Promising Angela (2 page)

And her hair! Ben had never seen anything like it—reddish-brown spirals that bounced across her shoulders and caught the light with every movement. The first time he’d seen those curls, he’d been tempted to catch one and pull it to see how far it would stretch. But of course he had kept his hands to himself. She also had the most unique eyes—pale blue with a deep gray-blue rim around the irises. A man could get caught up staring into those eyes and lose track of time without any effort at all.

He drummed his fingers on the clipboard, the
thp-thp-thp
underscoring his thoughts. Yep, that Angela was one gorgeous woman. But she obviously had no desire to work here. The tight smile, wringing hands, and stiff posture gave her away. So why was she here? He snorted. It sure wasn’t for the paycheck. He didn’t think she needed it, based on the high-class outfits she’d worn each day this week. Plus, he’d seen what she drove to work—the sleek silver rocket had brought a neck-popping double take and an appreciative whistle from his lips. She obviously had a source of income from somewhere that exceeded anyone’s salary here at New Beginnings.

So again … why was a woman like that working here?

Across the room, Danielle, her round face shining, opened her arms for a hug. Ben watched, holding his breath, waiting for Angela’s response. Although they worked with the clients to teach them the appropriate time and place for hugs, affirmation was needed and freely given in appropriate ways. If Angela rebuffed Danielle, refusing to acknowledge the other woman’s silent plea for approval, he’d have some choice words to share at the end of the day.

Angela tipped her body backward away from Danielle, extended her arm, and patted the other woman’s back in a stiff, impersonal manner. Her face twisted in a grimace. Ben frowned, wondering if that grimace was an expression of dislike or discomfort. He did understand that sometimes people had difficulty relating to those with handicaps, and the discomfort could display itself in dislike when it was truly just insecurity.

Danielle giggled, covering her mouth with both hands and hunching up in pleasure. She patted Angela’s shoulder, then reached once more for the broom and dustpan. The two women went to another area of the work floor to practice more.
Thp-thp
… Ben’s fingers drummed. Dislike or discomfort? He couldn’t be sure when it came to Angela.

But it was his job to make sure the clients were treated with respect and dignity. No hired worker—not even one with such a pleasing appearance—would be allowed to destroy the fragile confidence of his clients. He’d keep an eye on this new hire—Angela Fisher. A few more days—just a few more days to give her a chance to settle in. If he didn’t see improvement, he’d visit with Philip, and his recommendation would be to let Angela Fisher go.

Angela uncapped her pen and drew a big
X
over the last Friday square on the calendar that hung inside her work locker. Two weeks down … How many to go? With a rueful chuckle, she decided not to count.

She closed her locker, leaned her forehead against the cold metal, and sighed. Tiredness smacked her, but it was a good kind of tired, she realized. The tired that comes from working hard and giving of yourself. In spite of the tight knot between her shoulder blades, satisfaction filled her. All that praying to get through the days must be helping.

Pushing off from the locker, she turned and gave a start. Ben Atchison, seated at his desk, had his gaze aimed right at her. Without conscious thought, she flipped her head to tousle her curls then ran her fingers from forehead to crown, teasing the curls into an uneven side part. It was a gesture she’d used to good effect many times in the past when she’d wanted to capture a man’s attention.

She’d noticed Ben watching her quite a lot since she started at New Beginnings. And to be honest, she didn’t mind. Ben was a hunk deluxe. Broad-shouldered. Trim-hipped. With bulging biceps that told of time in a gym.

He could let his hair grow, though. It was short enough to qualify for the military. So short it was hard to determine its true color—maybe blond, maybe brown, maybe brownish blond. But she didn’t have to guess at his eye color. Those piercing eyes of deep blue, hooded by thick, arched brows, were like beacons in his square, chiseled face.

Oh yes, Ben Atchison was a very pleasant package. She allowed a smile to curve her lips, tipping her head and meeting his gaze directly so he’d know the smile was meant for him. Then, realizing what she was doing, she spun to face her locker, her cheeks blazing with heat. She shouldn’t be flirting. It was a habit she struggled to break, along with so many other habits she knew didn’t please her Savior. And flirting with one of the bosses was certainly a huge mistake. Opening her locker, she hid behind the door to get a grip on her embarrassment.

Her gaze fell on the Bible resting on the top shelf. She lifted it out. She had formed the routine of reading during her afternoon break, and she wanted to continue the schedule at home over the weekend. Bible in hand, she closed the locker with a snap and turned to leave. And she yelped in surprise. Ben Atchison stood beside the lockers, his blue-eyed gaze pinned on her face. They hadn’t been in such close proximity since her first day when he’d shown her the time log and assigned her a locker. Up close those eyes were like magnets, drawing her in. She gulped.

He didn’t smile, and his deep voice sounded very formal. “Angela.”

Clutching her Bible to her chest, she croaked, “Yes?”

Ben folded his arms, his weight on one hip. “I just wanted to let you know I have your two-week evaluation completed. I plan to show it to Philip this evening, and then you’ll receive a copy on Monday. If you agree with my assessment of your performance, you’ll simply sign off, and we’ll have a second evaluation at six weeks. If you have any areas of disagreement, you, Philip, and I will schedule a conference to discuss it.”

Angela managed a nod. So that’s why he’d been watching. She suddenly felt very foolish. “I—I’m sure your assessment will be fair.” Dropping her gaze to the floor, she confessed, “I know I’m not very good at this, but I am trying.”

“I know. I can tell.”

Her chin shot up, her startled gaze bouncing to meet his once more. He’d sounded … nice.

He pointed to the Bible she continued to hug like a lifeline. “I noticed you reading during breaks. What book are you studying?”

Angela glanced at the Bible in her arms. A light, self-conscious laugh escaped. “I’m not sure you’d call what I’m doing studying. The Bible is kind of new to me, so I’ve just been skipping around, reading here and there.” Realizing how flighty that sounded, she hastened to add, “But I’m enjoying it, and a lot of it is really making sense.”

Ben tipped his head, his brows coming down. “Are you a Christian?”

“Yes, I am,” Angela said. “But I’m afraid I’m as new to Christianity as I am to New Beginnings. I have a lot to learn in both areas.”

His nod seemed to hold approval. “What church do you attend?”

Angela blinked. “Church? Well, I don’t—I just got back from”—she swallowed, seeking words that would be honest yet would protect her—”a training program, and I became a Christian while I was away. I haven’t found a church yet.”

“Your family doesn’t attend?”

Angela stifled the laugh that threatened. Her parents? In church? Her mother gave up that “gobbledygook,” as she called it, when she graduated from high school, and her father had never been interested. They did attend the big church downtown for Easter and Christmas services, but that was more for public appearances than anything else. If Petersburg didn’t have a huge, statued, bricked, bell-towered church, her parents probably wouldn’t bother at all, but Dad felt walking into that ostentatious building gave him some prestige.

She realized Ben still waited for an answer. She shook her head. “Uh-uh. My parents aren’t churchgoers.”

“Well, I attend a small church out on the highway. It’s called Grace Fellowship. The building used to be a restaurant, but it closed years ago. I know it isn’t fancy”—his gaze swept up and down her outfit, creating a rush of embarrassment—”but we have a growing young adult group, with services on Sunday morning and evening, as well as a Wednesday night Bible study. Would you be interested in attending?”

Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of being in a formal study group. Carrie had encouraged her to join a church where she could grow. “Oh, yes, I’d like that a lot!”

His warm smile made her tummy tremble. “Good. Would you like to attend this coming Sunday morning? I’d be glad to give you a ride.”

Fluttering her lashes, Angela quipped, “It’s a date.”

Immediately she regretted her action. How easily she’d slipped into flirtation. Again. But it wasn’t appropriate—not for this setting and with this situation. The warmth in Ben’s eyes disappeared to be replaced with a guarded look that was like a splash of cold water over Angela.

“I—I mean I would very much appreciate a ride. Thank you.” Her stuttered words did little to ease the tense moment.

Ben gave a brusque nod. “What’s your address?”

At least he was still willing to take her. Her hands shook as she penned her address on a scrap of paper and handed it over. She offered a meek smile. “Thank you again, Ben. I do appreciate the ride.”

He looked at the address, and his eyebrows shot upward. She knew what he was thinking—everyone in town was familiar with the Eastbrook Estates. She waited for him to change his mind and tell her she wouldn’t fit in at his simple, used-to-be-a-restaurant church, but he slipped the paper into his breast pocket and said, “I’ll be by around nine fifteen. Sunday school starts at nine thirty, and the worship service at ten forty-five.”

“That’s fine. I’ll be ready. Well …” She waved a hand toward the door, inching in the direction of the exit. “I told my aunt I’d stop by after work and have some milk and cookies with her.” A nervous giggle erupted. Had she really just told Ben she’d be having milk and cookies?

But he didn’t make any snide remarks. He didn’t even smirk. With a quick upturning of lips, he turned toward his desk. “I’ll see you Sunday morning. Have a good weekend.”

“Yes … Sunday. And thank you.” Before she could say or do anything else to embarrass herself, she escaped.

Ben curled the fingers of one hand around the steering wheel as he maneuvered through the late afternoon traffic toward Elmwood Towers. His other hand tapped restlessly on the fold-down console. A pepperoni pizza sat in the passenger seat, its aroma teasing Ben’s senses. He tried to focus on his upcoming dinner with his cousin Kent to get his mind off of the mouthwatering spicy smell—and off of Angela Fisher.

Why had he invited her to church? Or more specifically, why had he offered to take her? She had transportation—he whistled—boy, did she have transportation! Yet he’d opened his mouth and offered her a ride in his six-year-old midsized truck that didn’t even have a backseat to put some distance between them. He gave the console a pat. At least the twelve-inch barrier would be in place.

If he didn’t want to get close to her, why had he issued the invite? He knew why. There had been something in her unusual light blue eyes…. When she’d admitted she had a lot to learn both as a New Beginnings employee and as a Christian, a little something inside of him had melted. The insecurity lurking in her eyes had been all too familiar. He understood the feeling. Empathized with it. A dozen years ago he had felt lost and uncertain, and a schoolmate had reached out to him. What a difference it had made.

He didn’t know how he would have managed the past few years without the strength of Christ bolstering him. The loss of his father and uncle in a boating accident, followed by Kent’s spiral into drug addiction, were burdens that would have overwhelmed him had it not been for his reliance on Jesus. Ben’s heart ached at the route Kent had taken to find comfort. He sensed in Angela the same longing for acceptance and peace.

As Angela’s direct supervisor, it was his responsibility to mentor her at work. As a Christian, it was his responsibility to be a good example. Inviting her to church was one way of mentoring.

Mentoring … That was it. Just mentoring …

A red light brought him to a halt. His thoughts skipped backward, replaying the flutter of her eyelashes and the flirtatious, “It’s a date.” His fingers curled over the edge of the console. He hoped he’d managed to squelch that idea. In his observations over the past two weeks, he’d surmised Angela had lived a rather self-serving lifestyle. She was entirely too flippant, too self-absorbed. If he were going to date, he’d want someone warm and soft, with an aura of holiness brought through a relationship with Jesus.

Not to mention someone who didn’t shy away from the disabled. Shaking his head, he replayed several recent scenes. Yes, as he’d told her, he knew she was making an effort, but she had a long way to go to be completely accepting and supportive of the clients at New Beginnings. Anyone he dated would eventually be around Kent, and he wouldn’t risk having Kent hurt by someone’s withdrawal.

The light changed, and he pulled forward, a small niggle of guilt striking at his thoughts. He hoped he wasn’t being judgmental. But Angela, despite her physical beauty, didn’t possess the qualities he wanted in a life mate. It would be unkind and dishonest to lead her to believe he had any interest in her beyond employer to employee, Christian mentor to mentee. He’d have to watch himself, not give her the wrong idea.