“Sabrina, can I talk to you for a moment?” Grant asked, poking his head inside.
“Of course,” she said. She stood up, arms wrapped around herself.
“There’s a grant available for single parents who need to find an apartment, and I thought of you.”
“A...what?” It was so far from what she had been expecting that Sabrina had trouble understanding his words.
“A grant to help single parents move into apartments.” Grant glanced at the girls. “It’s perfect for you and your nieces.”
“But aren’t there people ahead of us on the list?” Sabrina couldn’t imagine that they would be up for a special program like that after only two days in the mission.
“The donor asked that it be reserved for specific cases. Single parents, young kids, and it pays for first, last and down payments. The parent would need to have full-time employment and be drug and alcohol free.”
Sabrina stared at him. She didn’t want to take any charity, but here she was, homeless. The time for sticking to her pride was over. “When could we move?”
Grant reached into his pocket and handed her a folded piece of paper. “There’s a nice place over on Seventh Street, by the river, a few miles from the girls’ school. It’s near the bus line, so you could still get to your jobs. Also, it’s only fifteen minutes from here, so we’d be thrilled if you could keep coaching.”
Sabrina read the paper several times. The apartment manager had already agreed to rent to her, with Grant as cosigner. “Are you sure you should sign for this? You can’t possibly do this for all the residents. You could get into real financial trouble.”
He chuckled. “You’re very right. And this is the only time I ever have, or ever will. This donor would like to remain anonymous. Since I know you, I’ll cosign, and then after six months my name will drop off the lease.”
She blinked back sudden tears. Grant said he knew her, acted as if they were friends. She felt he trusted her more than she trusted anyone. Except maybe Jack.
He went on. “I know you don’t want to take money from anyone, but think of the hearing in three weeks. This answers their concerns about the girls being in a mission.”
“Yes, that’s true.” Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “And you won’t tell me who donated the money?”
“Nope.” He was smiling now, seeing the gratitude in her eyes.
She swiped at her tears and then took a breath. “Okay. Tell me when.”
“Tomorrow afternoon. Jose and a few of the men from the offices can retrieve your furniture from your friend’s apartment.”
“Wow.” She was stunned. Happy, excited, relieved. So many emotions she could hardly define them all.
“That’s what I said,” he agreed. “We’ll see you all down at practice in a few minutes?”
“Right.” She was still staring at the apartment paper. “Gavin and Jack are probably already there.”
“Probably just Gavin.” Grant frowned, his hand on the doorknob. “I think there’s been some trouble over at Jack’s company today. We may not see him for a while.”
Her heart leaped into her throat. “Why?”
“I don’t know all the details. I should wait for him to explain it. The police are investigating a link between a slave-labor ring and their production department.”
Sabrina could hardly ask the question, but it had been the only thing she could think of all day. She knew the answer, or at least she thought she did. But she still had to ask. “So it had nothing to do with him?”
“No. I can say that with confidence. Evie has been trying to run a story on these groups for years, but the lawyers for the paper always shut it down, fearing they’d be sued. Her sources were people who were too afraid to speak up, afraid their families would be targeted.”
She knew exactly what he meant. Pancho had wanted out but didn’t want his mother or siblings to suffer the consequences.
Grant said, “I guess someone managed to get the attention of the city, and they moved in before the labor ring knew what was happening. Jack said it looked really bad for Colorado Supplements.” He shot her a glance. “But don’t worry. Jack is a good man and he’ll come out on top.”
She nodded, her gaze on her shoes. He was definitely a good man. She just hoped he didn’t suffer for what someone else had done, and what she had had to do. What would Jack say when he found out she was the one who had brought his company to the attention of the police?
“I’ll let you guys get ready for practice.” He stepped through the doorway. “And congratulations on the new apartment.”
Sabrina collapsed onto the bed. She was so overwhelmed it was hard for her to think clearly. A new apartment meant the custody hearing might go better than she had feared. She had no idea how she was going to survive until the court appointment. All she could do was try to keep busy. And pray.
* * *
Jack jogged to the front door of the mission, the spring air cool against his skin. He swung the door open and grinned at the sight of Gavin, Grant, Lana and Jose crowded around the desk. He’d missed this place, missed these people. It wasn’t the same when he skipped practice, even if it was because he was dealing with the scandal that had rocked his company. It was amazing how quickly life could change. Only days ago he’d been given terrible news, but then life had swung around once more, leaving him to shake his head at the way God could mend the broken places.
“Is it a party? Are there cookies?”
Grant chuckled and came to shake his hand. “Good to see you back. We missed you here.”
“Lana got a mysterious delivery of cupcakes from Tasty Temptations, that bakery on Eighth Street,” Jose said.
“Hmm. I can’t imagine who would think the mission needed more cupcakes but didn’t have time to make any.” Jack leaned over the counter. “Are there any dark chocolate with orange essence left?”
“Ha! I told you so,” Lana said, lifting up the tray for him to see.
“Hey, Sabrina, would you like a cupcake?” Jose called out.
Jack turned, his heart rate doubling. Sabrina was coming through the door, as beautiful as ever. Gabby and Kassey ran ahead, laughing. “Cupcakes? We want one!”
“If it’s all right with your aunt,” Lana said.
“Sure,” Sabrina said. She shot a glance at Jack and then looked away. He’d thought she would look happy and relieved but she looked, if anything, unhappier than when he’d seen her last week.
The girls each grabbed a cupcake and then wandered toward the gym.
“How’s the new apartment?” Grant asked.
“Perfect. We love it.” Her voice was soft, as if she was afraid of speaking too loudly.
Jack cleared his throat. He had thought she would say hi to him at least. The last time they’d been together, she’d kissed him. It had seemed, for once, that she was learning to accept help and to trust other people.
She looked up at him and her smile faltered. “Could I talk to you for a minute before practice, Jack?”
“Sure,” he said and waited for her to go on. It must have dawned on Grant at the same time as on him that she meant privately. There was a pause, and suddenly Grant announced, “I’ll be in my office. Jose, didn’t you have papers to fill out?”
“What?” Jose frowned at him. “Oh, right. Papers.” He followed Grant to the door that led to the offices.
“I need to...” Lana searched around the desk. “...check the lights outside. I think they were about to burn out last night.” She wheeled her way toward the door, her hands moving in swift strokes.
Jack snorted. “That was weird.” He expected Sabrina to laugh, but her face was as far from laughter as he’d ever seen it. She looked panicked and tearful. “Sabrina, what’s wrong?”
“I called the police on Col
orado Supplements,” she blurted.
For a moment, the words made no sense. He shook his head, struggling to catch up.
“A friend of mine from the neighborhood, Pancho, came to my door one night. He needed a mechanic. He brought me out to a warehouse in the middle of the industrial district.” She hauled in a breath, her brown eyes wide.
“You...saw the slave laborers?”
“I worked for them.” She swallowed hard.
His mouth opened but no words came out.
“Three times I went to fix machinery for them. They knew where I lived, they knew the girls were with me. Once...” She paused, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Once there was no one to watch them, so I had to choose between bringing them or leaving them alone in the apartment.”
Horror squeezed his chest. He couldn’t bear to ask the question.
“I left them alone. In the middle of the night, I left them.” She hauled in a breath, forcing herself to keep speaking. “I knew I had to find some way to report the slave-labor group without letting them know who it was. So, the next time, I looked at who was hiring them.”
Now her shoulders were shaking with sobs. “I’m so sorry, Jack. It was the only way I could see to save them and my girls.”
He reached out and gripped her shoulders. He wanted to crush her to him, to hold her tight until all the fear and horror was gone. But he dipped his head and looked her in the eyes. “Sabrina, you are the bravest person I know.”
“You’re not angry?”
He shook his head, fighting back a laugh. It all had come full circle. “You saved me, Sabrina.”
“But how? I’ve ruined your family’s company. Everything your dad worked for is now tangled up in the slave-labor ring.”
“No, it’s not.” He wanted so badly to kiss her mouth, her eyes, the tears on her cheeks, but he needed to explain how everything had worked out. “Remember when we first met?”
“Of course,” she said. “In the cafeteria. You held the hood of the chopper for me.”
“And we talked.”
She nodded. A smile touched her lips. “I forgot what it was like to talk to a friend.”
“That day changed my life. I realized I needed to work harder at my job before I quit to follow my own dreams. I had earned a salary at that company and done the very least possible. I’m not proud to admit that at all. I was focused on my plan for a snowboarding clinic, and my father’s company wasn’t part of that, except for how much money I could earn for showing up.”
“But you’ve been working so hard.” She seemed confused.
“I have. And part of that was asking for audits from all the departments.” He was grinning now. “Sabrina, you may have called the police on Colorado Supplements, but you didn’t ruin us. I had already seen something was wrong with those numbers, and when the police came, I handed over all that work. It was work I’d done because of you.”
“So...” She started to smile, tears still fresh on her face. “Your company will be okay?”
“I think so. They’ve arrested the man who was running it from the inside. Meanwhile, my father won’t be charged for something he didn’t do.”
Sabrina threw herself into his arms and he held her tight, pressing his cheek against her hair. “I’m so glad,” she said, her voice muffled by his shirt.
“I am, too.” He had never admired any woman so much, had never been so completely captured. “I love you,” he said, letting his emotions guide him.
She leaned back, looking straight into his eyes. Her expression was full of wonder, and happiness shone from her. “But why?” she whispered.
He let out a bark of laughter. “Why? That’s not what you’re supposed to say.”
Her cheeks flushed pink and she ducked her head. “I’m just surprised that someone like you could love someone like me. I’m a single mom. I have grease under my nails and no social life.”
Leaning down, he kissed her lightly on the lips. “I love everything, everything about you, but we’re going to have to fix that part about the social life. I want to take you out to dinner, bring you and the girls up on the mountain, spend hours talking with you.”
Her eyes filled with tears again. “Are you sure? We’re so different. I mean, just a week ago I was homeless, and you help run a company.”
“We’re not so different in the ways that matter. We’re the same in faith, and values. I love how you’d do anything to protect your girls.” He paused, hoping now was the right time, praying his words didn’t cause a rift between them. If they were going to be together, he didn’t want any secrets between them. “I need to tell you something about that grant you got from the mission, though.”
“What is it?” she asked, surprise marking her words.
“I’m the donor.”
She moved back, eyes fixed on his face. “You mean, you set up that grant for single parents?”
“No, I mean I set it up for you. Just for you.” Alarm stirred in his chest. He could see her getting angrier and angrier.
“Even though I told you I didn’t want you to,” she whispered.
“Yes.” Dread filled him. Grant had been right after all. Sabrina was furious that he had gone against her wishes. “I thought you might be angry, but I hoped you would understand why I did it.”
“You lied to me and went behind my back to get your way.” She jerked out of his arms and stalked away.
“Sabrina, wait,” he called, but she kept walking. “I did it for the girls.”
Seconds later she had gone back into the gym, the door swinging closed behind her. Jack stood there, feeling as if all the happiness had leached out of the world. He had done the right thing, and if he had to, he would do it all again. But he had lost Sabrina’s love and respect in the process. His throat tightened at the thought of life without her. He had become so used to her smile, her thoughtful words, her presence. He couldn’t imagine how he was going to go on, living day to day in a world that didn’t promise at least a hint of her laughter.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. There had been one shining moment when he had felt her lips against his and he’d been able to tell her how much he loved her. And then the moment was gone forever.
Chapter Thirteen
“Miss Martinez, I see you have provided for your nieces in the absence of their mother.” The judge glanced down at a sheet of paper and frowned through the bifocals on the end of his nose. “You had a recent stay in a homeless shelter?”
Sabrina cleared her throat. Her palms were sweaty and her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear. “Yes, sir.”
He looked up, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her face. “How did that happen?”
“I wasn’t able to pay the rent, sir.” She paused. What other reason would a person have for living at a homeless shelter?
He flipped through several sheets of paper. “You make enough money to pay the rent, unless these forms are inaccurate.”
Sabrina hesitated. She could either say the numbers she’d provided were wrong, or she could explain. She couldn’t bring herself to describe how Rosa had stolen the money right out of her account. No matter what Rosa had done, she was still her sister. She might never see her again, but she didn’t want to brand her a thief in front of the whole world. “I loaned money to someone and she didn’t pay it back.” That was true, in a way.
He leaned forward. “You loaned money that you needed to pay the rent?”
“The apartment manager also raised the rent, including a new deposit and cleaning fee.” She couldn’t keep the anger from her voice. She hated that she was sitting here, trying to explain how she’d become homeless. “I already knew we had to move. I was trying to find a place for us, and then...”
The judge glanced at the clerk to his right. “There have been s
everal complaints about Park Plaza,” the judge said as if that explained everything.
Sabrina felt her heart rise. Maybe the stint at the homeless shelter wasn’t such a negative after all.
“Miss Martinez, I have to tell you that this sort of scenario doesn’t look good for an application of permanent custody, even if the mother is out of the picture.”
Please, Lord, don’t let him deny me custody. All Sabrina had left was prayer. She had nothing left to give as an explanation.
“But your strong work history, your character references from the director of the mission, the statements from the girls’ teachers all say you are doing a good job caring for your nieces. Also, your ability to get into an apartment again so quickly tells me that you’re determined to succeed in life.”
She nodded, hoping against hope.
“I’m awarding you permanent custody of Kassandra Martinez and Gabriella Martinez.” He looked up, a smile spreading over his face. “Congratulations, Miss Martinez, on your new family.”
“Thank you, sir,” she said, her voice choked with tears. She felt as if an enormous weight lifted from her shoulders and she couldn’t help beaming back at him. “Thank you so much.”
Minutes later, she was walking out of the courtroom, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t wait to go home and tell the girls the good news. They were a family, forever.
She paused on the courthouse steps. The judge had made it seem as if getting into the new apartment had been a major factor in his decision. Sabrina felt a stab of pain at the thought of the person who had made that happen, and she couldn’t fight back the image of Jack’s face. She missed him, more than she had ever missed anyone in her life. It had been almost two weeks since she’d seen him at the mission. She had brought the girls for practice but told Gavin she couldn’t help coach anymore. She had made it sound as if moving into the apartment and doing extra jobs was taking all her time, but it was really because she didn’t think she could face Jack. Even though he had gone behind her back, she still yearned for him. Her heart ached with how much she wanted to hear his voice, to touch his skin.
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