Free The Summer of Me by Angela Benson Page A

Natalie said, giving him a mock salute.
    â€œI’m serious, Natalie,” he said.
    â€œSo am I.”
    Daniel didn’t believe she was going to give up her matchmaking, so he decided to let the topic drop. “If Destiny needs money, why can’t she be one of the recipients of a fund award?”
    Natalie’s eyes widened. “She’d be perfect.” She leaned closer. “She’s trying to do something for her family this summer and her plans to get the money to do it fell through. This could be just the opportunity she needs.”
    â€œWell, that’s great. Will you talk to her or should I?”
    â€œLet me do it,” she said. “Destiny can be prickly at times. Her pride rises up and makes her think she can’t accept help from friends. She’d appreciate the work though, so I’d still like to talk to her about working with you on developing the programs.” She looked at Daniel. “She’d have to know you’re putting up the money for the programs. Are you okay with that?”
    Daniel nodded. “I’m okay with her knowing. I don’t think she’d announce it to the world.”
    â€œNo, she can be discreet.”
    â€œWell,” Daniel said, “then I think we need to pull her in on the planning as well. The two of us can rough out the broad parameters of both programs today but I’d like to get her input as well. I want her to feel a sense of ownership for the work we’re trying to do.”
    â€œYou’re putting your heart into this, aren’t you, Daniel?”
    â€œIt’s Gloria’s heart,” he said. “I want this program to honor her. She lived a life of service so I know she’d be pleased to know she was still giving service, even in death.”
    Natalie covered his hand that rested on the table with her own. “She knows, Daniel. And we’ll honor her every day. There’s no reason we can’t name the fund after her.”
    He shook his head. “She wouldn’t want that. She was all about the work, not the recognition. Her joy will be in seeing how lives are changed because of what we do. That’s enough.”

Chapter 10
    A RE YOU READY TO DO THIS?” B ERTICE ASKED D ESTINY. They sat in the lobby restaurant of the building that housed HR Solutions, a temporary employment services firm based in Atlanta and with offices scattered all over the country.
    â€œMore than ready,” she said. “I want that house in Gwinnett for me and the kids and, if I can swing it, I want to make a weekend trip to visit the kids while they’re away. My summer plans are headed down the drain if I can’t come up with the extra money. My situation is further complicated by Kenneth’s decision to reduce his child-support payments for the summer. Girl, I need this job. Thank you for introducing me to your friend.”
    â€œKenneth was wrong to do what he did,” Bertice said. “I bet that fat Mary Margaret was behind it.”
    Destiny didn’t want to go down that road again with Bertice. She almost regretted telling her friend about Kenneth and the child-support money. She didn’t regret it though because she’d needed to talk to someone who understood. That left out her mother and Natalie. She couldn’t bear to hear her mother’s “I told you so” when it came to Kenneth and she didn’t want Natalie offering to loan her money again. This was her problem and she had to fix it. “Hey,” she said to Bertice, “I ought to blame you.”
    Bertice’s eyes widened. “Me?”
    Destiny nodded.
    â€œHow am I at fault?”
    â€œYou put it out there when you got on my case the other day about the instability of relying too heavily on Kenneth’s child-support payments. And just like that”—Destiny snapped her fingers—“a few days later my child support is cut in half. That has to be more