Page 14 of More Than a Hero (Baytown Heroes #12)

Angie knocked lightly on the open door of Belle Simmons’s office, peeking inside with a grin. “Tell me you’re not too busy to chat.”

Belle looked up from her computer, her dark hair swept into a sleek ponytail, her blue eyes lighting up with a warm smile. “For you? Always. Get in here and sit your butt down.”

Angie chuckled, stepping inside and dropping into the chair across from Belle’s desk.

“I just finished visiting a few of the seniors over at Careway Apartments, and then visited with Grammy Ellen,” she said, stretching her legs out with a dramatic sigh.

“Now, I’m here to sweet-talk you into letting me use some of your space. ”

Belle arched a brow, amusement dancing in her expression. “Sweet-talking me, huh? Should I be worried?”

“Not at all,” Angie said, pressing a hand to her chest in mock innocence. “I would never manipulate a dear friend.”

Belle snorted. “Please, you and I both know you’re about to ask for something, and I’m probably going to say yes before you even finish.”

Angie laughed. “Okay, okay, you got me. But seriously, I was hoping we could use some of the meeting rooms here at Careway for the Adopt-a-Grandparent program. Since the seniors will be from the apartments, I thought it would make sense to host the meetings here. It’s familiar to them, and the space is perfect. What do you think?”

Belle’s eyes widened with excitement. “I love it. This program of yours… it’s exactly what so many of our seniors need. And honestly? It’s going to be just as good for the kids. I saw firsthand what Hunter was like before he had a strong male figure in his life.”

Angie nodded, touched by the sincerity in Belle’s voice. “That’s exactly what I was hoping. It’s not just about helping the older person, but about connection, you know?”

Belle leaned forward, resting her arms on the desk. “Absolutely. And you’ve got full access to our meeting rooms. I’ll make sure no one double-books you, and if you ever need extra hands, just say the word. I’ll rope Hunter into helping if I have to.”

Angie grinned. “Oh, I love that idea. Something tells me he’d be great at keeping a group of teenage boys in line.”

Belle smirked. “Oh, he’d have them walking the straight and narrow in no time. Plus, he’s a sucker for old war stories. Half the guys in the nursing home would have him cornered for hours.”

Angie laughed, shaking her head. “Then it’s a deal. And Belle… thank you. This means a lot.”

Belle waved a hand. “Don’t even mention it. I’m just glad you’re doing something this amazing.” She tilted her head, studying Angie for a second. “But tell me the truth—how are you holding up? You take care of everyone else, but are you taking care of yourself?”

Angie opened her mouth to brush it off, but Belle’s arched brow stopped her. With a sigh, she said, “Honestly? I’m exhausted. And my joints have been kicking my ass this week.”

Belle’s face softened. “Angie…”

“I know, I know. I need to call my rheumatologist,” Angie admitted, rubbing at her wrist. “I promise, I’ll take care of it.”

Belle narrowed her eyes. “You’d better, or I’ll drag you there myself.”

Angie held up her hands in surrender. “Noted. Now, since I officially have your blessing, I’ll let you get back to work.”

Belle stood, rounding the desk and pulling her into a quick, fierce hug. “I mean it, Ang. Take care of yourself.”

Angie squeezed her back. “I will. Thanks, Belle.”

As she stepped out of the office, she felt lighter. She might be tired, but she wasn’t alone. And that made all the difference.

Angie led her group of six seniors out of the chair yoga class, the rhythmic sound of sneakers and canes tapping against the polished floors of the YMCA.

She had made arrangements ahead of time for Carina to drive them home in the center’s van while she stayed behind.

Tonight was important. She had already spent two weeks identifying seniors who could benefit from an adoptive grandparent program, not just those who needed companionship but those who had something to offer a young person as a mentor.

She had floated the idea to them gently to gauge interest, and now had a solid list of six single seniors, all living in the Careway Apartments, eager to participate.

Pete had asked for her help in explaining the program to his group of kids.

When they’d spoken on the phone earlier, he mentioned that he had already received approval from every parent, guardian, and foster parent involved.

The groundwork was set. Now, they just had to bring the two groups together.

As Angie stepped outside with Carina, her gaze immediately found Pete. He stood near the gymnasium men’s showers, rounding up his group, effortlessly commanding their attention as he herded them toward the conference room.

“ I'll be right back ,” she mouthed to him. His response was a quick wink. The expression was casual and effortless, but enough to send a warm flutter through her chest. How is it possible that such a simple expression could make me feel so giddy?

“He’s a good-looking man,” Carina noted, amusement dancing in her voice.

“Yeah,” Angie sighed, unable to stop the small, knowing smile that curved her lips.

The other seniors chuckled and teased her, but she took it in stride, waving as the van pulled away. The moment they were out of sight, she turned on her heel and hurried back inside, eager to see Pete again.

Inside the conference room, a sudden hush fell over the space as she entered.

All ten young faces turned toward her, studying her, and for the first time, nerves prickled along her spine.

Speaking in front of adults had never unsettled her.

She was confident, well-spoken, and used to commanding attention.

But teenagers? That was a different challenge altogether.

She was suddenly aware of her brightly colored blouse, the way her unruly curls framed her face, and even the purple glasses she adored. What if they think I’m a total dweeb? If they write me off now, I’ll lose them before I even begin.

Before she could dwell on it, Pete crossed the room with his easy stride and reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The warmth of his touch melted away her nerves in an instant.

Turning to the group, he introduced her with a confident, steady voice.

“Gentlemen, I’d like you to meet Ms. Angie Brown,” he said.

“She’s here tonight to talk to us about an idea we’ve been working on together.

She’s going to sit with us, share her thoughts, and answer any questions you might have. ”

Following Richard’s lead, all ten boys stood in unison and greeted her with a respectful chorus of “Hello, Ms. Brown,” before settling back into their seats.

The simple gesture took her by surprise. She stole a glance at Pete, who offered her an encouraging nod. Alrighty, then , she thought, taking her seat beside him. Let’s do this.

Soon, Angie wrapped up her explanation of the program, her voice warm with conviction. She wanted them to truly understand that this wasn’t just about them doing things for the seniors.

"As I've said several times," she reiterated, scanning the room, "this isn’t about running errands or doing chores for them. It’s about building a relationship with someone you might not have otherwise noticed. It’s about learning how to help in meaningful ways, and in turn, allowing them to spend time with someone younger, bringing joy into both your lives. "

She glanced at Pete, seeking reassurance. He gave her a small nod, his expression steady, encouraging.

Feeling more confident, she smiled and opened the floor. "Please, ask me questions. Sometimes it’s easier to explain when I know exactly what’s on your mind."

Pete stepped in smoothly. "And when you ask, repeat your name to help Ms. Brown remember who’s who."

A brief silence stretched over the room. The boys glanced at each other, shifting in their seats, hesitant. Then, finally, one of them raised a hand.

"I'm Tony," he said. "So we’d just go out in the community? What kinds of things would we actually do?"

Angie leaned forward, eager to engage them. "Have you ever been to the SuperMart?"

At the mention of the only major national discount chain on the Eastern Shore, grins broke across their faces. A few murmured in agreement, nodding enthusiastically.

"Okay," she continued, "imagine you need to go in and buy some food. Then you remember you need a pad of paper and some pens. Oh, and you also need screws because a doorknob at home is loose. Are those things all in one spot?"

Another boy, frowning in thought, shook his head.

"I'm Caleb. My mom always complains about how exhausting it is to go from one end of that huge store to the other. The food’s on the left when you walk in.

I can't remember where the pens and paper are, but I know school supplies are somewhere in the middle. And I remember housewares being way in the back corner when I was checking out the bikes. So no, nothing’s really close together. "

Angie nodded with enthusiasm. "Exactly. Now, imagine you're alone, and you just got off the bus because you rely on public transportation. You have a cane or maybe a walker. Just the thought of making that trip would be exhausting, wouldn’t it?"

She saw it click for them. Expressions shifted from curiosity to understanding.

"So," she continued, "one outing could be a trip to the SuperMart. You and your adopted grandparent could come up with a shopping list together, and then you’d go along to help them navigate the store."

Interest sparked in their faces. She decided to take it a step further.

"Some of you play sports at the middle school, right?

" she asked. "And maybe you don’t have someone in the stands cheering for you because your mom or guardian is working. What if we arranged for your adopted grandparent to come to your game? So when you look up in the bleachers, there’s someone there for you? "