She swallowed over the lump of surprise lodged in her throat. How much had Sherri said about her? What conclusions had he come to? And how much did he know about Adam’s issues? “Yes, I am.”
“Then we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
“I’m really looking forward to the wedding. It should be a lot of fun,” she said. As she gazed up into his steel-gray eyes, her body tingled, a sensation so unusual for her she gave a little gasp.
“You realize we’ll have to dance at the reception,” he said, making her pulse jump.
Gayle hadn’t danced with a man in so long she couldn’t remember—high school, maybe.
Suddenly aware that he was still holding her hand, she pulled away. “I...I’m not much of a dancer. This is my first time being part of a wedding party.”
“Seriously? I thought that was some sort of rite of passage for women.”
His words reminded her of how socially barren her life had been. And this man had pointed out her shortcoming as easily as if he were talking about the weather. Determined not to let him see the hurt in her eyes, she turned her attention to Ted Marston.
Yet Nate was so gorgeous she couldn’t help but surreptitiously glance his way. Someone should have warned her. Even his cane looked sexy. If only he wasn’t related to Sherri and Anna, two people she liked and admired. There was probably some rule about Nate dating the mother of one of his clients, but that didn’t stop her from wanting him to see her as a desirable woman, not just the mother of a troubled teen.
A desirable woman who hadn’t had a date in years. How sad was that?
She listened while Ted and Nate discussed Adam’s case, answering their questions as thoroughly as possible without giving away any information about their past.
She had to be careful this handsome man didn’t find out about her lies. And even if he decided to check on her story, Harry was in prison under a different name than hers.
“We’re pretty well finished here, I believe,” Ted said at last. “You do understand that mentoring a troubled teen requires a clear understanding of the family background and the issues that may have contributed to the teen needing help?”
Family background? That would mean Nate would be asking questions she’d have to answer. Would she be able to keep her lies straight given how this man made her feel? And if he was as good at his job as Sherri said, acquiring information on the family he was working with would be easy for him. “I...I guess so.”
“Great. Now, all we need is to determine a date and time for Nate to meet Adam.”
Gayle forced a smile to her lips. Regardless of how solid her story was about her past, she was suddenly afraid to take a chance on this man who made her feel vulnerable, sexy and out of her depth. “Mr. Marston, could I speak to you alone for a minute before we do that?”
“Is there a problem?” Ted asked.
“There might be,” Gayle said, mentally running through the lie she had to offer as the truth.
As the door closed behind Nate, Ted Marston turned to her.
She cleared her throat, and ran her tongue over her dry lips. “I don’t think Mr. Garrison will work out well with my son. I should have mentioned it sooner, before you went over Adam’s case, but I feel I have to say something.”
“What is your objection to Nate Garrison? As I explained to you earlier, he’s one of the best, and he is very good with teenagers in your son’s situation.”
“My son broke curfew and was in a fight. I realize it was wrong, and he and I have talked about it. He’s sorry. He’s really making an effort to change his behavior. I’m working hard as well, to see that he doesn’t make the same mistake again.” She caught his inquiring glance. “What I’m trying to say is that there are boys out there in more desperate circumstances than Adam. We’d be willing to wait for someone else in your agency.”
“Do you realize who the other teenagers were that were involved in that fight?”
“I assumed they were kids from Adam’s school.”
“They’re among the roughest kids in the area. Two of them have already served time for armed robbery. I’m not trying to scare you here. But do you see how important it is for Adam to get help as soon as possible?”
She did, and she felt really guilty for putting up barriers. “Could we possibly find someone younger?” she asked, grabbing for the first thought that popped into her head.
“What difference would that make?” Ted said, exasperation resonating in his tone.
“He might relate better to someone closer to his age.”
What a flimsy argument! Is that the best you can do?
“Ms. Sawyer, I’m not sure you realize what is involved in getting the right help for your son. As I mentioned before, we’re very busy. Each of my counselors has a waiting list, but because of Officer Edwards’s request, I went ahead and found someone who was willing to see your son right away. Nate Garrison will make the difference between Adam getting back on track, or joining up with the boys involved in that fight. I hope I’m making myself clear. This is the best chance Adam will ever have.” He dropped his pen on the desk. “But you can always choose not to take my advice.” The expression on the man’s face held a cool finality to it.
Having it put to her that way, what choice did she have? “No. Of course I’ll take your advice. I was just a little anxious. I’ve never been involved in something like this before.”
“Then let me explain it to you a little more. Nate will want to meet your son, spend time with you as well as Adam. He will get to know you and your son, and in the process he’ll be able to identify problems that need to be worked on.”
Gayle’s stomach began to ache. “Why does he have to work with me?”
“Because you’re Adam’s mother, and your influence on his life is important in getting to the root of his problems. Also, the role his father played in his life, and your family ties, will be significant, as well. Adam has no siblings, but there might be a cousin he trusts or looks up to, a positive influence in his life.” He looked at her questioningly.
“No.” Gayle directed her gaze to her hands resting in her lap, feeling once again inadequate, alone and completely responsible for everything in her life. She didn’t want Adam to live as she did—alone and fearful of what lay ahead. She wanted him to be a happy, well-adjusted teenager, and eventually a young adult with a good life waiting for him when he completed his education. She wanted him to have everything she’d never had.
“So what will it be? Can I call Nate back into the room, and we’ll begin the process of getting help for Adam?”
“Yes, please,” she murmured, dread filling her mind at the prospect of someone picking around her past. If he discovered anything, would he tell her first? What if he encouraged Adam to go on the internet to find information about his family, especially his father? Thankfully, Adam hadn’t shown any real interest in researching family connections. That would certainly change if Nate started asking questions about Harry and her life in Anaheim.
She intended to do whatever it took to help Adam, but she would do everything in her power to keep her past out of it. Harry must never be brought into the conversation.
She should have kept her concerns about Nate to herself. He had to be wondering why she had requested time alone with the head of the center, already putting her at