt. She didn’t want his help or his money. What mattered, all that mattered, was her son. Theo was at a pivotal point in his life, and his idleness scared her. Maybe the money from Ben would open up options Theo hadn’t considered. Maybe money could spurn Theo into action.
If Ben was bent on paying her, she’d put the funds into an account for Theo’s future.
Outside, the Home Depot truck rumbled to life. Something clunked and there was a rev before the engine’s roar grew faint. Helen pushed off the door and carried her book bag and purse to the couch where she dropped onto the soft cushions.
After pulling off her shoes and stretching her legs, she dug her Chemistry book out of her bag and began to read.
Helen woke to a knock on the door and daylight streaming in through the front window. Blinking awake, she realized she’d fallen asleep on the couch. When she sat up, her book slid to the floor with a thud. Half asleep, she stumbled to the door and opened it. Sunlight hit her in the eyes.
“Ben?” She squinted.
He held a bag in one hand and a cardboard tray with coffee cups in the other. “Morning.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I hope you don’t mind I brought breakfast.”
“Uh.” Helen yawned.
“I’m sorry. I woke you.”
Helen blinked several times. Had she slept on the couch in her clothes all night?
“Can I come in?” Ben asked.
Too groggy to argue, she stepped aside to let him pass. Ben carried the food to the dining room table. “I brought food for Theo too, is he awake?”
Helen glanced down the hall; Theo’s bedroom door was open. “I assume so.” Ben emptied the bags, while Helen peeked in Theo’s room. The bed was made and the clock read 9:10 a.m. She went to the garage and peeked inside. Theo stood beneath a single light bulb studying a tattered manual.
“You want some breakfast?” Helen asked.
“Not now.”
Helen returned to the living room. “He’s working on his car.”
“Oh.” Ben sipped his coffee then said, “I found an electrician who can start later today. I hired him, I hope you don’t mind.”
“You assumed I’d agree?”
“No. I hoped to overwhelm you with logic and speed.” He grinned just long enough to be charming.
“That’s your plan huh?”
“Yep. Sit down and eat.”
Ben’s close proximity caused inner turmoil, and Helen couldn’t sit still. “I’ve decided to take you up on your offer to repair the house. Whatever money I get from insurance will go to Theo’s college fund. If you want to add to his fund, you’re welcome to, but if he doesn’t use the money for college, you will be taking it back.”
Ben’s smile was warm. “Thank you.” He gestured toward the chair requesting, again, that she join him.
Reluctantly, Helen sat next to him. Ben pushed an egg sandwich toward her.
“What do you say we go shopping?” Ben asked.
“For what?”
“A kitchen. You may as well get what you want.”
“I thought you already bought stuff. What’s in the truck?”
“That doesn’t matter. I’d rather have you get what you want.”
Helen shook her head. “Let’s not make a big deal out of this. A simple, utilitarian kitchen is fine.”
One of Ben’s eyebrows cocked, “You want me to design your kitchen?”
“Design? Just put stuff in the same places.”
Ben chuckled while shaking his head, “You are definitely not like most women I know.”
His reaction reminded Helen she wasn’t and would never be in Ben Smiley’s league. She’d been a shy girl full of self-doubt turned struggling single parent. Glamour and home design weren’t in her cards. “Just because I don’t want to spend your money, you don’t need to laugh at me,” she said.
“Helen. You read me the wrong way. You surprise me, that’s all.”
“You’re conceited, Ben. You know that? Everything. Everything comes easy to you. You’ve never had to fight for anything in your life.” She
If Ben was bent on paying her, she’d put the funds into an account for Theo’s future.
Outside, the Home Depot truck rumbled to life. Something clunked and there was a rev before the engine’s roar grew faint. Helen pushed off the door and carried her book bag and purse to the couch where she dropped onto the soft cushions.
After pulling off her shoes and stretching her legs, she dug her Chemistry book out of her bag and began to read.
Helen woke to a knock on the door and daylight streaming in through the front window. Blinking awake, she realized she’d fallen asleep on the couch. When she sat up, her book slid to the floor with a thud. Half asleep, she stumbled to the door and opened it. Sunlight hit her in the eyes.
“Ben?” She squinted.
He held a bag in one hand and a cardboard tray with coffee cups in the other. “Morning.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I hope you don’t mind I brought breakfast.”
“Uh.” Helen yawned.
“I’m sorry. I woke you.”
Helen blinked several times. Had she slept on the couch in her clothes all night?
“Can I come in?” Ben asked.
Too groggy to argue, she stepped aside to let him pass. Ben carried the food to the dining room table. “I brought food for Theo too, is he awake?”
Helen glanced down the hall; Theo’s bedroom door was open. “I assume so.” Ben emptied the bags, while Helen peeked in Theo’s room. The bed was made and the clock read 9:10 a.m. She went to the garage and peeked inside. Theo stood beneath a single light bulb studying a tattered manual.
“You want some breakfast?” Helen asked.
“Not now.”
Helen returned to the living room. “He’s working on his car.”
“Oh.” Ben sipped his coffee then said, “I found an electrician who can start later today. I hired him, I hope you don’t mind.”
“You assumed I’d agree?”
“No. I hoped to overwhelm you with logic and speed.” He grinned just long enough to be charming.
“That’s your plan huh?”
“Yep. Sit down and eat.”
Ben’s close proximity caused inner turmoil, and Helen couldn’t sit still. “I’ve decided to take you up on your offer to repair the house. Whatever money I get from insurance will go to Theo’s college fund. If you want to add to his fund, you’re welcome to, but if he doesn’t use the money for college, you will be taking it back.”
Ben’s smile was warm. “Thank you.” He gestured toward the chair requesting, again, that she join him.
Reluctantly, Helen sat next to him. Ben pushed an egg sandwich toward her.
“What do you say we go shopping?” Ben asked.
“For what?”
“A kitchen. You may as well get what you want.”
“I thought you already bought stuff. What’s in the truck?”
“That doesn’t matter. I’d rather have you get what you want.”
Helen shook her head. “Let’s not make a big deal out of this. A simple, utilitarian kitchen is fine.”
One of Ben’s eyebrows cocked, “You want me to design your kitchen?”
“Design? Just put stuff in the same places.”
Ben chuckled while shaking his head, “You are definitely not like most women I know.”
His reaction reminded Helen she wasn’t and would never be in Ben Smiley’s league. She’d been a shy girl full of self-doubt turned struggling single parent. Glamour and home design weren’t in her cards. “Just because I don’t want to spend your money, you don’t need to laugh at me,” she said.
“Helen. You read me the wrong way. You surprise me, that’s all.”
“You’re conceited, Ben. You know that? Everything. Everything comes easy to you. You’ve never had to fight for anything in your life.” She
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