It wasn’t a complete transformation, but she recognized the moment for what it was—the beginning of release.

Chapter Fifteen

As the session ended and the celebrities said their goodbyes to the children, Heather felt a growing anxiousness to be alone with Seth. The principal walked the group to just inside the doors before excusing herself and Janice to discuss scholarship details. The other board members took off immediately, but Matt stood around with Heather and Seth for what seemed like a lifetime before declaring it was time for him to get going.

Finally, it was just the two of them. Seth opened his mouth to say something, but she cut in, needing to speak first. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant.”

“You needed space.” He shrugged his hands stuffed in his pockets, but the twitch in his jaw said he didn’t feel that nonchalant about it.

“Maybe.” She placed her hand on his arm, aware they were still in a public space, but no longer able to keep from touching him. “Maybe what I really needed was you. I missed you.” Her throat tightened. “A lot.”

Seth’s voice was equally strained as he said, “You have no idea how much I want to crush you to me right here and show you how much I’ve missed you back.”

She snuck a peek at the stiffening bulge in his pants. “I can guess how much.”

“Yes, it’s pretty evident.” He grinned.

God, his grin was so sexy. Her inner thighs stiffened at the sight of it. “There’s more to this date though, right?” Did she sound as eager as she felt?

“You’ll get your chance to maul me later, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Yep. She sounded eager. “The way I remember it, it will be you who mauls me.”

“Oh yeah. That is how it goes.” His eyes moved down to where her hand still rested on his arm, and she sensed he was soaking in the warmth of their subtle contact, just as she was.

With great strength, she removed her hand and stepped toward the glass doors, peering into the parking lot. “So what’s your plan for getting us out of here unseen?” Cameras had been allowed in for their tour, but had been kicked out for the discussion. She expected they’d be outside now, waiting for the stars to emerge. Now that Matt had left, she was the lone star they’d be waiting for.

“Oh yeah. It’s simple.” He joined her looking out. “There’s a hidden area over behind the school, a little over a half mile away. You can drive to it by following that road over there.” Seth pointed to the road that went around the back of the grounds. “I’ll jog down there and you can drive my truck over and pick me up. No one will see. Especially since there’s hardly any press out there.”

Heather’s spine went rigid. “I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t drive your truck.”

“Sure you can.” He pulled the keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of her. “It’s an automatic. Easy to drive.”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just…” God, this was embarrassing. She licked her lips, hoping to add moisture to her suddenly dry mouth. “Seth, I can’t drive.”

“Like, at all?”

Seriously embarrassing. “Nope.”

Seth laughed, incredulity lighting his features. “How do you not know how to drive?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not as strange as you’re making it out. I was kicked out of my home before I got my license. Not that we had a car I could have driven anyway. Then I never had the opportunity or the money. When I could afford it, I just hired an assistant to drive me.”

“Wow.” He’d stopped laughing now. “Well, this sucks.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry. I should have asked Lexie.”

But really, why would he have asked? Didn’t everyone know how to drive? It wasn’t his fault. She was the one ruining their date. “I’m a real loser, aren’t I?”

Seth’s eyes turned dark. “Don’t ever say that, Heather. You’re perfect just the way you are.”

Her gut reaction was to roll her eyes and disagree profusely, but his seriousness and her recent awareness of herself caused her to pause first. “Thank you,” she said after a few seconds. His brow shot up in surprise. “I’m trying to see myself the way you do. It’s a new thing. We’ll see how it goes.”

“I like that. I bet it goes well.” He stuck his keys back in his pocket. “I feel bad, though, because I don’t have another plan.”

Heather squinted down the road. “Look, I can walk down there and you can drive over to meet me.”

“No way. You can’t walk out there by yourself. If anyone’s watching, it will be easy to follow you.”

“There’s barely anyone here.” Though she could make out a TV crew in the parking lot. She couldn’t see any independent photographers, at least. They could be hidden in one of the parked vans, but charity events usually only had the big media players.

Seth peered out the glass doors, his eyes resting on the TV van. “I can’t let you do that. I said we’d be discreet. We’ll make it happen.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and Heather could tell he was trying to come up with another solution.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Janice leaving the principal’s office. “Let’s ask Janice to help us,” Heather said to Seth as she waved the director over.

Heather explained their situation to Janice, leaving out the bit that she and Seth were on a date. Having worked long enough with celebrities in the Urban Arts program, Janice understood and agreed to help.

The three of them walked out together. As Seth got in the truck and pulled away, Heather stopped to answer a few questions for the cameras, hoping if she gave a little now they’d leave her alone as she and Janice drove away.

“Will they follow us?” Janice asked as they climbed into her Copper Prius.

“Not usually if it’s the local news, like these trucks seem to be. It’s the unmarked paparazzi that get crazy. They’re the ones selling the story to the highest bidder so they try to make the story as good as possible.” Heather looked over her shoulder as she put on her belt, surmising the interest of the media. The TV crew was already loading the camera in the back of the truck and the other photographers were chatting with no sign of rushing off. “I think we’ll be safe.”