He studied her for a moment. “Do you have something in your eye?”
“No, I do not have som—” She noticed the smile tugging at his lips and shut her mouth.
The bare bulb overhead reflected the emerald of his eyes, and a shiver of excitement coursed through her body.
“Tonight is a special occasion,” she said. “A very special one.”
“Really?” Jake glanced at the screen.
Angel smiled, and her heart hammered foolishly in her chest. Flirting was even more fun than she’d remembered. She lowered her voice to a husky whisper. “It’s special because you’re here. I wore the dress for you.”
Startled, his eyes widened for just an instant. “It’s very nice.”
Satisfied, Angel’s smile widened and she snapped her gum. “Thanks.”
“O-kay.” Jake expelled a pent-up breath. “Let’s get going here.”
Angel kept her gaze focused on his face and listened to him stumble his way through an overview of Woodland Hills High School’s at-risk program. She refrained from making any suggestions, even though there were a dozen ways the program could be improved at very little additional cost.
“You don’t have any questions?”
Her head jerked up, and she realized he’d quit speaking. A smile hovered on the edge of his lips as if he knew her mind had wandered.
She thought quickly and latched onto one of the last things he’d mentioned. “About this mentor thing—”
“It means—”
“I know what it means.” Impatiently she waved him silent. “What I want to know is—who do I get stuck with?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “Actually, that hasn’t been determined.”
With an irritation that wasn’t all forced, Angel crossed her legs, exposing a long stretch of skin. “Don’t tell me nobody wants me.”
His look answered her question.
In spite of herself, in spite of knowing this was all pretend, her heart twisted. An unexplained wave of sadness washed over her. It must have shown on her face, because Jake leaned forward, his arms resting on his thighs, compassion lighting his eyes. “Angel, you’ve got a lot of potential. We’ll find someone.”
“Yeah, right.”
“We will,” he said firmly.
She gazed into his handsome caring face, and the stirrings of a brilliant idea blossomed. “Why don’t you do it?”
It was the perfect solution. If he was her mentor, she could stay close to him without arousing suspicion.
“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
Angel paused and raised a brow. “Why not?”
“I just don’t think it would.”
“Because you like me too much?”
“I like all my students,” he said slowly and deliberately. “I just think you might do better with a woman.”
“I’ve always gotten along better with men than women.”
“Angel.” She had to hide a smile at the almost parental admonishment.
“Jaaake,” Angel mimicked, and smiled when his lips finally curved with amusement.
“You’re not making this easy.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t have time. The baseball team keeps me busy.”
Angel’s ears perked up. Crow had gotten a tip that some of the students dealing drugs were part of the team. Although these kids would be small fish, they might point her to the leader.
This was all too perfect. Her heart skipped a beat.
“I’d love to help out.” Angel tossed her head and shot him an impish smile. “All the hot guys play baseball.”
“I thought you already had a boyfriend,” Jake said.
Angel stared blankly.
“Crow?” he prompted.
“Oh, him.” Angel waved a hand. “He’s my main man, but there’s nothing to say a girl can’t look.”
“It might be best if you had a boyfriend your own age,” Jake said in an offhand manner that she guessed was anything but offhand.
“I like my men more mature,” she said coyly.
He winced. “Angel, listen to me—”
She could smell a lecture coming a mile away. “I’m bored.” She stood and the chair creaked. “Let’s grab a burger. We’ll talk later. I’m starving.” As if on cue, her stomach growled.
Jake shifted. He glanced down at the screen. “We barely got started.”
“Bring it along.” She hopped up and reached for his hand. “Big Al’s Burger Palace is close. We can talk while we walk.”
He remained seated. “It’s not a good idea for us to be seen out together on a Saturday night. People might get the wrong idea.”
Angel stared at him thoughtfully. He seemed like such a good guy. She sighed heavily. “All right. PB&J it is. You can have one, too.”
“Thanks, but I already ate.”
He followed her into the kitchen, and she grabbed bread and peanut butter from the cupboard, dumping them onto the counter with a clatter. Without thinking, she swung open the refrigerator door in search of the jelly.
Jake’s gaze narrowed at the sight of the empty shelves, and Angel bit her lip. Why hadn’t she thought to fill it? The last thing she needed was for him to make a referral to Social Services.
“Grocery day is tomorrow,” she said, abruptly closing the door.
Jake looked skeptical, but what else could she say? She only prayed she’d convinced him.
Angel quickly threw together a sandwich and grabbed a couple of warm cans of soda from the open carton on top of the counter. She tossed one across the table with an underhand lob. Jake caught it easily. She gave him a quick thumbs-up and took the chair across the table.
While she ate, they talked. Surprisingly, the conversation flowed easily, and Angel discovered that Jake had a sense of humor in sync with her own.
Only when she deliberately inserted a joke about getting high did she strike out. His smile faded and his gaze turned sharp and assessing.
“Drugs are a dead end,” he said flatly.
His expression gave nothing away, and once again she wished she could read his mind. Did he spout the platitude because it was expected or did he mean it?
“Ya think?”
His gaze swept her face. “What do you think, Angel?”
“Me?” She forced a laugh. “Haven’t you heard? I’m high on life.”
He stared thoughtfully and opened his mouth before closing it. A chill ran down her spine. Had he been about to lecture her? Or could it be that Crow was right?
Was Jake Weston their man?
If he was, what was she going to do about it?
The clock struck ten as Angel called Crow..
“It’s me. He just left.”
“Stayed long enough.” Crow spoke gruffly, bringing a smile to her lips. Her partner had taken an instant dislike to Jake. “Find out anything?”
She hesitated.
“Don’t jerk me around, Angel,” he said in that rough guttural voice she’d come to know so well. “Give it to me straight.”
“I brought up getting high.” She twisted the bed sheet between her fingers. It had been a calculated maneuver, not an off-the-wall comment. But she wasn’t sure Crow would see it that way.