Flynn's In (Lexi Frost Series) (27 page)

Nodding to the man behind the counter
, Teri saw a stack of coffee table books and couldn’t resist looking to see what was already out to compete with her own upcoming book. If she ever finished it.

The door opened and closed again while she leafed through scenes of children at play. The photographer was decent
, but getting kids to laugh wasn’t that difficult so Teri wasn’t impressed. The book would have been better with cuter kids, maybe in more colorful clothes. Why go for ordinary when you’re trying to show off?

“Hey! I
’ve got you this time, you little brat! You think you can come in here and steal my books? Well this time I got you!”

The owner
’s gruff voice and a scuffle behind her made Teri turn. The owner was holding a small girl by the upper arm, dragging her back toward the desk in the middle of the store. The girl had a book in her hand,
The Jungle Book
, and was trying to pull away.

“Let go!
” The girl wailed, hitting the man with the book. She tried to brace herself against the force pulling her deeper into the store, but her sneakers were old and worn, any tread on the soles was long gone. The girl slid along despite her efforts.

Teri put down the book and took a tentative step to keep the little girl in sight. She wasn
’t very old and had all the signs of neglect. Besides her worn shoes, her jeans were several sizes too big with both pant legs rolled up and the waist cinched tight with a belt that had also seen better days. She wore a baggy T-shirt tucked into her jeans, each sleeve coming down to the girl’s elbows. An old backpack slung across one of her shoulders knocked books off the tables as she struggled, making the owner curse.

Maternal instincts taking over
, Teri walked back and confronted the owner.

“Let her go.
”

“She
’s a thief and I’m calling the cops.”

“I
’ll pay for the book, let her go.” Teri took the book from the girl and held her hand gently but firmly.

Reluctantly the owner
, Phil by his name tag, relaxed his grip only slightly, but stopped dragging the child through the store.

“She
’s been stealing from me for over a year now. I bet she’s got some of my books in her knapsack. I just haven’t been able to catch her before.”

“Fine
, I’ll pay for whatever she’s got in there too,” Teri told him firmly and Phil finally released the girl.

She tried to run
, but Teri’s grip held her.

“Hold tight
, kiddo. I want a word with you.”

Teri handed Phil the book and he walked around to take the backpack off the squirming child. Upon inspection
, there were four more books in there that Phil promptly claimed were from his store. Teri nodded and fished out her wallet with her free hand. She handed Phil a credit card and sat back on her heels to look at the little thief she’d bailed out.

Dirty blond waves framed a round little face with watery blue eyes. Her lips were chapped and Teri couldn
’t tell if she was deeply tanned or simply filthy.

“What
’s your name?”

The girl shook her head and remained silent.

“I just gave you a get out of jail free card, I can at least get a few answers out of it. If not, I’ll let him call the police.”

“Sophie Mayhew
,” the child whispered.

“Where are your parents
, Sophie?”

“My mom
’s gone and Dad’s probably over by the mission somewhere.”

“The mission?
”

“Homeless
, Ma’am,” Phil clarified.

Teri looked at him trying to make sense of this information. Children didn
’t live on the street. She knew there were homeless people who slept in some shelter or another, but not children. Not this young. Surely Child Services placed them in homes. She looked back at Sophie, understanding she wasn’t simply poor or neglected, she was abandoned.

“Sophie
, where do you sleep?”

She shrugged.

Teri shook her head. “Who takes care of you? How do you live?”

“I can take care of myself!
” The girl frowned. “We’re fine, jus’ leave us alone.”

“We? There are more of you?
”

Sophie hesitated
, realizing her mistake. Blue eyes darted to the store front, then back to meet Teri’s hazel eyes with defiance.

The teenagers out front
, Teri realized as she took her credit card and the backpack of books back from the owner.

“Do you have brothers or sisters?
”

“No. Jus
’ friends. You’re going to call the cops.”

“Children shouldn
’t have to live like this, Sophie. You should be in a home, have regular meals, baths, and a bed.”

“Yeah
, they grab us sometimes and put us in some home or dorm or something. Give us that line about what’s best for us. Pay some people who don’t care to jus’ let us sleep there. But when their own kids break something it’s always us that get blamed. When there’s trouble, it’s our fault. They get candy and toys and we’re told to be grateful for a bed. Then, when the dad’s not getting enough, it’s us he comes feeling up. No thanks. We’re better off on our own. Now let me go!” She tried to pull away again, but Teri saw the change in her stance and was ready for it.

“Come with me.
”

She stood and made a snap decision. Society failed this child and it burned Teri to her very core. No one wanted her
, and Sophie knew it. She was living a tough life the best she could. Still, Sophie was a child, and Teri was a mother.

Teri stopped wanting more children when Dev turn
ed one and dismantled the baby gate, with an encore performance of every other child-proofing device in the house. But he was grown now, not the handful he was. Teri didn’t need another child. Even with the girls moving out, she had four teens at home.

Endless reasons why this wasn
’t practical ran through Teri’s mind in the brief period of time it took to lead the reluctant Sophie to the door, but reason was left behind. Teri might not need another child, but this child needed a mother. Her heart recognized that and Teri’s maternal instincts kicked into gear.

The teenagers weren
’t lingering outside when Teri left the bookstore, and she glanced around carefully to be sure as she ushered Sophie into the back of the limo. The driver’s face was a mask as he slipped back behind the wheel.

“Ms. Giles
, we’ll only just make it to the restaurant for your reservation. If that is still your destination.”

“Oh. Um
, yes, please.” Teri looked over Sophie, the reality of her decision started to sink in. Not so much taking responsibility for the girl, but now she had to tell Flynn.

She started running her fingers through Sophie
’s hair, pulling the tangles out, and learned that it frizzed when it wasn’t matted. Suppressing the urge to swear, Teri fished in her purse for anything to tie back the girl’s hair. Nothing of use was available. Looking around the limo, her eyes fell on the driver.

“Um
, David? That’s your name, right?”

“Yes
, Ms. Giles?”

“Can I have your tie? Please?
”

David
’s eyebrows raised in surprise as he made several quick glances in the rear-view mirror. Seeing Teri holding a length of Sophie’s hair answered any questions he might have had. He nodded, unknotted his tie, and passed it back to her at the next light.

“Thank you.
”

Teri pulled Sophie
’s hair into a frizzy ponytail, then a neat bun with the tie, leaving an uneven and heavy bow above it.

“Well
, it’ll do for now. Tell me, if I wash your face, how much of this is going to come off?”

“You
’re not going to spit on a tissue are you? ‘Cause that’s jus’ gross.”

“Answer the question.
”

Sophie shrugged. Teri experimentally licked her thumb and scrubbed Sophie
’s cheek to wiggles and cries of outrage, but the color remained.

“All right
, for now I’ll accept you’ve spent too much time in the sun without adequate sunscreen.”

“Gee
, ya think?”

“Don
’t get smart young lady.”

“What do you want?
”

“To give you a good home. You
’re going to have a room, clothes, meals, a family, and an education.”

“I
’m jus’ going to run away.”

“Sophie
, if you’re living on the street, why are you stealing books?”

“What?
”

“Why not food or clothes or money? Why books?
”

“Who says I don
’t steal those other stuff?”

“Those other
things
,” Teri corrected her automatically. “Because of the clothes you’re wearing. You’d wear something that fit if you took clothes. Why books?”

“I
’m not always going to be a kid. Someday I’ll have to get a job and have to know how to read and write. And I’m learning ‘bout stuff too.”

“You
’re thinking of your future. That’s very smart. Now think again about what I’m offering. I get it that you haven’t had good experiences with foster families. I have two kids, and their four friends, so I’m used to raising children. My daughter and her best friend, are here to start college. My son and his friends are . . . well, we’ll say they’re making their dreams come true. If you want a future, you could do a lot worse than sticking with me.”

“You
’re just lonely.”

“I
’m not. I have a man in my life, and my son hasn’t left home yet therefore his friends haven’t either. I have my hands full. I don’t need a headache or a distraction, but . . .” Teri wasn’t sure how to explain her need to watch over and protect the dirty little girl scowling at her. “Listen. I know it doesn’t make sense, but go with it, all right?”

“Why don
’t you just go have a baby?”

“I
’m too old to start that again, I don’t have the energy,” Teri laughed. “You’ll do.”

Sophie gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes. “Fine
, jus’ so you know, if I don’t like it, I’ll jus’ leave.”

“I live in
Seattle; I’m just visiting New York so I don’t know where you’ll go. And I think you’ll like it. Four big brothers to spoil you isn’t anything to sneeze at. Now I just have to convince the man in my life that I’m not crazy.”

“I think he can make a case
,” Sophie mumbled, slouching in her seat.

• • •

Flynn saw Teri out, then spent a few minutes taking an interest in the girls’ new-apartment-out-on-their-own excitement. Finally Tiffany nudged her pseudo-sister and pointed to Flynn looking through the CD collection. He jumped when Cassie tapped his shoulder and he turned to see both girls looking at him.

“Meeting Mom tonight?
” Tiffany asked, a smirk on her face.

“Early dinner.
”

“Then a late night
, I presume,” Cassie maintained a carefully neutral expression.

“Late night aside
, you two both know what’s coming, right? At dinner? Or do I have to sit down and have a little talk with you as well?”

“You warned Dev?
” Cassie’s mask wavered and broke as she started laughing.

“What would posses you?
” Tiffany asked, wide eyed.

“Not making the same mistakes Paul did.
”

“And he agreed?
” Cassie asked, still grinning.

“He did.
”

“What if he didn
’t?” Tiffany asked.

“He did
,” Flynn shrugged.

“But
—”

“Not playing the
‘what if’ game with you two, I’m outnumbered.”

“You look nervous
,” Cassie observed. “It’s not like you haven’t done this before.”

“I
’m sorry, are we talking about the same thing? This is a commitment, and —”

“You
’re not having second thoughts are you?” Cassie asked breathlessly.

“No
, of course not. I’ve been chasing your mother far too long. It’s just . . .” Flynn sighed. “Listen, someday you’re going to be in love with a young man you believe is the epitome of perfection, and his world had better revolve around you. He’s going to sit you down and ask the ultimate question. It’s unlikely you’ll be surprised and, reasoning through it, he should already know the answer. It’s still a hell of a gamble. It should be a safe bet, but there’s still that
slim
chance
of you saying no and the stakes are high. Take it easy on him when the time comes, okay?”