Page 19 of Loving Roman
Fond memories, still so fresh, rush forward, not that they’ve been far from the forefront of my mind. The cars move and I roll forward and stop again. The way Roman’s eyes never left mine as he made love to me during our last night together sends a shiver racing down my spine, and an ache sits heavy between my thighs. A long sigh ghosts over my lips, and I swear I can feel his mouth tracing every inch of my skin, leaving sparks in his wake.
Horns honk and the car in front of me moves, so I step on the gas, returning my focus to the here and now. How I wish things could be different. I’m certain once I settle into this new city and make friends, I won’t regret my decision to leave Roman in the past as much as I have since I left him standing in the parking lot. I felt as though I had left my heart behind.
It’s frightening when I think about how close we grew in such a short time. The potent feelings came out of nowhere, and while on vacation, I rolled with them, but in the week I’ve been home, I’ve had time to analyze them. I can’t explain the almost instant bond I felt with the man. I’m not one for flights of fancy or falling into a stranger’s bed, but I did both of thosethings, and while I could blame it on being on vacation, I feel it’s wrong to minimize our connection. It was special and powerful, unique and thrilling.
He made me feel seen and adored, beautiful and sexy. Things I never thought I’d feel again, especially not at my age. Not that I’m old, but still …
The sign for the parking lot comes into view, so I flick on my blinker and turn in. I locate a space, then turn off the engine and take a moment to center my thoughts in the silence of my car. Taking a few deep breaths, I settle my nerves. Pulling the visor down, I do a quick makeup check and, with nothing left to delay my exit, I climb out of my car.
With my nerves buzzing like a beehive beneath my skin, I enter the building and announce myself to the receptionist, Deena. Her smile is wide and gorgeous, her eyes sparkling with delight, making some of my nerves settle with her warm welcome.
“I’m so glad you got the job. You gave off such a positive vibe in the interview,” she tells me. I narrow my gaze and think back to the tele-interview. I don’t recall her being present. She must recognize my confusion. “I sat off to the side, taking notes for the director.”
“Oh right. Gosh, I was so nervous. I know I bumbled a couple of the questions,” I chuckle nervously.
She waves away my worries. “That’s what made you so endearing. You weren’t as polished, like you were reading a laundry list of attributes. You’re going to fit in here really well.” She stands and rounds her desk. “Let me show you around.”
Deena gives me a tour with a side of office gossip, making me chuckle and putting me at ease. So far, things are going smoothly, and the jitters I was feeling are sliding further and further away, until we stop outside my boss’s door.
“Well, here we are. Good luck.”
Before I can respond, she knocks sharply on the door andflings it open, revealing one of the people who interviewed me for the job. Gloria. She’s even more attractive in person.
She stands, smiling broadly, then comes out from behind her desk with her hand outstretched. “Alice. It’s so nice to meet you in person.” I slip my hand into hers, accepting her warm welcome as Deena leaves us alone. She holds her hand out toward the chair opposite her desk. “Please, take a seat.”
“Thank you. I still can’t believe I got the job.”
“You were by far the best candidate for the position, and we’re thrilled to have you join our team. We’ll just go through a few things, then I’ll give you a tour and leave you in the capable hands of HR.”
I place my purse on the floor, then sit further back in the chair, getting more comfortable. “Sure.”
Gloria gives me a basic rundown of our facility, working hours, expectations, and a general overview of our clientele. “You’ll be the lead liaison with Mr. Trainor, the CEO ofThe Parkerville Project.The Projectis a unique initiative that has proven to be highly successful and beneficial to children who have had to be removed from their home environment.”
My heart breaks for kids who need to be removed from their home environment. It’s always a last resort when the situation is so dire that the kids are in danger physically, emotionally, or sexually. Even though I know it’s for the best they’re removed, it doesn’t make it any easier to have to take them away from their parents, often crying and fighting my hold. It’s devastating to bear witness to a family as it disintegrates. Some parents work hard to improve their situation and gain their children back, but not all are so dedicated.
“They have 15 homes with up to six children in each and a central facility in the city as an interim stay until children can be placed in one of the homes.”
My eyebrows rise, and Gloria nods proudly. “I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
“There are a couple of similar models across the United States, but this is the only one in our state. Each home has a live-in counselor/foster carer, most of whom are married couples. They always aim to create a family-style environment, which works exceptionally well. It means the children can participate in regular after-school activities, attend birthday parties and other social events, all while under the care of adults who can help them deal with issues as a result of their unsatisfactory home life.”
My head is spinning as she tells me about this remarkable program. “It sounds incredible. Where do they get their funding?” Lack of funding is one of my biggest complaints in this role. If we had more money and facilities, we could help so many more kids and families.
She leans forward on her metal desk and gestures for me to come in closer, like she’s about to share a huge secret. “I have it on good authority that billionaire Oliver Stone is the largest contributor and the man keeping the program running after it almost had to shut down late last year, early this year. He grew up in the foster system himself, so he understands the need to create a safe and healthy environment for children in difficult situations. He married one of the volunteers with the program and, as a result, spends regular time at one of the homes.”
I fall back into my chair. “Wow. That’s impressive.”
“Yeah, I hope you enjoyed your vacation, because beginning today, Mr. Trainor will spend each afternoon this week taking you to each home to introduce you to the kids and their carers. It will be a lot of information, but we really need you to hit the ground running.”
I nod sharply and smile, thinking about exactly what made my vacation so enjoyable. I’m pretty sure I’ll draw on my memories for the remainder of my days. “I did, thank you, and that won’t be a problem. I’m ready and eager to get started.”
“Great! Let me give you a tour.”
I pull up behind Marcus’s car in front of the seventh group home I’ve visited this week. The house looks like any other on this street. The garden is neat, and I can see a couple of bicycles leaning against the garage. I doubt anyone driving down this street would know this is a group home for kids who come from broken homes. I’ve been impressed to find the homes situated in regular, middle-class suburbs across the city. Each home is maintained to a high standard, and the couples have created a family environment that feels authentic. No wonder the kids do so well within the program.
As Marcus climbs out of his car, I draw in a deep breath and grab my purse, then climb out to meet him on the sidewalk.
He insisted on dropping the formalities, and even though he’s introduced each of the counselors as mister or missus, they’ve each insisted they prefer to be informal. Everyone has been so warm and welcoming, and it’s made my first week on the job an absolute pleasure. I really think I’m going to love this job.
