of playboy who was determined never to have a family of his own.
Grant lifted a finger as if to halt the back-and-forth. “Marisol, is Easter brunch on schedule? Or should we put it back a week? We can still have the Easter egg hunt after the service, of course.”
“No, everything is going to be fine. I am so happy all the kids will have Easter. Sweet little ones. Such joy.” Her tanned face creased with a peaceful smile.
“Watching Sabrina work was absolutely impressive,” Jack said. “We should get rid of that old statue out front and put up a monument to Sabrina the mechanic. It would be much more inspiring.”
He felt his grin falter as he caught sight of Sabrina’s face. The look she was giving him was a few levels short of overwhelming gratitude. Did she think he was being sarcastic? He was teasing about the statue, but he’d meant his original compliment to be taken seriously. She locked eyes with him and one slim eyebrow arched.
Not knowing what else to say, Jack tried to look as innocent as possible. Those beautiful brown eyes narrowed. He wasn’t making it better. He didn’t quite understand the emotions that crossed her face, but he wanted to, more than he had wanted anything in a long time. Something about this dark-eyed woman with the soft accent tugged at him. The noise in the gym seemed to fade away as their gazes held.
He cleared his throat and looked away. No matter how intriguing she was, he didn’t have the freedom to do anything about it. His life was a complicated mess. With his dad recovering from his heart attack, Jack needed to focus on the family company. Plus, he was having a little professional crisis of his own. A woman like Sabrina wouldn’t give a minute of her time to a man who didn’t even know whether he wanted to quit his own job or not. Maybe after he was sure the company was on track, his dad was back at the helm and he’d solved his own personal problems, he could ask her to dinner. But not now, not yet.
* * *
She couldn’t figure this guy out. On the outside he was just like all the rich, privileged kids she’d known in high school. He had the confidence that came with knowing whatever he tried would be a success. Guys like Jack were born halfway to the finish line and no one questioned that they would do well in life. Girls like Sabrina were born already late for the race.
But what she saw in Jack’s eyes was something totally different. When he’d said she was impressive, she was sure he’d been making fun of her. Not that she cared. She was used to the snide comments and wisecracks over being a woman mechanic. She’d started to give him the death stare...and realized he’d been paying her a compliment. All her anger slid into a mass of confusion. This guy, who looked like so many guys she’d known and avoided like the plague, might just be different. In the space of one hour, he had found out more about her than anyone else she’d met in the past few years. She spent her time trying to keep her private life out of the way, out of sight. He certainly cared enough to talk to her like a human being. Was she becoming one of those people who made snap judgments, just on appearance? Sabrina hated being pigeonholed just because she was Hispanic and a woman, but maybe she was just as guilty as everyone else.
“I’m glad Easter brunch will happen.” It wasn’t quite a thank-you for the compliment, but it would have to do. As she spoke, her heart felt as though it was lifting, expanding.
“You saved Easter, mija,” Marisol said.
“I’m telling you, the girl needs her own mural. At the very least, a plaque,” Jack said. That teasing grin appeared again and suddenly Sabrina couldn’t help wishing, just for a moment, that she was the kind of girl he might be interested in asking out on a date. In the next moment, she forced herself back to reality. It was ridiculous to spend a second dreaming about Jack. Even if they weren’t from the opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, she couldn’t be anybody’s girlfriend right now. Kassey and Gabby came first. Full stop.
Grabbing her toolbox, she brushed back her hair with a free hand. “It’s late and the girls need to get to bed. We’ll get these forms back to you. See you next Thursday.” She turned on her heel.
“Wait!” Jack’s voice made her pause midstep. “Aren’t you coming to Easter brunch? You fixed the Hobart. You should be here to enjoy the feast.”
Sabrina frowned. They must look like all the other mission residents, sort of scraggly and poor. She self-consciously touched her ponytail. It had been years since she’d had her hair professionally cut. She scoured the secondhand shops, trying to keep the girls looking tidy even if they didn’t have new clothes. Or maybe he thought they didn’t have anywhere else to go because they were a broken family. Sabrina glanced down into the hopeful eyes of her nieces and let out a breath. As much as she wanted to deny it, he was right. They didn’t have anywhere to go. Mrs. Guzman from upstairs was going to her daughter’s house for Easter and this little family would be all alone.
“Sure, we’ll be here,” she said. The girls gripped her arms and squealed with excitement. Sabrina rolled her eyes at their response but couldn’t help smiling a little. It was a homeless mission, but it was the friendliest place she’d been in a long time. It wouldn’t hurt to spend Easter here if it made them happy.
“Wonderful,” Grant said. “There’s always room for more at the table.”
Marisol beamed at Jack. “I forgive you for wanting to be everyone’s friend. You help bring us all together for Easter.”
“Glad to help.” Jack was speaking to Marisol, but his gaze was on Sabrina. He rocked back on his heels for a second, looking pleased with himself. It made him look about five years old and it was absolutely adorable.
Sabrina forced herself to turn away, calling a farewell over her shoulder. It was nice to think of spending Easter somewhere other than their apartment and even nicer not to have to worry about finding something special to cook on their nonexistent budget. They would go to the early service, have a great meal at the mission, say hi to Marisol and the girls could feel as if it had been a real Easter.
She wouldn’t have to worry about navigating around Jack and his heart-stopping smile because people like him didn’t celebrate Easter in a shelter. He would be surrounded by family—parents and siblings and grandparents. If only it could be that way for the two little girls who trailed behind her on the way out of the gym. Sabrina’s stomach twisted a little at the thought and she brushed off the jealousy.
But she’d had her fill of if-only moments and she was determined that Kassey and Gabby would be able to depend on her, not someone with her head in the clouds. She would show the judge that she was stable and loving enough to be their legal guardian, and they would be a permanent family. It wasn’t perfect—these sweet girls should have a mom and a dad—but Sabrina would have to do. She was all they had. She would do everything in her power to keep them all together, to raise them in faith and shower them with love.
Any gaps left over, God would have to step in. There wasn’t anybody else.
“Hold on. I thought you were quitting as soon as Dad was well enough to come back full-time.” Evie sat up ramrod straight in the chair across from her twin and arched a brow. Jack knew that look and pretended he didn’t see it.
The morning sun was blazing through the window and the office seemed about ten degrees too warm. Jack pulled at his tie, wishing he was on Wolf Mountain at that very minute. It had snowed four inches that morning, and the boarding on Horseshoe Bowl would be phenomenal. But he was being good and was at work, like a responsible man.
“I am. Just not quite yet. I’m playing it by ear.” His mahogany desk was polished so brightly he could see his reflection. He shuffled a few papers.
“Not yet? You’ve been unhappily employed for five long years, planned the big exit, plotted out a new business venture and now it’s not yet?” She leaned forward. “Getting cold feet? I’ll be there. Gavin will be there. You won’t have to do this alone.”
“Thank