Page 53 of Unbreakable Love

“Did you bring me my homework?”

“Nope. But we all heard about your uncle and felt really bad, so I brought you something to help him feel better. Would you like to do that?”

Her eyes grew to the size of the moon. “Yes! I would love to help him feel better.”

“All right then. Hop on up.”

I pulled out a kitchen chair and started emptying my bag, first pulling out the drop cloth I’d grabbed so whatever she used didn’t make a mess. Once Josie helped me flatten it, I pulled out the rest of my supplies. Paints, glitter, pens, makers, and stickers along with the tag board I’d cut at school and folded into a card.

“Now,” I said, once I had everything out. “Your job, if you want it?—”

“I do want it! I do!” She bounced in her chair.

Behind us, Gavin chuckled. I glanced at him and that smile of his almost melted me into the floor. For the first time, he didn’t bother wiping it away, and he was still smiling when he turned to his fridge and started filling some glasses with water.

“Okay then. Everyone in your class came in today, sad about your uncle too, so we decided to make him cards. I thought it’d be really wonderful if you made him one too, and then the next time you see him, you can be my special helper and get those cards to him. Think you can do that for me?”

“Oh, I sure can.” She flattened the card and gaped at all the supplies. Bringing a finger to her chin, she tapped it. “This is going to take some work.”

I pressed my lips together to avoid laughing.

She was too damn cute.

Decision made, she reached for a blue glitter pen.

“Here’s some water,” Gavin said and set down a plastic cup, “in case you decide to paint something.”

“Mm-hmm.” She was so lost in her concentration she barely paid her father any attention, something he wasn’t bothered about.

I set my hand on her shoulder and gave her a gentle shake. “When you’re done, you can have your dad call me and I’ll come get everything cleaned up, okay?”

“Or you can stay and keep me company,” Gavin said. “Have some pizza with us later?”

I glanced at him. There was an earnestness in the expression, but I couldn’t forget about the exhaustion either. “I’m not offended if you don’t really want that.”

“I didn’t ask out of obligation or politeness.”

Color me stunned and knock me over with a feather.

Gavin reached for a water glass on the counter and held it out to me. “We can talk in the front room.”

I took the glass and glanced at Josie. “Let me know if you need any help.”

She didn’t look up. “I won’t.”

Okay then.

What a strange, and not unwelcome, turn of events.

SIXTEEN

GAVIN

Penny had no way of knowing, and I wasn’t going to tell her, but I’d been all but stalking her house all day, counting down the minutes until she came home from school. In the last month, she was the only person who’d distracted me from anything in my life, good or bad, and right now, a distraction was exactly what I needed.

We were waiting for Cameron to get home, and none of us had told him what happened to Ava yet. Considering he was flying home early, without full approval of his doctors because he didn’t want to spend another day in Buffalo, I was almost thankful the man couldn’t walk… much less beat the shit out of that perverted asshole who I hoped burned in hell and got what was coming to him once he was convicted and in prison.

Rage wasn’t my typical go-to emotion, more indifference, but I had no problems making an exception for Jimmy Morton.

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