For Your Love Read Online Free

coat, he hoped it didn’t show.
    Kiki asked, “Is it always this cold?”
    Crystal laughed. “This isn’t even real winter. Wait until January.”
    Once they were under way, Crys and Kiki chatted away while Bobby spent most of his time marveling at the snow-­covered countryside and taking discreet glances at their benefactress. He caught her checking him out just as discreetly and wondered what she might be thinking. In an effort to make a good first impression, he’d worn his only suit—­a black one usually reserved for funerals—­and a tie. Beneath his inadequate jacket, his tats peeked above the collar of his threadbare blue dress shirt. He was certain Crystal had explained to her mom that he no longer did the banging, but he hoped she wasn’t alarmed by the sight of his extensive ink.
    â€œSo, Bobby,” Ms. Brown said. “Crys told me you enjoy working on cars.”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    â€œThen you and Trent July, our mayor, should get along well. He owns the local garage and restores old cars.”
    â€œLooking forward to meeting him.” Bobby was thankful for the two years he’d worked at the car dealership. As a lowly valet, his interactions with the customers had been minimal, but he’d learned to speak properly and to handle chitchat. Before he was hired, his speech had been strictly street; he doubted the ­people in Crystal’s town rolled that way.
    Crystal was telling Kiki where they’d be living. “There’s a trailer on Tamar’s land that Mom is going to put you in. You’ll love it, and Tamar. Although she can be tough sometimes.”
    â€œWho’s Tamar?” Kiki asked.
    â€œOur matriarch,” Ms. Brown explained. “I may own the town, but she runs it. She’s in her late eighties. Her family has been in Kansas since the 1800s. She’s also Trent’s grandmother.”
    Bobby wondered what this trailer looked like. All the ones he’d ever seen were broken-­down, rusted hulks. He was also concerned about living near such an old lady. They hadn’t come all this way to be personal-care aides, had they? “What kind of work’s available, Ms. Brown?”
    â€œDepends on what you’d like to do. If you want to work on cars, I’m sure Trent has some contacts in the area. Any other interests?”
    â€œI’d eventually like to own my own detailing business.”
    â€œTrent will be the person to talk to about that, too.”
    The answer satisfied him. He hoped this Trent July wasn’t the hassling type, though. If he was going to work someplace, Bobby wanted to get along with the man in charge. He also hoped that being mayor didn’t mean July was a jerk. If that turned out to be the case, he’d just have to deal with it. To provide for his family, he needed a job, and at this stage of the game he couldn’t afford to let a boss’s messed-up personality interfere with that.
    â€œDid you eat on the plane?” Ms. Brown asked.
    Kiki shook her head. “No, ma’am. We were too excited. Bobby and I have never flown before.”
    â€œThere’s a bunch of food waiting at your new place,” Crystal said.
    Ms. Brown must’ve seen the confusion on Bobby’s face. “Courtesy of the local women’s group,” she explained. “We thought you might want to just get here and relax. Everyone wants to meet you, but there’s plenty of time for that after you get situated.”
    Bobby appreciated that. He wanted to check out where they were first before having to do a bunch of hand-­shaking and smiling. The babies were getting fussy and starting to whimper. He figured they were tired of being strapped in the carriers. They didn’t like them, and he couldn’t blame them. “How much longer before we get there?”
    â€œAbout thirty more minutes.”
    Kiki reached into her bag and took out two