This Very Moment Read Online Free PDF Page B

something about the way her green eyes gazed up at him—so startled and unassuming. How long had it been since he had seen anyone look that way? The women he had been dating were full of assumptions and plans. No innocence there.
    Maybe she hadn’t come to use him.
    “Interesting,” she said, inclining her head toward the drawing.
    “Not very good, but it’s the only one I have of my parents.”
    “Did you draw it?”
    For a moment Bill said nothing, completely taken aback by the fact that she had once known him well enough to ask the question. That had never happened in America. “I was ten,” he said finally. “I never thought to make another.” Now it’s too late, he added silently.
    Bill pushed aside a stack of magazines and set the loaded tray on the coffee table. Kylee picked up the blanket from the floor and returned to the couch. He noticed she didn’t put the blanket on again and that her lips were no longer blue.
    He sat on the couch, leaving a big space between them, and began spooning chocolate powder into his milk, motioning for her to do the same. “So what brings you out here so late?” He tried not to grit his teeth as he spoke.
    “I wanted to thank you.” She smiled wryly. “And to bring you this.” She held out her hand to reveal a crumpled handkerchief.
    Bill relaxed and gave her a smile. “Any man who can afford to give ten thousand dollars to a charity can also afford to buy a new handkerchief.”
     “I know,” Kylee said, amusement thick in her voice. “The truth is . . . well, I was worried about you, and I wanted to see how you were doing.”
    Out to rescue another person, Bill thought. Some things never change. Still, he’d bet money that wasn’t the only reason she’d come. She couldn’t be as innocent as she appeared.
    Kylee finished mixing her chocolate and took a sip. “Your donation set off a lot of wonderful things tonight. It’s always the first one that’s the most difficult, you know. Some organizers actually put a few plants in the crowd to elicit responses, but I never have. I want it to be real. Besides, the children spoke for themselves.”
    “They did,” Bill agreed. “But I found it rather odd that you would announce the amount of my donation to the entire crowd.”
    Kylee stiffened, apparently hearing the sharp edge to his words. “I thought that’s why you gave it to me. People always want recognition.”
    “Why? So they can intimidate others into donating? To top their offer?” He knew his voice was bitter, but he didn’t care. “I don’t want that kind of recognition. And I certainly don’t want to force others into donating.”
    Her cup clinked onto the table. “Forced into donating? Forced into donating? Don’t be ridiculous, Bill! These people are multimillionaires. They use more money on a weekend shopping spree to Europe than they donated tonight. They aren’t babes in the woods that I’m taking advantage of. These are grown adults with enough business savvy to run entire corporations. They knew what they were getting into when I invited them tonight. It was a charity dinner, and they expected to be asked for money. Each of them knew darn well how much they could give—if I showed them a good reason. So I did. We raised nearly three million dollars. Three million! With more promised. Some of them have asked for the video I made of the children to show their friends, and I’m planning to put it on TV.” She sat on the edge of the sofa now, her face flushed and her green eyes flashing indignantly. “This is going to change lives, Bill. Children’s lives. I’ve done something good!”
    His irritation diminished in the face of her vehemence. “Okay, okay,” he said, “you have me convinced. I guess you’re probably right about these things. I mean, what do I know? I usually donate through the mail.”
    The color in Kylee’s face faded. She removed her flimsy jacket, picked up her hot chocolate, and settled back on the sofa.