Her Kind of Hero Read online

  The information humbled him. Dana had been right to question those scraps of paper, and his response to her had been underwhelming. He wished Dana had just accepted that he would take care of the situation. But she’d been like a dog with a bone. All she’d had to do was to let him handle the matter. End of conversation.

  Matt sighed. That wasn’t fair. He owed her an apology. Not to mention that now he’d have to confront Sandro, who ought to have known better. When he pulled into the camp’s parking area, he saw that Dana’s car had gone and Sandro had returned. One apology deferred, exchanged for a potential argument with his best friend.

  Sandro and Kristen were going through the stacks of colored file folders that Dana had collated when Matt walked into the office.

  “Hey, Matt! These are great,” Kristen said.

  He nodded, fixing his gaze on Sandro. “Got a sec, bro?”

  * * *

  BY THE TIME Dana got home, she’d gone from disappointment to resignation. No doubt the kiss at the lake had been an impulse prompted by sun, water and laughter—ingredients for a romantic scene that was more illusion than fact.

  She rolled open the glass sliding doors leading to her balcony and stood on the threshold, staring at the canals below that snaked around the city skyscrapers. Lake Michigan gleamed in the distance, a tiny wedge in the architectural jungle.

  Memories of the scent of fir trees around the sleeping cabins, the refreshing breeze off Maple Lake and the millions of bright stars in the pitch-black night sky as she accompanied the girls to the washroom cabin filled her head and heart. Dana looked forward to the weekend, glad to have another chance to see all of that in real life. She’d deal with her confusing feelings about Matt later.

  The lilting ringtone of her cell phone broke into her thoughts and Dana automatically answered without checking caller ID. She sighed when her father’s voice boomed from the phone.

  “Ha! So you’re home!”

  She was about to ask where he thought she might have been until she recalled her alibi for time off work—the fictional road trip. Maybe not quite so fictional though, considering the commute the past week.

  “When did you get back?”

  “Just now.”

  “And how was it? Who’d you go with?”

  The charade couldn’t continue. “Actually, I haven’t really left the city.”

  “What?” he barked.

  “I have been out of town, but only for a few days.”

  There was a long pause while her father was processing this information. “Maybe you should explain.”

  The calm in his voice told her he was ticked off. “I’ve been volunteering at a kids’ camp outside the city.”

  An even longer pause followed by, “Come again?”

  Dana exhaled. “Dad, you heard me.”

  “Yes, but comprehension hasn’t kicked in yet. You, a volunteer at a camp?”

  The incredulity in that last word brought a quick smile. He knew her so well. “Unbelievable as it is.”

  “What kind of kids’ camp?”

  “It’s for inner-city kids.”

  “Ah.”

  “I’m only there for a few more days.”

  “Be more specific.”

  “Up to and including next weekend. Maybe another one after, to round off the two weeks I took. Why?”

  “Evergreen wants to talk to you again, go over some figures before they sign with Nirvana Spa and Resort.”

  “I thought it was all wrapped up.”

  “You know how it is.”

  Sadly, she did. She pictured all the hours she’d already spent on the merger disappearing, as if they’d existed only in her worst nightmare. She had a feeling her return to the office was going to happen before her official vacation time ended. But not without a fight, she decided.

  “I thought we agreed that my time off would be a real break. That I wouldn’t have to keep in touch,” she sighed. “Can’t someone else do it? What about Ken?”

  “He’s already picking up Mega Corps for you!”

  Dana knew the exasperation she was hearing would escalate until he lost his temper. She girded herself for the storm. “I’m sorry, Dad, but I’m committed to the camp at least until Sunday night because I’m filling in for someone there this week. Arrange a conference call for next Monday.”

  “That’s a week away!”

  “I’m busy until then.”

  The silence was long enough to make her think he’d hung up. Except her dad liked to have the last word, so it wasn’t likely.

  “What kind of outfit is this anyway?”

  “What are you talking about Dad?”

  “This camp. Is it a charity of some kind?”

  “No, but it’s funded by the city and other donors.”

  “An NGO kind of thing?”

  “Kind of.”

  She was thinking of a way to get off the line when he asked, “What are you getting out of it? Besides a tax receipt?”

  “I doubt I can get a tax write-off for volunteering my time, and I haven’t given them any money so...”

  “You haven’t answered my question. What are you getting out of it?”

  She had no clue what she was hoping to get out of her days at Camp Hope. Those wonderful outings in nature? She could experience them almost anywhere outside Chicago. So what was she getting?

  Dana blew out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know what I’m getting out of it and even if I did and tried to explain, you probably wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me.”

  “There’s no point to this conversation.”

  This time he sighed. “This isn’t working, Dana. This phone-and-texting cycle between us. There’s a meeting at the office tomorrow at eight thirty and I’d like you to be there. End of discussion.”

  Dana clenched her jaw. The meeting with Matt wasn’t until eleven but she knew when to give in to her father. “Fine.” She hung up and tossed her cell on the armchair behind her. She closed her eyes, wishing she hadn’t taken his call.

  He just didn’t get it. Cyberbombardment had been his style for a few years and his objective was that eventually she’d yield. He didn’t see his parenting style as bullying, but that was essentially how it felt to her. But she wouldn’t give in. She was committed to Camp Hope and not only because of Matt’s presence. The other reason was the calm she felt there. Her duties and responsibilities at Sothern and Davis could be forgotten in the serenity of Maple Lake and even in the hubbub that would occur on the weekend, when the kids were there.

  The kids. Funny how she ended up not being bothered by them. True, she’d had a few missteps but by the end of the weekend, she’d begun to appreciate their individual personalities. She hadn’t anticipated such satisfaction being with the girls. The laughter she’d shared with them and especially, the comfort she’d been able to give Kenzie and Ruby, would stay with her for a long time. Being needed by a child was so very different from being needed by another adult.

  * * *

  MATT TURNED OFF his phone and set it on the small table in what his sister had dubbed his poor excuse of a kitchen. His mother had just called to say her surgery had been rescheduled for two weeks from Friday—four days after his presentation to the Willow Springs town council. A lot happening in one week, but he was relieved that the surgery came after and not before.

  But Ma had not been pleased. More time to sit and stew, she’d grumbled. And don’t worry about coming to the hospital, sitting in some waiting room all morning.

  Matt shook his head, wondering how his mother could even think he’d not be there. Now all he had to do was try to keep the surgery out of his mind until after the presentation. He had an endless list of things to do before the next camp session, including telling Dana she’d been right to question the petty cash payments and most o
f all, replaying the tense scene with Sandro.

  Sandro had apologized and promised the money would be reimbursed as soon as he got his paycheck. Matt was angry that his friend had at first tried to deny the notes were fake receipts. There were no receipts, Sandro finally admitted, because he hadn’t actually purchased anything for the camp. The cash was for an emergency and he hadn’t been able to get to a bank or ATM.

  Lisa needed two hundred dollars to bail her car out of the impound lot, he’d said. She had to have the car for work.

  Who’s Lisa? Matt had been dumbfounded that he’d been so out of touch with his best friend’s private life because his thoughts had been elsewhere.

  The woman I’ve been dating for a couple months now, bro. I’m sure I told you about her. She’s a single mom. She can’t afford to miss work because her car got towed, Sandro had muttered.

  Chagrined, Matt had found himself on the defensive. It’s just inappropriate. And it doesn’t look good for a staff member and a signing director of the nonprofit to use funds that way, he’d added.

  Sandro hadn’t asked how Matt had discovered the payments, but he clearly had put it all together when he’d remarked, None of this would have happened if Maria hadn’t needed time off. She and I would have worked it out.

  Yeah right, Matt had wanted to say. But there was nothing to be gained by pressing the issue. He valued his friendship with Sandro. They’d gone through some tough times together. A memory of Lenny Brock, the gang leader he’d befriended years ago, rose like a bad smell. He told himself the past was long gone and, more important, so was the Mateo Rodriguez of twenty years ago.

  He stood up, antsy to move and get his mind off things. But he still had to make amends with Dana. He’d considered emailing her last night but knew she deserved a face-to-face apology. Then he’d texted her to confirm their eleven o’clock meeting just after Ma had called but hadn’t heard back. Sighing, he picked up his phone. She answered after the first ring.

  “Matt?”

  Her voice was low and husky. It was early and he wondered if he’d caught her just getting out of bed, picturing her—tousled chestnut hair, eyes half shut against the daylight—and forgot what he’d planned to say.

  “Matt?”

  “Sorry. Yesterday we arranged to meet at the camp later this morning, but I was...um...wondering.”

  “One moment,” she said, and he heard the sound of footsteps followed by a door closing. “Okay. Sorry about that but I was in a meeting.”

  “Sure. No problem. Just working out a plan for the day,” he mumbled, cursing his sudden lack of vocabulary.

  There was a pause. “Something came up at work and I got called in for an early meeting. Do you still want me to meet you at eleven?”

  He hesitated. She sounded vague and unsure about going out to the camp. But he needed to see her and explain the situation with Sandro.

  “No, no, it’s okay. I think you pretty much finished up yesterday, didn’t you? But I would like to see you before Friday if possible.”

  Another pause that made him wish he’d emailed her after all. Then a long sigh.

  “Today’s going to be busy after all but...would you be free to meet for a coffee? Say about ten?”

  He looked at the time. Just after nine. “Sure. Where?”

  “There’s a coffee shop in the lower concourse of the Hancock Center. I’ll see you there about tenish.” Then she hung up.

  He got there early, mainly because he’d wisely decided to take public transit. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d come into the heart of Chicago, and standing on the pavement outside Dana’s workplace, he pivoted slowly to take in the buildings that had captured his imagination as a kid, on the few outings he’d made with his parents. Before his father died. Before Rosie. Before even Sandro. And long before Lenny.

  Matt shook his head. The second memory surge of Lenny Brock in one day. He wondered what it meant. Definitely nothing good. He pushed through the revolving door and made his way down to the concourse. Of course, there were two coffee shops and he hesitated outside the first one, part of a national chain, before aiming for the funkier independent one.

  She was there already, head bent over a piece of paper, and when she looked up and saw him, her smile obliterated all the negative thoughts of the morning.

  “Hey!” was all he could manage, taking in her gleaming hair tied into some construction at the nape of her slender neck and the straggling wisps he wanted to tuck away until he came to his senses, realizing where he was and that her smile was now puzzled.

  “I’ve ordered us Americanos. Someone will bring them over. I hope that’s okay. Wasn’t sure if you wanted anything to eat.” She leaned over to place the papers she’d been reading into a briefcase. He couldn’t help staring at the impeccable Dana sitting across from him. A world away from the jeans-and-T-shirt woman he’d been spending time with lately. Of course, he’d seen this Dana before. The first time she’d stumbled into his office, blurting out that he’d saved her life. Even that day seemed like years ago now.

  “The scones are good here,” she said, her smile amused by his stare.

  Matt’s face heated up. “Coffee’s fine. So, you’re working today.”

  She pursed her lips. “Something came up.”

  “Important, I guess.”

  “My father thought so. Anyway, these things happen. I was going to let you know just before you called. But don’t worry. I still plan to be at the camp on Friday.”

  He nodded, relieved. Not that he couldn’t have reorganized staff to put another woman in the girls’ cabin. He was simply happy that she was still going to be there.

  “What did you want to see me about?” she asked.

  A barista walked their coffees over, which gave him a few seconds to find the right words. He added milk, blew gently on it, taking a cautious sip and then, while she was still fixing hers, said, “I spoke to Maria, about those Post-it notes.”

  Her eyebrow shot up. “And?”

  “She explained the whole thing. Sandro needed some emergency funds and didn’t have the receipts handy. Maria told him to write out the amount and she’d finish up the proper paperwork later. But then her son fell ill so...”

  Dana nodded thoughtfully before saying, “I see.” Then she added, “So basically, they were IOUs. Strange the way he did it though, isn’t it? Why four? I get that the total had to be under a hundred for petty cash requirements but then why not just two?”

  Matt raised his palms in a “who knows” gesture. “Sandro didn’t explain that.”

  “You talked to him?”

  He frowned at her sharp tone. “Why wouldn’t I? What he did, as innocent as it was, went against procedure. He’s repaid the funds and won’t let it happen again.” The lie was justified, Matt decided, knowing that Sandro would do exactly that. Still, his stomach clenched.

  She sipped her coffee, her gaze steady, as if she could read his mind.

  He cleared his throat. “So...you were right. Thanks. I’m sure Maria would have dealt with it when she came back, but in case she forgot... Well...you saved her some embarrassment.”

  “Not to mention Sandro.” Dana set her coffee cup down.

  “Sandro?”

  “I mean, if she forgot about it and he did, too. And then if those IOUs were noticed and red flagged by the IRS or some auditor...”

  She was speculating, Matt knew, but her implication told him how differently their minds worked. Sandro had been foolish but what happened would have been resolved without any harm to anyone. Yet the lawyer sitting across from him acted as though the police ought to have been summoned. He tried in vain to consolidate that woman with the Dana trying to guide ten girls into a dining hall.

  Frustrated, he picked up his coffee, took a long drink and plunked it down. “All water under the bridge now. And as I said, thank
s for drawing it to our attention.” He made a show of checking the time. “I better get back to the drop-in.” He felt a touch of satisfaction at her startled expression. “See you tomorrow at the camp.” Then he dug into his jeans pocket and pulled out a ten-dollar bill. “My treat. Thanks for making the time.”

  He didn’t hear a goodbye as he walked away from the table.

  * * *

  DANA WAS AWARE of movement all around her—shuffled papers, laptops flipped shut and briefcases latched. The muted voices of the staff attending the second meeting of the day drifted in and out, waves of conversation that she couldn’t quite catch hold of. Not that she cared. A door closing roused her enough to focus on her father’s face looming across the boardroom table.

  “What’s up, Dana?”

  “Hmm?” She blinked.

  “Your mind has been somewhere all morning. What is it?”

  “Nothing. I was just a bit preoccupied, that’s all.”

  “Uh-huh,” he said. “Preoccupied about what? Certainly not the Evergreen file. And you ignored my reminder about the conference call I set for next Monday at noon. At your request, if you recall.”

  “Don’t worry—I’ll get to the file before the call.” There was no doubt now about her imminent return to the office. Not after the disastrous coffee meet with Matt. In fact, she was making a bet with herself that he’d text before tomorrow to say he no longer needed her for the weekend.

  “You don’t sound very enthused.”

  “Why would I be? It’s just another file like all the others I’ve been working on for...I don’t know how many years.” She avoided his startled face by packing up her things.

  As she stood to leave, her father held up a hand. “Wait! Come on. This isn’t like you. Look, if you seriously need a few more days, the Evergreen file can wait. I thought you were on vacation, but instead you were helping out with that...that camp or whatever.”

  Dana hid a smile. He made the camp sound like some cult, which it might as well be as far as Brent Sothern was concerned.