Page 19 of Cherished By the Sinners

“Did you finish high school?”

She winced.“No, not quite.My life kind of imploded in my senior year.I never finished it.”

“Would you like to?”

She stopped abruptly.“What?”

“Would you like to finish high school?You can do it remotely.”

She stared at him like he had three heads.“I don’t...I don’t have a computer or any money to buy one or pay for the classes—”

He shrugged.“The hotel will cover all those costs.”

Judging by her shocked expression, he’d sprouted a couple more heads.

“But why would the hotel do that?”

Because it’s the right thing to do.

Because she deserved to be treated with respect.

Because every time he or his brother saw her stumble or look sad, they wanted to kiss her sadness away.

None of those answers were quite right, and he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.Something that might make her run away or reject what he and his brother wanted to offer her.

So, he said the bald truth.“Because we want you to be happy.”

Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped open, and stayed there.

He winced.Shit, was that too truthful?

“You mean it?”she asked in a small voice.

She wasn’t running.Yet.

“Yes.You will have to do the work and write the exams.”

“I don’t mind.I loved school.”Her eyes shone with so much joy, he was warmed by it.

This is the first step.A foundation for the future she deserves—a future with us.

Her smile dimmed a bit.“It seems like a lot to provide one employee.I don’t mind waiting until I can pay for it myself.”

“We’ve done this for other employees,” he explained quickly.“It’s something we offer any staff member who might be interested.”

And now he’d turned school from a treat to nothing special.

“Have many of them done it?”

He thought about it.“There are about eight employees who’ve finished high school remotely while working for us.A couple of them have also gone on to do some college classes, and one of the night clerks went to school with our support for a hospitality diploma.”

Darlene’s smile returned, softer and deeper, which made him feel decidedly warm under the collar.“Thank you for offering me this chance to finish high school.”A blush crept up her cheeks.“I think it’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”She turned then to knock on the door to the suite they’d stopped in front of.

She went into the room as soon as the door opened to the great excitement of the ladies inside.

Magnus took his spot in the doorway without really thinking about it.His mind was hung up on the idea that offering Darlene the opportunity to finish school was the nicest thing anyone had done for her.

She deserved so much more.