Page 36 of By The Book
“It wasn’tawful,” she said, her tone teasing.
A laugh bubbled out of her at his expression and he welcomed the sound.
“It was very nice, Denz.”
Nice? Nice was the kiss of death. Wasverynice different? “Well, you let me know if you decide you want to practice some more. Get it perfected for next time.”
“Next time?” she asked, eyes wide.
“That way you won’t be nervous when you do decide to start dating again,” he said, his gaze shifting to the screen door as her son burst out of the house.
Claire stepped back, cheeks rosy, and told them to be careful, waving after they climbed into his SUV.
“So,” Denz said as he got them rolling. “Did you apologize to your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“She said I have to go back to grief counseling.”
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“It’s just a bunch of losers talking about feelings and sharing how they suck.”
“That sounds a little harsh,” Denz said to the kid. “Would it help to know I’ve sat in a session or two myself?”
“You have?”
He nodded as he made the stops and turns to get them out of the little neighborhood. “The military uses counselors. And after shootings and the like, private security companies like I work for use them to make sure their guys are ready to get back in the field. So, yeah, I have.”
“Did it help?”
He drove them to Dow and headed toward the far end of the island. “Yeah. It did. You just have to have an open mind.”
Tommy stared out his window, quiet for a time.
“Would you let me get on my game and see if my friends are there?”
“No.” He shot the kid a look. “Not without your mom’s permission.”
Tommy shifted in the bucket seat, looking glum.
“I’m sorry I hurt her, you know. It’s just I knew where she’d put it, and it’s nice to talk to my dad’s friends. They tell me stories about him.”
“Your mom doesn’t do that?”
“Not really. I don’t want to make her sad, so I don’t ask. I hear her crying sometimes,” he said, face turned to the window. “I want to help her but I don’t know how.”
That was a big admission from a kid in pain. A kid who wanted to be a man but wasn’t. “The best way you can help her is to stay out of trouble. You realize that, right?”
“I guess. I don’t mean to get into trouble, it just sort of happens.”
Denz chuckled. “That kind of stuff usually happens when you’re not where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
“Do you like my mom?”
The change in topic was so abrupt Denz’s first instinct was to lie. “Uh, yeah. I like her fine.”
