Always for You: Jack (Sergeant Joe's Boys #1) Page 4

  So why hadn’t they told her all of this beforehand? She hesitated before entering the house. “I understood that I would be reporting to Mrs. Lukash directly.”

  His grin spread. “What’s the matter, Ms. Curtis? Afraid I’ll bite?”

  She met his smile with one of her own. “No, but you should be warned that I do.”

  His laughter rolled over her, making her only that much more aware of him. God, what was she thinking? She had no business flirting with a client. Did she accept the job or walk away?

  It was no contest, not when she knew there was a student involved who needed her specialized help. All of which meant it was time to focus on the job at hand.

  “Why don’t we sit down and talk about your concerns, Mr. McShane? I’m sure you’d rather ask your questions before Ricky gets back home.”

  “Call me Jack, and you’re right. We should get started.”

  At least he stepped back out of the way to let her pass. She did her best to concentrate on her surroundings rather than how well the knit shirt Jack wore showed off that impressive set of muscles. The interior of the house had a warm, old-fashioned feel to it that matched the outside perfectly. After following Jack into the living room, she paused to look around. The overstuffed furniture was designed for comfort, and the family pictures scattered around only added to the room’s appeal.

  “Have a seat, Ms. Curtis. Can I get you anything?”

  “Nothing right now, thank you.” Someone had obviously taught Jack some good manners. After settling in the closest chair, she took out her laptop. “Why don’t I explain how I work, and then you can ask your questions?”

  He settled on the couch. “I’m listening.”

  Caitlyn started off by summarizing her credentials, which made her particularly suited to working with kids like Ricky. “From what I understand, you don’t yet have his previous school records for us to use as a baseline.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Then I would suggest we start by doing a full assessment to see where Ricky is in all of the major academic subjects. Once we have that data, I will be better able to put together a plan of action for him.”

  She noticed Jack was frowning. “Is that a problem?”

  “No, not at all. But if he is way behind, will you be able to get him caught up to grade level before the fall semester starts?”

  She’d long ago learned to err on the side of caution rather than make promises she might not be able to keep. There were just too many variables that came into play, like how hard Ricky was willing to work. “Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that, but I will promise to do my best to help him succeed. I do work closely with the local school district, though, so I’m very familiar with their programs. If Ricky isn’t caught up and ready for high school in the fall, there is an alternative program that is geared toward students who’ve gotten behind and need extra help before reintegrating into the regular classes.”

  “I want him to get whatever help he needs.”

  She offered him her best professional smile. “Then we’re on the same page.”

  Before they could continue the conversation, the front door opened. First to join them was an attractive woman who looked to be in her late fifties or early sixties. She had to be Marlene Lukash, Jack’s mother, although there was no family resemblance at all. Her straight hair was dark and going gray, nothing at all like the reddish glints and hint of a wave in Jack’s. There was also no similarity in the shape or color of their eyes. Hers were dark brown while her son’s were a bright green. Interesting.

  A teenage boy came in right on her heels, but he froze as soon as he spotted Caitlyn. She set her laptop aside and rose to her feet. “Mrs. Lukash, I’m Caitlyn Curtis.”

  “Welcome to our home.” Marlene crossed to where Caitlyn stood and shook her hand. “And may I introduce you to our foster son, Ricky?”

  The boy was already taller than she was, but he had a long way to go to fill out that gawky, teenage frame. He reminded her of her brother at that age, all arms and long legs. Caitlyn smiled at him and offered him her hand as well. Ricky gave her hand an awkward shake but then retreated to stand by Jack, who had also come to his feet. As she watched, Jack gave the boy a quick bump with his shoulder, telling him without words that he was there for him. One more thing she liked about the man.

  “Ricky, Ms. Curtis is the tutor we talked to you about. She’s looking forward to working with you.”

  The boy’s jaw clenched just enough to warn Caitlyn that he wasn’t all that excited about the prospect of working with her. That was all right. Given enough time, she’d win him over. “It’s nice to meet you, Ricky. There’s no time like the present to get started. Why don’t you and I go find a quiet spot and get to work?”

  Jack put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Kid, I’ve got a couple of appointments this afternoon about new jobs, but Mom will be here if you need her.” He glanced at his watch. “I should be back by five.”

  He turned his attention back to Caitlyn. “When can we discuss the results of your assessment, Ms. Curtis?”

  “If all goes well, I should have a plan put together by tomorrow afternoon. I can meet with all of you back here at whatever time is convenient.”

  He checked his schedule. “Let’s aim for four thirty if that’s not too late for you.”

  “That should be fine.”

  “Okay, then I’m outta here. Ricky, don’t eat more than your fair share of those cookies Mom baked this morning. I counted them, so I’ll know.”

  The boy laughed, for the first time looking his real age, which Caitlyn estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of fourteen, maybe fifteen. He watched until Jack walked out the door and climbed into the SUV. Yeah, she would’ve guessed that one was his. She also noticed the room felt much bigger now that he was gone.

  Ricky finally turned back to face her. “What do I have to do?”

  “Nothing too painful. There’s no pass and no fail in these tests, Ricky. They’re designed to let me know where we should start work. That way, we don’t repeat stuff you’ve already mastered.”

  Mrs. Lukash pointed toward the doorway on the opposite side of the room. “Why don’t you use the dining room table? I’ll be upstairs in my sewing room if you’re looking for me.”

  “We’ll be fine.”

  Ricky followed after her, moving slowly and clearly in no hurry to get started. “I’m going to get a drink first. Want something?”

  “I wouldn’t say no to a glass of ice water.”

  She spent the time he was in the kitchen laying out all of her materials. Knowing a positive attitude was a big part of a student’s success, she’d give him all the time he needed to get ready rather than rush him right into the tests. And if while she waited, her thoughts were filled with images of Jack McShane, well, that was her own little secret.

  Chapter 4

  Jack braced himself for what he suspected would be a tough conversation. He poured a glass of milk and carried it along with a plate containing two fresh brownies into the dining room, figuring Marlene’s homemade chocolaty goodness might help smooth the way. As he walked into the room, he asked, “Hey, kid, what time is your lesson today?”

  Ricky looked up from the math problem he was working on, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. “Three thirty. Why?”

  After setting the milk down in front of the teenager, Jack took a seat on the other side of the table to avoid crowding the kid. He offered Ricky a brownie and then took the other one for himself.

  “I don’t want to interfere with your session with Ms. Curtis, but I need to take you shopping for some more clothes and maybe some new shoes.”

  Actually, definitely some new shoes, considering Ricky’s sneakers looked like something he’d fished out of a dumpster somewhere. However, it was important not to do too much too fast. Even after living with Jack and Marlene for the better part of two weeks now, Ricky was still as skittish as a feral cat. It would take a lot of coaxing
to get him to accept what he was likely to view as charity. Ricky already wasn’t happy about Jack paying Caitlyn to help him get caught up on his studies. Of course, he would be equally unhappy if Jack pointed out that they could contact one of the organizations that provided clothing for foster kids. At least this way he would have some choice in what he got to wear.

  Ricky washed down the brownie with a drink of milk before answering. “I don’t need any more clothes.”

  Then he immediately went back to working on his math problem as if it were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen. If his face hadn’t turned an interesting shade of red, Jack might have bought the act. He took a second to enjoy his own brownie and then waded back into the discussion.

  “Yeah, Ricky, you do. My brother Tino won’t mind that you’ve been wearing some of his things, but they don’t really fit you. Besides, I’m just talking about a couple pairs of jeans, a few T-shirts, and some underwear. It’s no big deal.”

  From the way Ricky was clutching that pencil with a white-knuckled grip, Jack was wrong about that. For the kid, it was obviously a big deal. Damn it, didn’t he know he deserved a pair of jeans that didn’t have holes in the knees and a shirt that wasn’t worn so thin that you could see through it? Jack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “So, Ricky, I’m guessing we’re back to the whole ‘I don’t take charity’ bit. Believe me, I get it. Been there, done that myself back in the day. However, you can’t expect my mom to keep doing laundry every day just because you only have one pair of socks.”

  The kid shrugged, his face tight with frustration. “Fine. I can do my own laundry. I never asked her to wait on me.”

  Okay, that had obviously been the wrong argument for Jack to try. “She’s only been doing your laundry because of your broken arm. Believe me, once your arm is healed, you’ll be washing your own clothes. Mom has always been clear about the fact that she isn’t here to provide maid service for any of us.”

  At least that had Ricky smiling a little. “Yeah, she may have mentioned that when she spotted the dirty clothes and wet towels on the floor of my room.”

  Jack thought of the similar pile in his own room. At least he had his own washer and dryer in the garage apartment, so his mother had no reason to come snooping around, looking for clothes to wash. Still, he’d better do a bit of picking up when they got back from shopping.

  He hadn’t missed the fact that Ricky had used the subject of laundry to redirect the conversation. Jack dragged them both back to the matter at hand. “So why don’t you take a break from your homework and come shopping with me?”

  Ricky’s smile disappeared as quickly as it had come. “Like I said, I don’t need more clothes.”

  “And we both know you do.” Jack held up his hand to put a halt to whatever Ricky was about to say in protest. “If you want, we can keep track of what we spend, and I’ll deduct it from your wages once you’re able to start working for me again.”

  Okay, evidently that idea had worked, although Ricky still didn’t look convinced or all that happy about the prospect. He set down the pencil harder than necessary and slammed shut his math book. “Just remember that I still have more work to do before Caitlyn gets here. I’ll tell her it’s your fault if I don’t get it all done.”

  Jack pulled out his keys. “Fair enough. I’ll talk to her if it looks like you won’t get finished in time, but we won’t be gone all that long.”

  Not that he’d mind the excuse to talk to Caitlyn. Since that first meeting when the two of them had exchanged a few teasing remarks, she’d been nothing but professional. He supposed that was how it should be, but her bright smile still haunted his dreams. More than once, he’d lain awake during the night wondering if her lips would be as soft as they looked. Even if she were willing to let him find out, it wouldn’t be right. She was there for Ricky, not to fulfill Jack’s fantasies.

  Once they were in the SUV, Ricky asked, “Any chance we can snag some burgers for lunch? Your mom is a great cook, but I’ve never eaten so many salads.”

  Shooting the kid a sympathetic grin, Jack nodded. “Yeah, I get that. If you let me buy you some new shoes without bitching about it, I’ll even let you pick which fast-food joint we hit on the way home.”

  Ricky’s enthusiasm for a couple of burgers faded a little, but then he nodded. “Fine. Let’s just get this over with.”

  Ten minutes later, Jack pulled the SUV into the busy parking lot of a discount store. “We can do this one of two ways. I can go with you to help pick out what you need, but without going into the fitting room with you because neither of us wants that. The other choice is that I can wait in the coffee shop in the front of the store. You can come get me when you’re done, and I’ll pay our way out of here.”

  “I can handle shopping for myself.” Then Ricky hesitated and then slightly lifted his broken arm. “Well, maybe except for the shoes.”

  “Fair enough.” Jack pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “Mom made this list of stuff you should get. I know it’s probably more than you want, but I’d suggest you do what she says. Otherwise we’ll both be right back here tomorrow to finish the job.”

  Ricky scanned the list and then stuffed it in his pocket. Instead of complaining, he surprised Jack by grinning. “Do the guys you served with know that a big tough guy like you is still scared of his mother?”

  Okay, that was funny, not that he was going to let the kid know that. Instead, he gave Ricky the evil eye. “No, they don’t, and if you ever meet any of them, I’d appreciate it if you kept your mouth shut on the subject. Besides, she’s only going easy on you because of your broken arm, and she’s trying to fatten up that skinny ass of yours. She’ll quit treating you with kid gloves after you’ve put on a few pounds and that cast comes off. Then we’ll see who is scared of her.”

  Right now Ricky looked more worried than amused. “How about your brothers? When they were kids, did they live in fear of her, too?”

  Obviously Ricky didn’t realize that Jack was only joking about Marlene. “We aren’t afraid of our mom. Not in the way I think you mean, anyway. For sure, she never put up with any crap, but neither she nor Dad ever lifted a hand to hurt me or my brothers. After some of the shit we’d all been through, none of us were given to trusting anyone, but it didn’t take long to realize that we had it good with them.”

  By that point they were walking into the store, so Jack let the subject drop. He grabbed a cart. “Do you want to look at shoes first? Once you’re squared away with those, I’ll let you take care of the rest while I have some coffee.”

  Ricky didn’t answer, but he headed toward the back of the store where the shoes were.

  —

  Jack was on his second cup of coffee by the time Ricky came looking for him. After tossing the rest of his drink in the trash, Jack followed the teenager up to the front register. It was tempting to do a spot check to make sure Ricky had gotten everything on Marlene’s list. However, there was a big enough pile of clothing in the cart to make Jack think the kid had done his best to follow her suggestions.

  The checkout line was surprisingly short, and it didn’t take long to ring up a total that had Ricky swallowing hard. He gave Jack a panicky look. “Shit, man, I didn’t think it would be that much. I’m going to put some of it back.”

  When he started to grab one of the bags, Jack stopped him as he handed the clerk his credit card. The total had been impressive, but it wouldn’t break the bank. “Nope. Like I said, if we don’t get it all now, Mom will send us right back here tomorrow.”

  Actually, it had been his suggestion that she be the one to write out the list for Ricky, figuring he’d take it better coming from her. She’d written down the basics and added the few extra suggestions that Jack had made. Ricky might need a few more things before school started, but he’d be well situated until then.

  When everything was bagged and ready to go, they headed back outside to Jack’s car. After th
ey stowed everything and returned the cart, Jack started the engine. “Okay, you earned your lunch. Where do you want to go?”

  Ricky looked around at the various fast-food restaurants lining the street. He pointed to the closest one. “They have the best burgers and fries.”

  “Do you want to go in and eat or get it to go and head back to the house?”

  “Will your mom care if we bring it home? I really need to get back to doing that math.”

  Interesting that Ricky was so intent on getting his assignment done. “She won’t care as long as we bring her lunch, too. I happen to know she has a weakness for their chocolate shakes and double cheeseburgers.”

  When they pulled away from the drive-up window a few minutes later, Jack decided to find out a little more about Ricky’s assignment. Even though he was lagging behind in some subjects, math was the one thing where he was at or even above grade level.

  “What kind of math does she have you working on?”

  Ricky turned his head to stare out the side window. “Algebra 1.”

  “Do you like math? Because from what she told us, you have a talent for it.”

  “It’s okay, I guess. Besides, this is all review for me.”

  Well, this wasn’t getting Jack anywhere. “As I recall, geometry is normally what comes next. Was it that way for you?”

  The kid shot him a dark look before once again turning away. “It would’ve been.”

  What the hell was that supposed to mean? Unfortunately, they’d already reached the house. Ricky shot out of the SUV before Jack had even had a chance to set the brake. He picked up the bags of food and the tray containing the milkshakes and headed toward the front door.

  For certain, he’d be finding time to talk to Caitlyn Curtis alone to see if she’d been able to coax Ricky into sharing any of his history with her. Mrs. Harkens, the caseworker from CPS, had promised to get back with Jack when and if she managed to track down Ricky’s family and school records. So far, he hadn’t heard back from her. While the records might prove useful in getting the boy back into the right level classes in the fall, Jack couldn’t give a rat’s ass if they ever found his family.