Right from the Start by Jeanie London Read Free Book Online

this
morning. You never texted me, so I fretted all day. Did you charm her with this
cute smile?” Guadalupe reached up to grab his cheek and gently tugged.
    Will didn’t think he’d charmed Kenzie James. Unfortunately. Not
for lack of trying, though, but he didn’t want to make Guadalupe worry more than
she already worried. She was as invested in Angel House as he and everyone
else.
    A Cuban native, Guadalupe’s thick accent accompanied a heart of
pure gold. She’d come to this country after her husband’s death to assist her
daughter and son-in-law in caring for their son, Rafael, who was two years older
than Sam and further along his journey to higher functioning.
    Thanks to Angel House.
    In fact, it was Deanne who had arranged for Guadalupe to help
Will during those first dark months when he’d been alone playing both dad and
mom and failing miserably. And trying to work. And run his company. And deal
with the house. And feed them. And get Sam to and from doctors’ visits and
therapy sessions and Angel House. They would have never made it if not for
Will’s mother who, although she also worked full-time, had cared for Sam when
she wasn’t working and cooked and cleaned and helped Will get their lives under
control.
    Then Deanne had suggested Guadalupe as a possible solution to
the care-giving problem. She already knew the drill because she took care of her
own grandson. Guadalupe had become the living manifestation of Deanne’s favorite
saying.
    God provides .
    A day didn’t pass when Will didn’t reply with a, “Thanks.”
    Rafael had found his language and proved an excellent role
model for Sam. And while they didn’t see each other much at Angel House, they’d
become great friends during their afternoons together.
    “Go sit at the table while I check on the boys and make sure
they’re not getting into mischief,” she said, leading him into the kitchen where
something that smelled really good simmered on the stovetop. “I’ll let Sam know
you’re here.”
    Hanging the dish towel on the refrigerator handle, she slipped
from the room.
    Will sat and checked his phone for messages.
    She reemerged as he sent off a text to a subcontractor on a
remodeling job stalled while they waited for an inspector who hadn’t shown up
for the second day in a row.
    Will would place a call to Building Services. Of course, he’d
have to wait until Monday now. Damn.
    “Going to be a few minutes,” she said. “There’s still some
white space on the page. You look hungry. Will you eat?”
    He nodded, grateful. All he had at home was leftover delivery
pizza from last night’s supper. There hadn’t been time to cook while he’d been
researching Kenzie James, preparing her proposal for today’s meeting and moving
Sam through their nightly routine.
    Guadalupe set a bowl of steaming beef and beans in front of him
along with a napkin and silverware. “Now tell me how the meeting went. Deanne
wouldn’t say a word when I picked up the boys.”
    “Thanks.” He snapped open the napkin and grabbed the fork.
“Deanne didn’t say anything because she didn’t know anything. I haven’t spoken
to her yet.”
    “Now you’re making my heart hurt. The lady didn’t like the
building? How could she not like the building? It’s beautiful, and big.”
    “The lady liked the building. I’m sure she did.”
    “Then why don’t you look happy?”
    He had to think about that. “I’m not unhappy.”
    Guadalupe gave a huge, disgusted sigh and yanked open a cabinet
hard enough to make the hinges squeak.
    “Relocating a business is a big decision, chica, ” he said. “I didn’t expect the lady to make a decision on the
spot.” In his dreams maybe... “She’s a businesswoman. As it was I didn’t give
her much time to think things through.”
    “How long?”
    “Three days. We should know something Monday.”
    “If she liked the building, then why do you look worried?”
    He used a mouthful of Guadalupe’s shredded beef