Page 23 of Desert Thorns

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I frowned. “Notice what?”

“Oh, Brother Samuel.” A wide grin on her face, Harley shook her head. “Giuliana. A girl only looks at a man like that when she has a crush. Are you seriously telling me you didn’t notice?”

I sought Giuliana out in the crowd. Though she was playing with the others, her gaze kept wandering back to me.

I closed my eyes. Groaned inwardly. “You serious?”

“One hundred percent. I can’t blame her.” Harley winked at me, then jogged onto the field.

My jaw went slack. Had she just . . . flirted with me? And what about Giuliana? Did she really have a crush on me?

My gut contracted. How was that even possible? All I had done was be nice. And I was way too old for her. Twice her age.

“Brother Samuel.” Giuliana came skipping toward me. “Can we talk?”

The urge to bolt hit hard, my brain scrambling for an exit. There was none.

Calm down, man. It’s not like she’ll confess her undying love.

I cleared my throat and forced myself to look in her face. “What can I do for you?”

Pulling on her braids, she stared at the sun-bleached hair tips. “My dad got arrested.”

My heart sank. Most of these teens came from broken homes, and their stories were heart-wrenching. Giuliana’s felt the most personal for a reason I couldn’t pinpoint. “I’m sorry to hear that, Giuli.”

Her big eyes came to me. The pain swimming in them was a punch to my gut. “He’s—” Her chin trembled. “He’s on death row.”

Holy . . . I roughed a hand over my mouth. What could I even say to that?

“I mean, it’s not official yet, but it doesn’t look good.” Giuliana threw herself into my arms, clinging to me like I was her lifeline. “I hate him so much!” A sob broke out of her as she buried her face in my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her frail frame and rocked her gently. Crushes didn’t matter right now. Seemed like I was her source of comfort, and I wouldn’t withhold that from her.

Not wanting the other teens to gawk, I gave Matt a nod to proceed with the game. He signaled his understanding.

Giuliana cried for a while longer, then she peeled herself away from me. “Your old man is in the joint too, right?”

“He is.”

“What a bunch of losers.” Wiping a hand under her nose, she mumbled something in Italian.

“Where are you staying now?” From what I knew, her mother wasn’t in the picture.

Her gaze skipped to the game, where Jason mercilessly dribbled around three opponents. “My uncle. He’s a good guy.”

Hopefully better than her father. I squeezed her shoulder to regain her attention. “I know it might not feel this way, but God is always with you. He sees your pain and tears, and He won’t waste your suffering.”

Giuliana closed her eyes. Nodded. “I know. Mamma always said that.” Her face crumpled again. “I miss her so much.”

Cupping the back of her head, I once again drew her against my chest. Every sob wrecking her body cut like a knife into my heart.Father, only You know the pain she’s in, and only You can offer the comfort she needs. Lavish Your love on her.

“Can we play soccer now?” she finally sniffled.

“Do you want to?”

“Yes! I’m on your team!”

I chuckled at the rapid-fire answer. “All right.”