Page 23 of Unbreakable Love

“I heard her talking to Mrs. Parker at recess. They were talking about her sister, which I think would be so cool if I could have a little sister someday, by the way, but then she said she doesn’t talk to her mom all that much and when Mrs. Parker asked about her dad, she said she had no idea where he was. Isn’t that sad? I mean, I at least have a daddy, but it sounds like Miss Pesco doesn’t have any parents to take care of her.”

That was sad. So sad my gut clenched at the thought of it, but there had to be more to the story.

“Were you listening to them? Or eavesdropping?”

Her shoulders scrunched up to her ears. “It isn’t my fault they didn’t know I was sitting close behind them.”

“Josie.” I rolled my eyes. “Remember how we talk about giving people privacy? And being respectful?”

“Well, I didn’t say anything to anyone else but you, but it still makes me sad that we have all this big family and Grandma and Grandpa always have so many people at Thanksgiving, so why can’t we have one more?”

I truly wished her thinking would have been about a dog. She was right. My parents welcomed everyone into their home, especially around the holidays. My mom always said they’d been blessed with much and it was their responsibility to share that blessing with others. If they heard a peep about the new elementary school teacher not having anywhere to go on Thanksgiving, Miss Pesco would be given the seat of honor at the table.

I might have enjoyed our walk home the other night, and in truth, I probably enjoyed it far too much.

Which was the problem.

The farther I kept away from Penny Pesco, the better. For everyone.

“We’ll see,” I told Josie and pointed my fork at her. “But don’t say a word to Grandma until I’ve decided, okay?”

“Okay,” she said happily. Too happily.

My eyes narrowed. That was too quick. “Or Grandpa.”

“Okay…” Her smile turned to a frown.

“Or anyone, especially anyone in our family.”

She blew out a breath. “Fine,” she muttered, pushing out her bottom lip into a pout. “I won’t say anything to anyone.”

My little girl. I had no idea when she’d learned to become so sneaky, but I blamed all the time she spent around Bryce.

It was late. Josie was in bed and all three dozen of her stuffed animals and pillows tucked in along with her. I’d cleaned up the kitchen and picked up the living room and was settling in to watch Caleb play a hockey game in Vancouver when a quiet knock rapped on my door.

It was so quiet I thought I imagined it, but when I leaned back over the couch, there was a shadow of movement at the front door.

No one stopped by my house at night. My family lived far enough out of town they would never show up, but there was one person who lived close.

One woman who’d sat and chatted with my daughter so easily this afternoon that Josie now wanted her a part of our family’s holidays.

One woman I couldn’t stop thinking of, regardless of how hard I tried.

And soon, only a glass storm door separated that woman from my home where Penny stood on the top step of my porch, far enough away from the door I could open it without her needing to move out of the way.

I pushed the storm door open and stepped out to the porch, flicking my gaze toward her house. “Is everything okay?”

“What?” She jolted. “Oh. Yeah. Actually, I wanted to give you this.”

She shoved a folded piece of paper in my direction.

I stared at it like it had the power to bite me. “What is it?”

“My number.”

“Your number?” My gaze jumped to hers and I pressed my hands to my hips to prevent myself from snagging the paper out of her hands. “Why?”

“You were late today, and Josie lives close. If something like that happens again, or, I don’t know… if you ever need help….”

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