Patchworked Hearts {SAMPLE}

Chapter 10

Helen was more than a little jittery on the following Monday morning.

She hadn't slept well on Saturday night, but she'd made up for it on Sunday, since Addy was back at the apartment and had stayed with Helen until she fell asleep.

Even well rested, Helen couldn't get over the bundle of nerves in her stomach as she paced in the lobby of Patchworking Lives. Although she and Pat were originally going to touch base on Sunday, he'd sent her a text that morning with the words Sorry, Helena, but the family needs me to visit and help replace Margie's kitchen sink. Will you be alright today? Miss you.

The text had warmed Helen's heart even as it sank in her chest. She couldn't lie and say that she wasn't disappointed that she didn't get to spend some of the day talking to Pat, but—at the same time—it was nice to know that he was thoughtful enough to keep her updated (and let her know that he missed her).

He'd sent her another text late Sunday night, one that read Hope you had a good day, Helena. Pick you up in the morning? and Helen had smiled like a "loved up fool, you goober," according to Addy.

After telling Pat that she planned on taking advantage of the warmer weather by walking to work, they agreed that he would pick her up on her lunch break and take her back to the shelter to pick up her new cat. Then they would go back to Helen's house and get Ginger settled in.

Helen could still picture Crosby's face when she asked to take half the day off.

"You want half the day off?" he'd asked, staring at her strangely. "Are you dying?" It would have been comical, if not for the dead seriousness with which he'd asked the question, or his following comment of, "If so, let me know ahead of time; I'll need to replace you."

She promised to keep him updated before she told Ivan to stick with Tonya for the rest of the day, and then traipsed down to the main lobby.

And now she was just waiting for Pat.

Her boyfriend.

God, she felt like an immature teenage girl just thinking the word, but it only worsened when she realized how excited the knowledge that she was dating Patterson made her.

Loved up fool, indeed.

As if he'd been summoned, her new boyfriend pulled to a stop in front of the building, his white SUV looking especially clean and sleek.

With a wide grin pulling at her lips, Helen pushed open the doors and forced herself to walk at a normal pace to the car. Once there, she tugged open the door and climbed inside, all without looking at Pat.

"Helena," came his deep timbre, colored with teasing, "are you going to look at me?"

She wasn't sure she wanted to look at him. On one hand, maybe she could sneak in another kiss; on the other, he might realize that he could do a lot better than her, and she'd like to keep that from happening for as long as she could.

"Nope," she told him, popping the word as she buckled herself in.

He chuckled, and her toes curled in her boots; he had such a beautiful laugh. "What if I sweeten the deal?"

She had a hunch as to where he was going, and she hoped she was right. "And how would you do that?"

"Like this," he murmured, before she felt his calloused fingers tapping gently at her chin. She let him turn her head, and she caught a glimpse of his smile before he bent over the console and captured her lips with his own.

Holy crap.

The man could kiss, that was for certain.

When they separated, Helen was pleased to note that Pat looked just as dazed as she felt. "Hello, Helena," he greeted her, his mouth shifting into a bright grin. He left his hand against her chin, stroking over the skin there and tracing her features with his stunning blue eyes. "It's good to see you."