Chapter 25
Mel had just come out of the supply closet, their arms loaded down with cleaning supplies, when they heard the main doors open. Apparently volunteers were showing up already. Which made them feel a bit lighter than they had since discovering the vandalism. They could definitely use the help.
When they turned to greet whoever their helpers were, the words froze on their tongue.
“What are you doing here?” they managed to ask, just as the same question fell from Rhys’s mouth.
“Are you stalking me now?” Mel inwardly cringed.
Why had they asked that? They hated feeling suspicious of people’s motives.
It made them feel a little too much like their mother.
Despite what they’d read about him, they had been starting to think he might be a decent guy.
What if Denny was right and Mel had misjudged him?
They didn’t want to admit that could be true.
They liked to think they gave people the benefit of the doubt.
Maybe that wasn’t the case.
He glanced over his shoulder. Did he think they were talking to someone behind him?
No, he was the only other one here. “I was told what happened here, and that they needed some help getting things cleaned up.” His mouth tightened, and Mel wished they knew what he was thinking.
His words had them relaxing. They kept judging him harshly, and it wasn’t fair of them.
The opposite of what they wanted people to feel about the kids who came here.
What they kept telling Denny about Liam. Yet, here they were doing the same.
Rhys asked, “What are you doing here? Do you know the director or whatever of this place, too?”
Mel opened their mouth then closed it again. “Technically,” they said, “there’s a whole board of directors. But, I’m the one who runs the program here.”
“I thought you worked at a coffee shop.” He winced as if the words had shot out of his mouth without his approval.
Mel couldn’t help but laugh. “I do that as well. According to my parents, it’s because I refuse to live up to my potential. Really, even if neither of them make me wealthy, I love both of my jobs.”
“That’s what matters then. Can I take some of those?” He was already reaching out for the cleaning supplies.
This man kept surprising them. They weren’t quite sure what to do about it.
“I was going to set up stations in each of the rooms, so we don’t have to keep coming out here when we need something else.
The board might not be willing to give me actual trained counselors, but they’ll stock up on window cleaner and Quick Scrub.
Don’t get me started on the number of paper towels in that closet.
God forbid, I get what the kids who come here actually need.
” They took a deep breath. “Shit. Sorry. I should not have unloaded that on you.”
He shot them a small smile. “Hey, I’m not just a pretty face here.”
He was something, all right. Still, it wasn’t like he would be able to help them convince the board to spend money on trained professionals. They were lucky the board paid them as much as they did.
“Holy shit,” Rhys said as he stepped into the study room. “Sorry, but damn. Is every room like this?”
“If you mean the messages, yeah. They didn’t leave any room unscathed.
They wanted to make it very clear they think we’’re pedo groomers.
And freaks. Can’t forget that one. As if that hasn’t been driven into our heads by the rest of society.
” Mel blew out a long breath. “The rest of the damage? No, this is the worst.” And probably going to be the most expensive to fix. The directors were going to love that.
“Who would even do this?” Rhys asked. “I mean I know people can be assholes, but this is awful. All those books.”
They shot him a look. “I wouldn’t have thought that would be something you would care about.”
“Because I’m too stupid to be able to read?”
Their mouth fell open as they stared at him. “I would never say that about anyone. It just hasn’t been my experience sports people are into calmer pursuits.”
“You’ve met Caleb. He’s a total book nerd. Brock, too. Nik, who plays second, he’s obsessed with romance novels. Even us jocks contain multitudes.”
Heat flushed up through Mel’s cheeks. Damn it. Why did they keep trying to put him in a box? They were usually better about that. “Speaking of Caleb,” they said, hoping to distract him, “I thought he was going to be here.”
“He should be. Probably canoodling with his boyfriend.”
“We were not canoodling,” Caleb’s voice came from the entryway and Mel caught a grin on Rhys’s face before he turned away.
“So you say,” Rhys said, “but it did take you an awful long time to get over here. I was here first, and I’m a catcher.”
Mel didn’t get the joke, but Caleb laughed. “You move fast when you need to.” He looked over at Mel. “Where do you need us?”
They looked around them, and past Caleb where at least five guys waited. “All those guys are your teammates?” Half a dozen people who didn’t have any connection to this place. And they’d just showed up.
Caleb looked over his shoulder then back at them. “Yeah,” he said. “I asked for help, and my family stepped up. Where should we start?”