Page 76 of Welcome to Forever
“I know that,” Ben said with an exaggerated tone. “But you guys have spent time together at the Friendship Club. And this was actually your second date. The first one was to the Veterans’ Center.”
“Are you keeping tabs on me?” Micah once-overed Ben as the elevator jerked to a stop. “We had a nice time, okay? And Principal Chandler called this morning to see how you were doing. We’re having lunch with her when we leave here. How’s that? Satisfied?”
Ben’s right arm punched the air as he cheered. “I knew the Marine Corps ball would seal the deal. Women like dancing. It’s very romantic.”
Tousling his son’s hair, Micah laughed. “They also like know-it-all third graders, apparently. Or at least Kimberly Flowers does.” Micah bent forward to watch Ben’s cheeks redden, and smiled to himself.
“She’s cool, that’s all. Even if she did draw those pictures of me. I know that’s just how girls flirt.”
Micah pushed the wheelchair out of the front entrance of the hospital and stopped, walking around to meet Ben’s face. “Kimberly drew those pictures?” he asked, not sure he understood his son correctly.
Ben nodded, his gaze dropping a little. “Don’t worry, Dad. She said she was sorry. She even drew one of me wearing a superhero cape to make up for it, so…” He shrugged, swiping at his unruly hair and meeting Micah’s gaze again. “Don’t say anything to her, okay? We’re…friends now.”
“Friends?” Micah studied Ben’s face. Ben had a friend. He nodded and returned to pushing Ben’s chair, navigating through the parking lot toward his Jeep Cherokee in the back. No wonder Ben hadn’t ratted out his bully. He had a crush on her. And she apparently had one on him, too. Which was good news, despite the tightening of his gut. His son was growing up.
After helping Ben into the Jeep, Micah started the engine and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. The ride was unusually quiet, considering Ben’s mood. Micah’s gaze jumped to the rearview mirror. “Everything okay back there?”
“Did you…tell Mom I was in the hospital?” Ben finally asked.
Micah gave his head a hard shake. “She’s in the desert, buddy. I tried, but…” He didn’t need to finish his sentence. “I’ll try again later. Just to let her know you’re okay.”
Ben shrugged, his right shoulder going higher than his weaker left arm. “No big deal. I’m fine now.”
Micah watched from the rearview as Ben stared out the back passenger window. He was fine physically maybe. But emotionally, Ben’s mother was across the world and unavailable to even know what was going on with her only child. That wasn’t fine.
Pulling into the parking lot for Kirk’s Pizza House, Micah said, “What do you say we go see Principal Chandler and have pizza?”
A slow smile crawled across Ben’s pale face. “The hospital food wasn’t good. I am kind of hungry. And I’m sure Principal Chandler wants to see for herself how I’m doing today.”
Micah nodded. “I’ll bet she does.” He scanned the crowded lot for Kat’s car, hoping she’d remembered. Their conversation had been rushed this morning and it would be easy for it to slip her mind. Spotting the black Mazda, a small rush of adrenaline shot through him. She’d come, just like she said she would. That was Kat, true to her word, dependable, and…his.
She waved as Ben wheeled his chair toward her. Ben didn’t beg Micah to push him when Kat was around. He was Mr. Independent. In fact, since school had started, he’d gotten to value his independence a lot more.
“Well, you look like you’re feeling much better this morning,” Kat said, meeting Ben’s high five.
“One thousand percent better.” Ben took his place beside her and rolled up to the front entrance of Kirk’s Pizza House, leaving Micah to walk behind them, watching the two together, as casual as a mother and child would be—something Ben had never truly experienced.
Micah’s heart gave a hard squeeze.
Don’t mess this up,his mind growled.For you or Ben.Because from where he was standing, things were working out perfectly.
—
An hour later, Kat walked out of Kirk’s Pizza House feeling better than she had this morning.
“You’re sure you can’t come to our house?” Ben asked, his honey-colored eyes pleading with her as he wheeled beside her.
She shook her head. She had things to do, like stare at her phone and try to muster her courage to return Rita’s call. “I can’t. But I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”
“Ben needs to be resting anyway. Doctor’s orders. Right, buddy?” Micah’s gaze moved from Ben’s to hers, and her whole body warmed. She’d much rather be spending the afternoon with him. They’d been interrupted after they’d left the ball last night, and her body was begging to finish what they’d started.
“Right,” Ben said, the enthusiasm drained from his voice.
No kid wanted to be told to rest.
Kat laughed lightly, feeling compelled to lean in to the sexy man in front of her. To kiss him. They were in the awkward stage of going public with something that had been their own little secret for the last few weeks. Micah was still a parent of one of her students and some people would undoubtedly talk. Those people were talking about her anyway, though. About her past and how they thought she was doing as the school’s principal. She might as well give them something juicier to talk about.
“I hope you’re not going to the school,” Micah said, stepping closer to her as they stood beside her car. “All work and no play,” he teased, reminding her of when they’d first met. They’d definitely advanced beyond that point.
