Page 111 of Feeding Hope
My stone-cold heart cracked. Shit, this girl was unique, but Katy was too soft. She needed protecting, and I’d no idea how to do that. I wasn’t a part of her world. Honestly, I was just a random homeless guy Katy had taken pity on. It was harsh, but the truth. Katy was living her best life while I was at rock bottom.
The food lay heavy in my stomach; what was I doing? I’d flirted with Katy like a regular guy. And I was anything but normal. Katy had touched my hand as if the blood I saw there wasn’t visible, and then she’d patted my back. She’d actually touched my old, worn, and dirty clothing like it didn’t matter. If I kept hanging around, Katy would get hurt, because that always happened to people close to me.
Rightfully, I should walk away. Leave now before harm befalls her. The food stuck in my throat, and it was hard to swallow.
“Katy, what are you doing? Don’t you understand I could pose a threat?” I whispered.
Katy pursed her lips together. “Everyone can be dangerous.”
“Are you being deliberately dense?” I asked, and Katy flinched. Shit. “Katy…”
“No, Alex. You’re trying to frighten, and I don’t know or understand why. I need to go back to the office. I finish work at half-five tonight. Please be at the bench for five-forty-five. I’ll bring dinner. If you don’t arrive, I’ll go looking for the next homeless person and give it to them.” Katy got to her feet, passed me the rest of her lunch, and walked away.
Blast, I’d handled that wrong. My gaze wandered to the building behind the park. What was Aiden Armstrong playing at? When Katy had said Aiden’s name, I’d wanted to rant and rave, but that would only have frightened her. Katy didn’t deserve that. My eyes narrowed. Was Aiden looking down at me right now from his high-up office? I’d rather starve than take anything from his hand.
St. Mary’s Church soup kitchen. They had a good reputation there, didn’t judge the homeless, and made time for conversation. They also had people there to help us get off the street if we wanted. I’d always avoided it because I didn’t want to leave. The streets are what I deserved. And that’s where I’d stay.
Katy
I could feel eyes watching when I returned from lunch. Barely stopping myself from blowing out my cheeks in exasperation, I sat down and pulled out my latest project. The lines on one side were bothering me, and I wasn’t happy.
“God, you’re really taking the mickey,” Tiffany exclaimed.
Sighing, I gritted my teeth. Now what? I glanced up, annoyed at being disturbed. “Tiffany, I’m working.”
“You were fifteen minutes late back from lunch.”
“Take it up with Aiden,” I muttered, returning to the drawing. What on earth was wrong with it? The customer’s projected specifications were easy to understand, but something was missing. I frowned and rotated it slowly on the screen.
“Aiden? That’s Mr Armstrong to you!” Tiffany screeched, and I felt eyes boring into my back.
“Whatever, do you mind?” I murmured, not paying attention as I began losing myself in the lines of the house.
They’d wanted gothic, heavy on eerie and spooky. Concentrating, I bit my lip. I’d hit the target, but the special spark was absent. Placing an elbow on the desk, I leaned my chin into my hand and rubbed my jaw. Leaded glass, spires, railings, odd little windows—what was missing?
“Are you even listening to me?” Tiffany’s voice grew louder, and I knew she was acting up for the audience.
Ah, that’s what it needed. Just as I grasped what it was, Tiffany growled and spun my chair around. My elbow shot off the table, and I jolted forward.
“What on earth?” I exclaimed, facing Tiffany, as her little sycophants laughed. Several more of my colleagues began chuckling, and I stood up. Tiffany wanted a scene? I’d give her one.
“Just what the fuck is your issue?” I snapped loudly, and Emily and Sami stopped laughing. “I’m trying to work on a problem with a client’s house, and you want fucking attention. Go on, Tiffany, you now have mine!”
“Holy crap, when did Katy get a spine?” someone whispered.
Tiffany’s mouth opened, and I cut her off. “Well, come on! You think you can stand there shouting abuse, what the fuck do you want? Drama? Now you’ve got it. I’m in a higher position than you, Tiffany, something you seem to forget. I’m head architect here, not you. You don’t get to demand explanations for what I’m doing or who I’m doing it with. Now return to your desk and do some work, instead of interrupting mine!”
Silence fell across the office as people watched. “You were late back from lunch! I’m reporting you!” she spat.
“Go ahead because you love wrecking people’s lives. Those security guards were sacked because of the stunt you pulled this morning. Now go away and let me work!” I replied angrily.
I sat down and turned my back on Tiffany. That would really annoy her.
“Is there a problem here?” a voice snapped. Now what? I spun around and saw Pepper Jones from HR standing there watching me.
“Yes!” I snarled before Tiffany could answer. “I’m trying to work on an issue with a house for a client, and had solved it when Tiffany decided to cause a scene.”
Pepper swapped glances with Tiffany. Yeah, they were friends, so I guessed where this was heading.
