pictures would help seal the deal, if anything. So he went straight to the album. “Isn’t this nice?” A far cry from Philadelphia’s old brick buildings surrounded by heavy traffic. Adeline’s shelter consisted of a gated area with a massive house at the center. Blindingly white, it shot up from the perfect, well-maintained green lawn and flower beds. There was a pool, a playground, an outdoor gym, a running track along the high walls, an orchard, a pond… Most people staying there had their own room, or they shared with a few others.
Gray had visited many times, sometimes to volunteer and help out. Since some of the kids—and parents—suffered from PTSD, many of the features were used to rehabilitate and work away fears.
“That’s no shelter,” Jayden huffed. “It’s a mansion.”
Gray smiled. “There’s a big forest behind the house too. See the trees there, past the wall? It’s pretty high up on a mountain. It’s beautiful.”
Jayden snuck furtive glances while he pretended to be impassive and closed off.
Gray doubted Jayden had seen much of anything outside of Philadelphia. Washington was another world in comparison.
“It’s a good place, Jayden,” he murmured. “And I’m not taking my promise to Jonas lightly. You won’t be alone in this. You have me.”
Jayden side-eyed him suspiciously. “I don’t know you. What’s your last name?”
“Nolan. I live in a small town in Washington called Camassia Cove,” he replied. “My family lives there too. I have three brothers and one sister.”
“Weird last name,” Jayden muttered.
Gray chuckled under his breath.
Then Jayden picked up his scarf and threw it around his neck. “There’s a lotta sickos. I have to talk to Malley.” He stood up and nodded at the paper bag on the other side of Gray. “Do you have food in there?”
Gray immediately extended the bag. “Want some? I didn’t know if you’d wanna sit outside and—”
“Yeah, I’ll take it all, thanks.” Jayden grabbed the bag and sniffed, his nose a little runny. “I’ll get back to you, okay?”
“Uh.” What was happening? Was Jayden leaving?
“Pat can find anyone,” Jayden said and left the pew. “Bye.”
“Jayden, wait.” Gray shot up and felt his worry spiking, and it didn’t get better when Jayden started running. “Jayden!”
What the fuck?
The boy was gone within a couple seconds, leaving Gray flustered and fucking confused.
Father O’Malley headed over with a look of concern. “Did something happen?”
“He just…” Gray gestured toward the exit and blew out a breath. “He left in the middle of—” Okay, it hadn’t been in the middle of the conversation, but almost.
“Ah.” Father O’Malley appeared relieved for some reason. “He does that. Don’t worry about it. He’s…special, that boy. He has some coping mechanisms.”
That answer wasn’t satisfying at all. Jayden had mentioned that finding Gray wouldn’t be hard—thanks to some friend?—but Gray had nothing to hide. He told Father O’Malley everything, from the hotel he was staying at to his plans to help Jayden.
While he word-vomited, he felt increasingly uncertain about his entire approach. He doubted himself because…what the hell did he know? Was he going to take this kid from everything and everyone he knew and place him in a shelter all the way across the country?
Four
Two days went by without a word.
Gray spent more time in the hotel gym than in his room. He’d called Adeline, after which he’d quickly checked in with his mother. Because Adeline had given him an earful about worrying everyone. She’d softened eventually, of course, because that was what she did, and though her shelter was constantly housing residents over capacity, “There’s always room for more.”
He hadn’t had the balls to actually call Mom, though. He’d unblocked her number and texted. He’d apologized. He’d promised he was being safe. He’d promised he’d see her soon.
The guilt weighed heavy on him, but he just couldn’t be around everyone right now.
The exception was Jayden. Gray hadn’t expected to feel so worried about the boy. He drove past the church and the shelter every day, around lunchtime, to see if he could spot Jayden. So far, nothing. He’d talked to the priest again too, who politely reminded Gray to be patient.
Patience. Right.
Fuck patience.
He grunted as he finished his set with a fifteen-pound weight and slumped down on the floor with his water bottle.
Only one thing had come as a relief the past few days, and it was Father O’Malley’s approval to move Jayden to Washington. At first, the priest had been on the fence. He’d weighed the pros and cons. Then yesterday, when Gray had come by the