3

Michael stepped on the treadmill next to his friend and set the speed to a slow jog. Before long, he was whistling.

Steve turned his way. “What’s gotten into you?”

“Nothing.”

“There’s definitely something,” Steve said. “We’ve been working out together for years, and you never whistle.”

Michael couldn’t suppress his smile. “I met someone.”

Steve stopped in his tracks and almost fell off the treadmill. “No way. Philly’s most eligible bachelor may finally be off the market?”

“Stop.”

“I thought you’d sworn off women,” Steve said, regaining his speed. “You said they’re all after your money and you couldn’t trust anyone.”

“This girl is different.”

“How can you tell?” Steve asked.

“She doesn’t know I have money. She works at the mall. I’m sure she assumes I’m simply a salesman at Cavanaugh’s.”

“So she’s not particularly bright, I take it,” Steve said.

“I didn’t tell her my last name is Cavanaugh.”

“I guess it’s not too serious if she doesn’t even know your last name.”

Michael waved a hand at Steve. “We only really started talking last night. It’s a long story, but she let me pray for her, and we went back to my parent’s house.”

“You took a girl to your parent’s house for a first date?” Steve eyes widened.

“It wasn’t exactly a date. Like I said, it’s a long story.” He wiped at the sweat beading on his forehead as he increased his pace. “She got along beautifully with my family. She loved my mom’s cooking, laughed at my dad’s jokes…”

“Then there must be something wrong with her.”

“You’re hilarious. My dad’s jokes aren’t bad the first time you hear them.”

“No, you’re right. It’s only after the seventieth time they start to wear on you,” Steve said. “Go on.”

“My sisters even liked her. I’m telling you, Steve, this could be the one.”

“Tell me about her.”

“She works at the smoothie shop at the mall part-time to help pay for college. I get the feeling she doesn’t have much of a family to speak of, since she seemed almost wistful interacting with ours. She has a good heart.”

Steve wiped his own face with his towel. “Well, I hope you’re right. I’d hate for you to get hurt again.”

“Me, too.” Michael picked up the pace on the treadmill. “Last night was a great start. We got to learn more about each other, and she gets along with my family. Now I need to ask her on a real date to find out if she likes me by myself.”

“So why wait?” Steve said. “Give her a call.”

Michael frowned. “I never got her number. It doesn’t matter, though. I’ll see her this afternoon when I stop by for a smoothie.”

Steve laughed. “You and your sweet tooth.”

~*~

At precisely 3PM, Michael made his way to the smoothie shop. Jasmine’s bright smile greeted him.

“Hey, handsome. I heard you rescued my girl from the rain last night.”

Michael grinned. Nicole evidently talked to Jasmine about him. A good sign. “Well, not really. I didn’t exactly prevent her from getting wet.”

Jasmine let out a laugh. “To hear her tell of it, you were quite the knight in shining armor.” She lowered her voice. “She’s a special girl. Don’t go breaking her heart.”

“I can tell. I have no intention of breaking her heart. I take it she’s not working today?”

“Nope. Wednesdays she tutors over at the mission after her classes are over.”

“Every week?” Michael asked.

Jasmine grabbed a towel and wiped the counter. “Yep. Some of the kids in there find it pretty hard to focus on school when being basically homeless is your daily life. Nicole does what she can to help the kids.”

Michael soaked in the information. “Truly admirable.”

Jasmine pointed her index finger at him. “I told you she’s a special girl. Now, are you here for a smoothie or to pry about my friend?”

Michael laughed, ordered his smoothie, and strolled back to his store, his mind full of what he learned. Nicole couldn’t be making much money at the smoothie shop, but instead of tutoring for money, she volunteered her time to help those in need. His admiration for her ticked up another notch. This was not a girl after him for his money. He thought back to their conversation last week…

“That’s a pretty expensive suit for strolling the mall on a Tuesday afternoon.”

“All the Cavanaugh’s employees wear their suits while at work. It’s good advertising.”

Her posture had relaxed after the exchange, as if she were more comfortable with him. He hadn’t told her he could afford to wear those suits all the time. That he was the reason why all the employees wore expensive suits. Maybe he should have corrected her assumption that he was a salesman, but after Shana, there was no way he wanted a girl to know about his money. Taking Nicole to his parent’s house was perfect. They were the most down-to-earth people around. Even after his successes, they wanted no part of expensive gifts. He was so blessed by his family. All he needed was a wife to complete the package. He smiled as Nicole’s face came to mind.

~*~

Nicole lugged the fruit bins from the fridge and filled the containers.

Jasmine appeared at her side. “Michael came by yesterday for you.”

Nicole cocked her head at her friend. “Are you sure he didn’t want a smoothie?”

“Well, yes, but he asked about you.”

“What did you tell him?”

“You were at the mission.”

Nicole clenched the spoon in her hand. “What did he say?”

“He was surprised you tutor at the mission, but thought it was wonderful you helped out there.”

Nicole let out a breath, and her heartbeat kicked up its pace. “He wasn’t repulsed by the idea?”

“Of course not.”

Hope rose in Nicole’s chest. “He really does seem like a nice guy. I told you how he prayed for me, and being a part of dinner with his family was so special.” She blinked as her eyes unexpectedly filled. “I’ve never been with a family like his.”

Jasmine gave her arm a squeeze. “I know, honey. I guess you’re counting the minutes until three o’clock.”

“Actually, I thought I’d stop over there this morning on my break.”

“Oh, really?”

“When we got to his parents’ house the other night, I was soaked, and his sister let me borrow some dry clothes. I washed them last night, and I need to return them to him.”

“Makes sense to me.” Jasmine glanced at the clock. It’s almost time for your break. Take a few extra minutes. I’ll cover for you.”

Nicole grinned and walked to the rear of the store where she removed her apron, ran her fingers through her hair, and grabbed the bag with the clothes. She hummed as she walked towards Cavanaugh’s. Her heartbeat sped up at the thought of seeing him again.

She entered the store, and almost immediately, an impeccably dressed man welcomed her. “Can I help you find something for the well-dressed man in your life?”

Nicole stifled a giggle. The only well-dressed man in her life was Michael, and she certainly couldn’t afford to buy something for him here. “No, I’d like to speak with one of your salesmen. Is Michael working today?”

The man’s brow creased. “There are no salesmen named Michael here.”

Nicole’s heart dropped. Was he lying to her about working here? But why?

The man squinted at her. “You don’t mean Mr. Cavanaugh, do you? He’s the only employee here named Michael, and he’s certainly not one of the salesmen.”

Nicole blinked. “About 5’10”, dark curly hair, dark eyes…”

The salesman nodded. “Yep, that’s Mr. Cavanaugh, all right. He’s back in the office. Would you like me to get him?”

“No!” Nicole responded, a little too forcefully. “Please don’t bother him.” Completely confused now, she tried for a little more information. “Is this his father’s store?”

The salesman laughed. “No, Mr. Cavanaugh is a self-made man. Started this place all on his own. Quite a savvy investor. Wish I had a fraction of his head for business. I wouldn’t be selling suits in the mall.” He frowned. “I’m sorry, Miss. I spoke out of turn. Are you sure you don’t want me to get Mr. Cavanaugh for you?”

Nicole shook her head. “No. Please give this to him. I need to return to work.” She handed the bag to the salesman, mumbled her thanks, and practically ran back to the shop.

She burst back into the smoothie shop and willed her breathing to slow. Nodding to the other employees, she punched back in and returned to the front of the store.

Jasmine dropped the napkins she’d been stacking. “What happened?”

“He’s not a salesman, Jasmine. He’s the owner of the store.” Nicole’s voice cracked.

“That’s not such a bad thing.”

“You don’t understand,” Nicole said, blinking back tears. “I can’t be with someone like him. He’ll never accept me, not with my past. I’ll never be good enough.” She took a deep breath and swallowed hard.

“Your past does not define you,” Jasmine said. “You are an amazing child of God, no matter who your earthly parents are.”

“As soon as he finds out, he won’t want anything to do with me,” Nicole protested.

“Give him the benefit of the doubt. He seems like a nice guy.”

“Everyone seems nice until they learn the truth,” Nicole muttered.

“What about me?” Jasmine asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I know all your dirty little secrets, and I’m still here.”

Nicole sighed. “Because you’re not one of them.”

“One of them?” Jasmine quirked a brow.

“The privileged elite who believe they’re better than everyone else.”

“And Michael is?”

Nicole sighed. “I didn’t think so, but that was before I learned who he really was. Besides, he’s a liar.”

Jasmine put a hand on her hip. “Did he tell you he was a salesman at Cavanaugh’s?”

Nicole bit her lip. “Yes… no…, oh, I don’t know!”

“Has he ever acted like a snob?”

“Jasmine, you don’t understand. Can we please drop it?” The group of teenagers approaching the counter gave Nicole the excuse to change the subject and get her mind off of Michael.

Later that afternoon, Michael stopped by. Nicole ducked in the back. Standing hidden, behind the swinging door, she listened to his conversation with Jasmine.

“Is Nicole gone for the day? I heard she stopped by the store…” The disappointment was evident in his voice, and a twinge of guilt shot through Nicole.

“She’s here,” Jasmine replied. “She’s doing something in the back.”

“Oh.” Michael’s tone brightened. “Will she be long?”

“I’m not sure.” Jasmine said.

The guilt in Nicole’s gut grew larger for putting Jasmine in this position.

“So tell, me, Michael, what exactly do you do at Cavanaugh’s?”

Oh, no. What was Jasmine doing? Nicole pushed through the door and made her way towards Michael, forcing a polite smile, which turned into a real one when she met his sparkling eyes. This was not a good idea. “Can I get you a smoothie?”

“Actually, there’s something else I’d like today.”

“Something with kale?” Nicole asked in her most professional voice.

Michael wrinkled his nose. “No. I came here to ask if you’d like to join me for dinner this weekend.”

Nicole’s head started a battle with her heart. She wanted to say yes, but it would only hurt more when he found out about her. “Thank you, but I’m not sure that would be a good idea.” She hurried into the back, far from the door so she couldn’t hear him talking with Jasmine.

When she re-emerged several moments later, Jasmine was shaking her head. “Looked like his dog died after you told him no. What’s wrong with you? Are you afraid of happiness?”

“What I’m afraid of is being happy for a moment and then being treated like I’m dirt,” Nicole said, and pasted on a smile for the customers until her shift was over.

In the evening, instead of staying home and studying as she should, she drove to the mission to find her old friend. As she moved towards the office area, a familiar face caught her eye. She ducked against the wall and leaned out to get a better view. What was Michael doing here? He continued into the men’s area of the mission, accompanied by the director. She jumped at the voice behind her.

“What are you doing?”

Nicole drew in a breath. “Cora. I came to speak with you.”

“I’m surprised you’re here on a Thursday night. Don’t you have a full load tomorrow?”

Nicole sighed. “Yes, I need to study, but I’m too distracted. She gestured towards the men’s area. “Do you know who that was with Milo back there?”

Cora’s eyebrows rose. “Why? You see something you like?”

Heat rose in Nicole’s cheeks. “It looked like someone I met at the mall, and I wondered why he’d be here.”

“Come in, and let’s chat.” Cora held the door open to the office area, and Nicole walked through. They settled on the small sofa in the sitting area.

“Michael Cavanaugh has been coming here every Thursday night for the past six months.” Cora paused, clearly waiting for a reaction.

“Go on…”

“He teaches classes. Helps folks learn interviewing skills, and teaches them the basics of business and finance. He also gives the men suits for interviews.”

Nicole gasped. “He gives out expensive suits to the men in the mission?”

Cora chuckled. “I’m sure they’re expensive to us, but Cavanaugh’s doesn’t only sell expensive suits. There’s a whole section for those who need to dress up for an interview or funeral or something. Michael designed his store so suits were accessible to anyone who needed one, and for those who can’t afford them, he has a loaner program.”

“A loaner program for suits?” Nicole asked.

Cora nodded. “Whenever one of our residents has an interview, Michael brings him a suit, and once the interview is over, they return it to Michael, who has it cleaned and ready for the next person.”

Nicole stared at her. “But why?”

Cora blinked. “Why not? It helps those in need.”

“But he must be rich to own a store,” Nicole protested.

Cora leaned back against the small sofa. “He made some very fortunate investments when he was younger. Now he has the resources to help others.” She patted Nicole’s leg. “You didn’t come back here tonight to talk about Michael Cavanaugh. What’s on your mind?”

“Michael Cavanaugh.”

Cora lifted one thin, penciled brow. “I’m listening.”

“We both work in the mall. He comes by regularly to get smoothies, and we’ve talked several times. The other night he followed me home because of the storm.” She glanced at Cora. “You know how I feel about driving in the rain.”

Cora nodded. “Go on, dear.”

“The fire alarm was going off when we got there, so he invited me back to his family’s place for dry clothes and dinner. I agreed.”

“How did it feel being there with him and his family?” Cora asked.

Nicole’s mood lifted, remembering that night. “It was wonderful. They were warm and welcoming, and I felt like I belonged.”

“So you’re coming here to tell me you finally found the man of your dreams.”

“Not exactly,” Nicole said.

“What’s the problem?”

“When I first met him, I was concerned because he wears expensive suits. When I found out he worked at Cavanaugh’s, I assumed he was a salesman. That’s what I thought when I agreed to go with him the other night.”

“And now?”

“He’s rich. I can’t see him anymore. He came by the shop this afternoon asking me out to dinner.”

Cora shook her head. “He’s handsome, caring, has a wonderful family, does good things for others, and you don’t want to date him because he has too much money?”

“When you put it that way, it sounds ridiculous, but someone like Michael would never want to be with someone like me.” Nicole wrung her hands in her lap.

“Young lady, look at me.”

Nicole obediently met Cora’s eyes.

“You are not the product of your past. Your parents’ choices do not make you who you are. You can’t live in the past. All you can do is make choices about the future.” Her gaze bored into Nicole’s. “Would your parents come to the mission to teach classes?”

“No.”

“What about those so-called friends from high school?”

“Of course not,” Nicole said.

“Then doesn’t that tell you there’s something different about Michael? Give the man a chance. You can’t assume the worst about someone. You are as judgmental as your high school friends.”

Nicole snatched her hand away as if burned. “How can you say such a thing?”

Cora’s voice was slow and calm. “You assume the wealthy want nothing to do with you. You assume they don’t care about those less fortunate. And you do it all before you give them a chance to show you who they truly are. That’s being judgmental.”

Nicole sat in stunned silence. “I never thought about it that way.”

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37.” Cora quoted. “If you don’t want others to judge you, consider what you’re doing.”

“Oh, Cora, I knew coming to you was the right thing to do. You always tell me exactly what I need to hear. But what if I’ve blown it already? He asked me to dinner, and I told him I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

“I’m sure if you ask him for another chance and explain why you turned him down, he’ll be happy to take you out to dinner.” Cora glanced at her watch. “His class ends in about twenty minutes. Why don’t you go over into the mission and visit some of the kids? He’ll walk right past you when he leaves.”

“You want me to plant myself between him and his exit so he’ll be forced to talk to me?”

Cora’s eyes sparkled. “I do.”

~*~

Michael exited the classroom, riding high on the aftereffects of a successful evening. Nothing better than helping others get back on their feet. He paused. What was Nicole doing here? Was it possible she was waiting for him? But why, after turning him down?

He approached the exit, and she rose from her seat, an expectant expression on her face. Her lips curved into a smile, and his heart lifted. She was waiting for him.

“Hi, Michael.” She bit her lip. “Do you have a minute?”

“Sure. What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to apologize, and see if your offer still stands. If you’re still interested, I’d like to go to dinner with you, or at least get a cup of coffee. I’d like to talk.” She twisted her hands together. “Tomorrow night?”

“I could talk now,” Michael said, curiosity overtaking him.

A flurry of emotions flitted across Nicole’s face. “As much as I’d love to, I need to get home. I have a full load of classes tomorrow, and an essay I still need to finish.”

“Yet you’re here tonight.” Michael said.

“I had a lot on my mind, and I needed to talk through it with a friend.”

“Here?”

“There’s a lot of wisdom in this building, believe it or not.”

Michael quirked a smile. “I believe it.” He pulled out his phone. “Can I get your number?”