Page 38 of Weatherman

“Well, now, ain’t that something. I look twenty years younger. What do you think, Bryce?”

Weatherman gazed at his mom, distracted for the moment. For the first time in weeks, she had a healthy color to her skin. Her genuine grin was framed by a pretty bob reminiscent of his teenage years. Yes, she did resemble an earlier version of herself, a pretty woman before the cancer and the poisonous treatments that dripped into her veins every week. “It’s beautiful, Mom. Just like you.”

Opal packed up her kit. “Let me know when you need me again. I’ll be glad to make a house call anytime.”

“Oh, you’re so sweet. I’d love for you to meet Emma. Come by tomorrow when you can, and I’ll introduce you.” Natalie’s thin hand patted Opal’s leg, and Weatherman noticed the prominent blue veins on the back.

His voice was thick when he spoke. “I’ll walk you out.”

Pearl put her head onto his shoulder and cuddled close. Whatever Opal’s life had been like in the northern state didn’t seem to touch the happy, content child. It was a testament to a mother’s love and dedication. There were good parents who devoted their lives to raising their children and protecting themfrom all the harm the world possessed. And there were bad ones who barely acknowledged that they had kids. He’d been blessed with the former and wondered about Opal’s upbringing.

Night fell quickly this time of year, and with clear mountain skies, the stars shone like glitter across a sea of midnight blue. He gazed up and pointed at a trio of lights. “Look there, Pearl. See that? That’s Orion’s belt. The hunter.”

She gazed up for a few moments but lost interest quickly and flopped back into her resting position.

“It’s getting close to bedtime.” Opal smiled gently as she loaded her bag of tools into the car. “I bet she’ll be out before we get home. Let me take her from you.”

“I got it. Just open the door for me, and I’ll get her settled.”

Pearl made a slight mew of protest as he buckled her into the heavy car seat, but she settled when he handed her the well-loved alligator toy. A pink blanket lay on the seat next to her, so he tucked it around the little girl as her eyes blinked slowly up and down. “I don’t think you’ll make it out of the driveway.” He turned to Opal and took a deep breath, the cooler air stinging his nostrils and bringing him a bit of focus. “I admit that this is not the Sunday afternoon I wanted to have with you, but I thank you for taking care of my mom.”

She smiled and waved off his words. “Oh no, Betsey bought it for her.”

“But you picked it out. Styled it. Made it look really nice. She loves it, and I expect she’ll be wearing it all the time. It means a lot to her and?—”

He stopped talking as emotions threatened to overwhelm him, swallowing the lump in his throat before he continued. The simple change in Natalie’s appearance was such a confidence booster, and he hadn’t seen his mother smile with genuine happiness in quite some time. It killed him a little. “When I was growing up, she always took pride in her hair. I rememberpeople’s compliments on her style, the shine, the lack of grays. Mom considered her hair to be her best feature. It’s gone now, and the doctor said it might be different when it comes back.Ifit comes back.”

He nearly broke as he paused again. Steamy air sliced in and out of his nostrils as he fought to keep it together. “Opal, you have no clue what that wig means to her. The happiness in her eyes… I can’t?—”

Her arms came around him, and he was pulled into a soft, warm body.

“It’s okay. I got you.”

It wasn’t a light half hug. This was full contact and solid. Her head rested on his shoulder as Pearl loved to do, and she fit to his body perfectly.

Like she was meant to be there.

He didn’t think about it. If he did, his logical mind might have caught up with his emotions.

He didn’t hesitate. If he paused, it wouldn’t have happened.

He didn’t stop. Not this time.

His hand slid up to her neck, tilting her head back so he could cover her mouth with his.

There were no fiery sparks, no flash of lightning, no roar of heated flames. This was a kiss of comfort. Not sexual, but one that allowed him to lean on someone else for a moment and let go of some of the pain in his heart. She opened to him and allowed him access. He took it.

The kiss lasted longer than he expected and shorter than he wanted. He lifted his head but kept his mouth close enough to feel her trembling lips under his. It wasn’t hard to tell that she hadn’t been kissed in a long time.

It had also been a long time since his body had reacted this way. Even though this was not a prelude for sex, there wasa shared intimacy between them that transcended the physical action.

His gaze met hers, and he noticed the wetness at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m not apologizing for kissing you,” he whispered. “I’ve been having a really rough time with life lately. Not as rough as my mom, but it’s still taking a toll on me. Work is stressful as hell. Home is too. I’ll consider this to be between friends, yeah? We can talk about it later or not, but right now, I can’t. I’m gonna let you go home. Thank you again for taking care of my mom.”

Every instinct he possessed drove him to kiss her again and take the soothing relief she offered, but he forced himself to let her go and step away. She was shaky but silent as she got in the car, and he held himself back not to go to her. The shell-shocked look on her face made him want to know what was in her head and heart.

Was this the beginning of something, or was it doomed before it started? He had no clue, but one thing for certain stood out: the future had changed.

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