The Cinderella Plan. Margaret Daley
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probably forgot the time. They’re in the back conference room. They made some copies for me earlier and are stuffing envelopes. I gave them money for some soft drinks so they might be taking a break and forgot the time.”
“You spoil them, Anne.”
“They’re a big help to me. I don’t know if I could get everything done if it wasn’t for the girls from the church’s youth center volunteering here a couple of times a week.”
“Keeps them busy and out of trouble.”
“I can’t see Gina, Tiffany or Nikki getting into trouble.”
Caleb grinned, his whole face lit with a mischievous expression. “Teenager and trouble both start with the letter ‘t.’ It wasn’t that long ago you were one. Do you honestly feel that way?”
Thinking back to her days as a teenager made her frown at the memories. They were not good ones. Hurt on top of hurt was what had characterized her formative years. But she doubted Caleb would understand what she had gone through, trying to fit in, trying to ignore the people who had made fun of her, trying to blend into the background so no one picked on her.
Anne forced a smile and said, “They have you to guide them.”
Again Caleb snagged her gaze and held it. “And you. Tiffany has told me about your little talks.”
“She has?”
“She has a crush on Billy and isn’t sure what to do.”
Anne hadn’t been comfortable advising Tiffany on what to do about Billy because she could count on one hand how many dates she’d had as a teenager. But she had tried, thinking of the advice some of the magazines she’d read had given.
Caleb moved closer. “I like what you said about being yourself. It rarely works to change for another unless we really want that change, too.”
Anne had nowhere to go, caught between the table and Caleb, so she straightened her shoulders, her arms stiff at her sides while clutching the wooden edge. “I’m glad Tiffany listened to me.” She caught a whiff of his citrusy aftershave.
He plunged his fingers through his black hair, then rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, one corner of his mouth hiking into a wry grin. “Now that I’m not so sure about. She may have listened to what you said, but following your advice is a whole different matter. Tiffany’s talking about having her mother take her shopping for dresses this weekend.”
“Dresses? Tiffany? I never thought I would hear those two words said in the same sentence.”
Moving back a step, Caleb half sat, half leaned against Anne’s desk, his arms folded across his chest. “Yeah, she’s quite a little tomboy, but she wants to impress Billy, and she thinks wearing dresses will do it.”
Relieved to have a little breathing room, Anne relaxed the tense set of her shoulders. “Who told her that?”
“Nikki.”
“Oh, this should be interesting. Has Nikki talked Tiffany into buying some black dresses?”
Caleb chuckled. “Your crew of workers is quite diverse, I must say.”
Anne lounged against the table, trying her best not to allow Caleb’s presence in her office to throw her off-kilter too much—if that were even possible. “Let’s see. Nikki only wears black and listens to punk rock in her spare time. Tiffany is a tomboy through and through, and Gina is our resident genius. Yes, I would say you’re right, but technically they’re your crew. You recruited them, and bring them here and pick them up.”
“But only you, Anne, have made these three girls work as a team. Now at the church youth center they hang out together. Six months ago they wouldn’t have been caught in the same room because of their differences.”
Anne hadn’t thought her cheeks could redden anymore than they had earlier when she had been caught against his chest, but if the singeing heat was any indication, her face was beet red, especially with Caleb staring at her. She hated to think what he saw through his eyes when looking at her. A plain Jane, someone who had learned to fade into the background. If someone would make office camouflage, she would wear it.
“Is that why you had them work together?” Anne managed to ask, desperate to keep the conversation centered on the girls, not her.
“Ah, you’ve discovered my strategy. Let’s hope they don’t.” He pushed away from the desk. “I guess I’d better round up the girls. It’s a school night, and I’m sure they’ll have homework to do.” Starting for the door, he flicked a glance toward Anne. “I realize you don’t get the church newsletter so you might not know all the details concerning the upcoming carnival. Would you like to help this year?”
“Sure.”
“Have the girls said anything to you about the fall carnival for the youth center?”
One stray strand of her hair tickled her cheek. She brushed it back, hooking it behind her ear. “No. What were they supposed to say?”
“More like ask.” He flashed her a grin. “I’ll let them break the news to you.”
His devastating smile momentarily drew her attention away from what he’d said. Then his words sank in. “Break the news? That doesn’t sound good.” Anne followed Caleb from her office and fell into step beside him as they walked down the hall, which was lined with photos of children and their adoptive families, to the conference room where the girls were working.
“I suppose it will depend on how adventurous you are.”
“There isn’t an adventurous bone in my body.”
His gaze skimmed down the length of her. “Not even one?” One brow quirked upward.
She shook her head, unable to say a thing when he was looking at her so intently with a gleam in his blue eyes. His classic good looks and charm did strange things to her stomach, causing it to churn with emotions she wished she could control. Thinking of him in any light other than as a casual friend would only hurt her in the end.
“I seem to remember that at the last fall carnival you manned the booth where anyone with a buck could throw a pie at you.”
“That wasn’t adventurous.”
“I thought you were a brave soul.”
“Nah. I love pies, especially the ones from the Starlight Diner. So I made some money for the center and got to taste some delicious pies in the meantime. Nothing adventurous in that.” She reached out to stop him before entering the conference room, her hand immediately falling to her side when she realized what she’d done. Her fingertips tingled from the brief contact. “What have they cooked up this year for the adults? I don’t like surprises.” Lack of control in her youth had firmed that in her mind. She worked hard to keep control in her life as much as possible.
“Oh, something magnificent, you could say.” He winked at her, then shoved open the door and stepped into the room.
The sound of the young girls’ laughter filled the air, then several “be quiets” when they realized Caleb and Anne were coming into the room.
“Okay, I can tell a conspiracy when I confront one. What are you three up to?” Although Caleb planted his hand on his waist and stared at each one of the young girls, an impish glint danced in his eyes while one side of his mouth twitched from suppressing a smile.
Tiffany peered at Gina for a long moment, her lips clamped together while she tried to contain her own smile. Nikki dropped her head until her chin almost touched her chest, her concentration focused totally on her lap. Anne got the feeling she was the only one not in on a big secret.
Gina shifted in her chair and said, “We were wondering what was taking you so long. Now we know.” The fifteen-year-old pointedly looked at Caleb, then slid her attention to Anne.
She felt like pushing