Sweet Reluctance Read Free Page B

give a little get a
little.
    “Here’s the thing Tammy,” I began
quietly. “I know you would try to pay me back, but you would end up
in trouble that way as well.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Think about it, you don’t make a lot
of money and you do have to pay some rent and buy food, put gas in
your car, if you have to pay me back so much a month where does it
come from? If you pay me you’ll be falling behind on other
things.”
    “Well,” she frowned, “Maybe I can clean
your house every other time for free until it’s paid off.” She
nodded. “That would be a hundred a month.”
    “But then how will you live without
that hundred?”
    Tammy paused and undaunted, continued
her effort.
    “I’ll get a second job and use that
money to pay you off.”
    “And lose time from your studies,” I
pointed out. “Part of your aid is based on grades I’d imagine, so
again this could affect you negatively.”
    “Well…” she started, but I put my hand
up to stop her.
    “Tammy understand something, I’ve made
a lot of money as a financial planner. I make that money by telling
people what they can and can’t afford to do. You can’t afford to
borrow this money. It will end up causing as many problems as it
will solve, understand?”
    She looked at me and another sick surge
of excitement went through me when I saw those big brown eyes
filling with tears. Tammy looked as if she were going to say
something, then stopped and stood up.
    “You’re right I guess.” She said,
bravely trying not to cry as she spoke. “Thank you for at least
thinking about it.”
    “Tammy, I…” I started, but she went
on.
    “I’ll let you know when I’ll be leaving
to go back home so you’ll have time to find somebody to replace
me.”
    Turning, she began to walk away towards
the front door. I let her get a few steps away, to make it seem as
if I was thinking and took a moment to admire the backs of her
well-toned calves. When she was halfway to the door I called out,
“Tammy, I never said I wouldn’t help.”
    Tammy stopped and turning around,
looked at me, a small smile on her lips and her eyes now wide with
hope.
    “You can help me?”
    “Well it will be up to you, if I can,
but come sit, and we can talk about it.”
    Her smile widening, Tammy walked back
to the recliner, but I raised my hand.
    “Come sit here.” Leaning forward, I
tapped the leather ottoman that was a couple of feet in front of
the recliner.
    “Over there?”
    “Yes, I’d like to be a little closer
while we discuss this.”
    Tammy shrugged and coming over, sat
down in front of me. The ottoman was only a couple of feet high and
the perfect height for her to lean over and…
    “ I didn’t mean to upset you
Tammy,” I began, focusing on it getting to that point, “All I’m
saying is that I can’t see how we could do this as a loan. That
doesn’t mean we can’t work something out.”
    “I’m not following,” she said. “You
said there was no way I could repay you.”
    “Right, but that doesn’t mean that I
couldn’t give you the money.”
    “You….you’re going to give me a
thousand dollars?”
    “Yes.” I said simply, then putting my
finger up added. “But understand that nothing in life is free, so I
am going to expect you to earn it.”
    As I spoke I wondered what her reaction
would be. To me the statement was pretty obvious, but Tammy did
seem a bit more naïve than the other girls I had done this with.
When I finished she looked confused.
    “I offered to clean for free and you
said that wouldn’t work.”
    “It won’t,” I resisted the urge to
smile. She really was that innocent. “But I was thinking that there
is another service you could provide that would allow you to repay
me.”
    I gave her a wink and sat back, waiting
for her reaction.
    “I don’t know what I could do for you
besides clean,” she shrugged. “But whatever you have in mind, I’m
sure I can do.”
    This time I did smile. I really was
going to