Snippet #1256013

Her question set him to thinking. If she had nowhere to go, to where should he refer her? It wasn't as though hotels or even hostels would let someone stay on a tab, and there was absolutely no way he was letting her stay in a homeless shelter. That would just be cruel, and probably at least somewhat dangerous for someone so completely unused to living in the middle of New York City.

But it would probably be inappropriate beyond reason to suggest his own apartment. Just because he knew she would be safe and respected there did not mean he should expect her to believe it. Isabella had said she trusted him, but he wasn't of a mind to make her stretch that feeling quite so far.

Somewhere to stay for a few days... he rubbed absently at his chin with one hand. Tammy Reynolds, one of his fellow faculty members at NYU and herself an accomplished scholar of fifty-two, was fond of telling him he did so in preparation for the philosopher's beard he would someday wear. It always made him laugh to hear it, especially since they both knew he never let his facial hair get past five-o'clock shadow. Which reminded him... he should really shave sometime this weekend.

He was digressing, and he knew it. Scouring his brain for anything that might help, he realized that the answer had fallen right into his lap without him realizing it. Professor Reynolds had been his dissertation adviser; she knew him probably better than anyone in this entire city, and certainly better than he knew himself. If there was anyone he could convince to look after Isabella, it would be her. As a long-tenured professor, she was not for want of means, and she'd never married or had children besides. Maybe she'd even be able to employ Isabella in some fashion.

He waved a hand carelessly, encouraging his newest (and oddest) acquaintance to keep the coat for now. "I think I know a place that might work... an old friend of mine... she's practically my mother at this point." Realizing this might not be the most comfortable of situations for Isabella, he gave her the most reassuring smile he could manage. "She's really a sweet woman; I just know she'd love the company, too."

Well, the idea was out there anyway. If he remembered correctly, Tammy lived not too far from his own apartment, except in a much nicer area, another plus, now that he got to thinking of it. Now, what to tell her... there was no way Isabella was passing as any relative of his; the woman knew him far too well to believe that. Maybe she was a friend in a rough spot? Just lost her job and her family? Jackson flinched. That was probably true, at least on the latter count. Perhaps he should ask her if she was doing okay.

No, better not. Jackson knew well enough that he lacked social grace, and would probably just make her more upset by bringing up things she was already dealing with painfully anyway. There might be a right time, later, but for now it would probably do them both the most good if he found her a place to stay and something to eat.