But that wasn’t going to happen. Audrey had dropped out of high school to care for her family, and now she’d dropped out of her college night class. It made his gut twist. How many other sacrifices had she made? How much of herself had she carved up and handed out to her family?
And all while keeping her shoulders square and her head high and a smile on her face…
What had given her so much strength?
It made him think of himself and Keira and their grandmother, how tough they all were and yet how separate. They each had their own lives, and they held survival and achievement in the highest regard—higher, even, than being together as a group.
“I’ll be fine,” Audrey reassured him. “I’m sad, but it’s what’s best for my family.”
“What about your father?”
Something changed in her eyes, like a light being flicked off. “What about him?”
“Doesn’t he want you to better yourself?”
“No,” she said bluntly. “He’d rather I support the family. But I’m not doing it for him. I’m doing it for Deanna and the twins.”
He stared at her across the table, brows knitted. “At what cost?”
“At any cost.” Her gaze dropped. “I know you probably don’t understand, but when my mom died, it fell to me to keep the family together. Nobody else could do it, and that’s the mantle I’ve taken up. I can’t afford to be selfish.”
“When is it your turn, Audrey? Surely there’s a way for you to study while you take care of your family. I’ve had plenty of parents and caretakers in my classes.”
“Until my siblings are all out on their own, my studies aren’t a priority.”
Her tenacity was admirable, but Ronan wondered what would happen in the future. It was easy to say that she’d do what she wanted once her siblings were all gone, but would she be able to leave her father behind? Or would she let herself be trapped forever?
“What if we make a deal?” Ronan said. “I can take you through the lessons I’m teaching outside the classroom, and in exchange, you can help me with my book.”
“How on earth would I help you, Ronan? What skills could I possibly offer?”
“All books need a second set of eyes to make sure concepts are clear and the flow makes sense. And it’s actually better that you’re not in the field, because I want this book to reach beyond the academic community. You can be my beta reader. I’ll pay you for your time.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want you to be my boss.” There was an air of passionate defiance about her, a swelling of some feeling that had Ronan ensnared.
What did she mean by that? She didn’t want him to be her boss, but for what reason? Was it because she viewed it as charity or something else? A tangle of anticipation knotted itself in his stomach.
“I don’t want to work for you,” she said. “But I’d be happy to work with you.”
She wanted to be equal. Ronan nodded. “An exchange, then. You offer your keen eye, and I’ll share my lectures with you.”
“An exchange.” She bit down on her lower lip, but her eyes were sparkling and alight. “I like that idea.”
“Me, too.”
Her gaze drifted over to the big clock on the wall, and she drained the rest of her coffee. “I have to get back to it, but if you text me the times we can meet up, I’ll check my schedule.”
“Deal.”
She stood, still cradling her mug. “Thank you.”
“No thanks required,” he said. “You’re the one who’s helping me.”
She looked as though she might say something else, but Audrey simply put her game face back on and headed toward the little gate at the service counter. In a few seconds, she was back at her station, smile in place and moving like a well-oiled cog in a machine.
Suddenly inspired, Ronan pulled out his laptop and opened up the document where he was keeping notes for his book. He’d never met anyone like Audrey. She faced some very difficult life circumstances, and yet he’d never heard her complain once. She never pouted or said anything bad about her siblings or seemed to resent her lot in life.
Motivation.
He typed the word in bold font. What were people capable of if presented with the right motivation? Did it make people more positive, or was positivity a component in connecting motivation and action?