Page 20 of Everlasting Promises

I thought she was beautiful last week, but when she smiles … man … her beauty dials up to a whole new level.

“Are you even listening to me, man?” Donnelly snaps.

I drag my mind and gaze back to him. “Sorry, come again.”

He rolls his eyes with annoyance. “I told you. I asked my teacher if we could start a running club at school, and he said yes. He’s even going to help me set it up.”

I rest my hand on his shoulder and squeeze. “I’m proud of you, Don. That’s an awesome initiative, and I’m glad your teacher is supporting you with the project.”

“Yeah, it feels pretty good to get positive attention at school instead of always being in trouble.”

“I bet. When does the running club start?”

“Next week. Only on Friday mornings to start, but I’m hoping to do it most mornings if the teachers will let me.” He lifts his chin toward Evan and Hope. “How’d he get on your radar?”

“He was causing trouble in a gas station with some of his friends. I think he was just trying to fit in. He lost his dad in Syria.” I glance back at the woman who has me fixated. “He could do with some new friends.” Don is a couple of years older than Evan, but they may go to the same school since they live in the same school district. Evan could do with someone to have his back in case the boys from the gas station give him any trouble.

He acknowledges me with an arrogant chin lift. “His mom’s hot as fuck.”

I snap my head around to Donnelly, narrowing my eyes and straightening up. “Watch your mouth and don’t be disrespectful.”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t mean anything by it. She’s too old for me, but you’re single.” He looks me up and down. “You’re probably good-looking enough to bag a chick like that.”

I shake my head in exasperation. “Do I need to teach you how to be respectful toward women?”

“Nah, man. The chicks at school love me.” He rubs his knuckles on his chest. “I don’t need lessons from an old guy like you.”

“Hey, I’m only twenty-seven. I’m notthatold,” I say, standing up, slightly affronted. Rex immediately comes to my side, ready to move on. I’ve been saving Evan for last because I wanted to let him relax, but I also want to check in with him. “I’m gonna keep moving. I haven’t checked on Evan yet.”

Don winks at me with a tip of his chin in a cavalier move only a teenage boy can pull off. “Sure thing, Ben. Whatever you say.”

I don’t bother responding. No point defending myself. Hope’s puppy is lying on his back as she rubs his tummy, hishind legs doing an odd kick every now and then while Evan’s puppy is chewing on the bottom of his jeans, making Evan chuckle. They both look so different from the last time I saw them. Something’s definitely changed.

I lower myself to my butt between the two. “How’re things going over here?”

“These puppies are crazy.” Hope chuckles as she continues to scratch the pup’s stomach, and he twists his body around to nip at her slender fingers.

Evan looks up at me with a wide grin. “I’ve had so much fun.”

Rex moves closer to Evan, using his paw to engage with his pup, enticing him to play. The two dogs run a short distance together, and Evan climbs to his feet to follow them, leaving me alone with Hope. We watch him play with both dogs for a moment in silence.

Then, just as my eyes have done all morning, they find their way back to Hope. She’s watching her son with a soft smile. “How’s he been this week?”

She swallows and turns her attention to me. Having her eyes on me has me shoving my shoulders back and pushing down my nerves. “We had a tough day last Saturday. It was … uh … the sixth anniversary of my late husband’s death.” My stomach sinks and rolls as she glances back at Evan. “But I think we’ve turned a corner. He hasn’t been as moody, and he’s really been looking forward to today.”

“Anniversaries are tough. I’m glad to hear he’s doing better, and that he was looking forward to today. Sometimes we need something positive to look forward to.” I tear my gaze away from her. “And how have you been?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watch as she subtly shifts. “As good as can be expected, I guess. I … uh … haven’t coped the best with losing my husband. I’ve let Evan down, and I promised him, and myself, that I’ll do better. I think the gas station thingwoke me up a little. He deserves a mom who’s more emotionally stable and engaged. Not someone who’s just going through the motions.”

I rub my hand over the top of my hair. “Grief is tough and unpredictable. I’m sure you’ve been doing your best.” Dropping my hand to the back of my neck, I squeeze, tearing my eyes away from her. “Does Evan have a male in his life he can go to?”Yeah, I know. I’m fishing for information. Sue me.

Her pup climbs to its feet and runs off to join the others. “He has a few … my dad, Wyatt’s dad, and Shane, Wyatt’s best friend. Although, Shane doesn’t come around so much because I asked him to give us some space. I felt like we were relying on him too much and holding him back from his own life. He carries a lot of guilt about Wyatt, and I didn’t want him watching over us out of obligation.”

Interesting. Maybe he wasn’t watching over them out of obligation, but attraction. I can certainly relate to that; Hope is a beautiful woman. Part of me settles at the idea that she has people she can rely on, while another, more selfish part wants her to grow to rely on me. I want to be that person for her and Evan.

I shake my head and snap my thoughts away from that archaic nonsense. Tahlia’s mom would slap me up the back of my head as she preached to me about how strong women are in the face of adversity. “Why does he feel guilty?”

Silence ensues and worry worms its way through my gut that I’ve pushed her too far, too soon. She doesn’t know me. “He survived the blast that killed Wyatt. He didn’t come out unscathed, but he felt he should have been the one to die so Wyatt could come back to us.” Keeping her eyes downcast, she plucks at the grass. “He felt his life wasn’t as important as Wyatt’s because he didn’t have a family.” The desire to drag herinto my lap and wrap my arms around her is strong, so I pluck at the grass in front of me, too.

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