Chapter Eight #2
“I was just telling Bree about the shelter,” Cassandra said. “I had an idea and wanted to get her opinion.”
Tanner sat in the chair next to Bree and put his arm along the back, playing with the hair at her nape. Everyone in his family noticed the possessive touch, but none of them seemed upset about it. That was good, right? It meant they liked her?
“What did you want Bree’s opinion about?” Tanner asked.
Cassandra ignored his question and looked at Bree. “I’m part of a privately funded group in Grand County that is starting a women’s shelter. We are just far enough outside Denver to help women from there trying to get out of domestic violence situations.”
Bree nodded, still not quite understanding what opinion Cassandra wanted from her, but if it was enthusiasm for this venture, Bree could definitely give that. “That sounds amazing.”
“A friend of ours in Colorado Springs—” Cassandra gestured between herself and Tanner “—Keira Weber, started one there. Not only is it a safe place for women to stay, she teaches them a trade, how to cut and style hair.”
Bree nodded. That was a great idea, too. Logical. Practical. It not only helped the women get back on their feet, it provided them a means to provide for themselves long-term. “It sounds like a very noble venture, and a smart way of going about it.”
Cassandra smiled. “I wanted to get your opinion about offering some basic computer classes to these women. Providing them skills that would be most useful in an office workplace.”
That was also a good idea. Bree was just about to say so when Cassandra continued. “And I wanted to see if you’d be interested in teaching the classes.”
Bree jerked ramrod straight and stared at her for a moment before a slightly hysterical laugh fell from her lips.
That was a terrible idea. She would be a horrible teacher. Standing up in front of a group of people, trying to explain things? Definitely not a good plan.
She glanced down at her hands. But...these would be women who needed help. People who were like her, or how she’d been when she first wandered into Risk Peak. Alone, desperate, broke. Their situation wouldn’t be exactly the same, of course, but still... Similar.
Could she do it? Could she figure out a way to help these women the way people in Risk Peak had helped her?
A clanging of a plate against another brought her attention back to the table. Cassandra had stood up and was stacking the remaining pie plates on the table.
“Cass,” Tanner said. “You should’ve talked to me about this first.”
Cassandra turned to Bree. “Sorry you think the idea of women learning computer skills is laughable. I thought maybe you could see the bigger picture.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.” Bree gave a panicked look at Tanner before turning back to Cassandra. “I do think it’s a good idea.”
“Cass, you don’t have all the facts here,” Tanner said. His phone buzzed at his waist, and he grabbed it and looked down at it. “Damn it. This is the station. Gotta take it.”
Tanner walked out of the room, leaving Bree with his family.
“Cassandra, I...”
“You know what? Don’t worry about it.” Cassandra took the plates and walked into the kitchen. Graham followed her in with an apologetic shrug.
“Just ignore her,” Noah said. “That’s what we do.”
Mrs. Dempsey reached over and patted Bree’s arm. “Don’t worry about it, honey. Cassandra is very passionate and her heart is in the right place, but she doesn’t always think everything through.”
“I wasn’t trying to say the idea was bad, just the idea of me teaching it may not be so great.”
The older woman smiled. “We’ll talk to her and explain. Nobody wants you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
Bree almost laughed again but caught herself. If they knew she was uncomfortable just having a regular conversation like this, they’d probably think she was an idiot.
But before Cassandra came back in and Bree could try to explain her communication faux pas, Tanner entered the room.
“Sorry, Mom. I’m going to have to cut things short. Ronnie has some sort of food poisoning, and we promised Mr. Dunwoody we’d scope out his shop tonight. Try to figure out who is vandalizing it.”
Bree all but jumped out of her chair. Leaving seemed like a great option, since she’d already ruined the evening.
Tanner hugged his family, and Cassandra caught Bree just before they went out the door.
“Listen, I hate it when my husband is all logical and stuff, but he pointed out that I blindsided you. And he’s right. That wasn’t fair.”
Bree nodded rapidly. “I do think it’s an excellent idea. I just don’t think I’m a good teacher. You could do much better.”
Cassandra smiled. “Actually, I don’t think we could do better. Tanner says you’re a genius with a computer. And he doesn’t throw that word around lightly.”
Bree just shrugged.
Cassandra grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
“Just think about it. What you know and could teach these women could make a huge difference in their lives. Not only because of what you would teach them, but because you understand some of what they’re going through.
You’re right—a number of people could teach them computer skills.
But it’s you who could really make a difference. ”