Page 68 of Faron (The Golden Team #8)

Aponi

T he rec center sat in the middle of a rough neighborhood, but it glowed like a safe haven. Bright mural walls. Laughter behind chain-link fences. It wasn’t fancy—but it was real. And for some of these kids, that was the first safe place they’d ever known.

Faron had asked her to check it out weeks ago. She’d brushed him off.

Now she understood why he loved this place.

I stepped inside, tucking the note into my jacket pocket. The lobby was bustling—volunteers sorting donations, kids playing indoor basketball, a teen girl helping an elderly man fill out a job application. It was a living heartbeat.

“You must be Aponi,” a woman said.

I turned to find a striking woman with long beautiful hair and kind, tired eyes. She smiled warmly.

“I’m Blue. Faron showed me your picture.” She gave a teasing grin. “He undersold you. You’re beautiful.”

I huffed out a tired laugh.

Her expression shifted when she saw the fatigue behind my smile. “You okay?”

I handed her the note.

Her face tightened. She took a breath and motioned for me to follow her to the back.