Moores, there was always a catch. “You have to give me, give us, a chance. I know this has been a terrible time for you and I understand why you arrived here with a chip on your shoulder, but life will be so much better for both of us if you’ll try to make a life here, try to make a home with me.”
Temper flared in his eyes. “Screw that. My life and my home are in Georgia. I’m going back there real soon.”
“You’d rather be in the system there than living with family here?” Zach asked.
“I’d rather be on my own at home. They had no business making me leave. I can take care of myself. I was doing just fine at home on my own. I didn’t need supervision. I’ve been getting myself to school—and making good grades, by the way—for months now. I kept groceries in the house and cooked and did laundry. I even mowed the lawn. I sure as hell didn’t need to go into foster care. I didn’t deserve that. If not for a busybody cop, I’d still be home and we’d all be happy. It’s not like you want me here anyway. I got forced on you.”
“That’s not true,” Savannah said. “I could have said no.”
“At least you had a choice. Everyone else gets to make choices. I should, too.”
Anger rolled off the boy in waves and Savannah decided now was not the time to argue with him, or even to try to reason with him. “Well, if you decide you want to put down your chip and pick up a basketball, let me know.”
She turned back to Zach and asked, “Have you been into Vistas recently? Sage has acquired a new artist. He lives near Durango and he paints wildlife. She has one painting he’s done of an elk up on Sinner’s Prayer Pass that takes your breath away.”
With that, talk returned to generic topics and TJ didn’t participate, but instead sat behind them fuming. When they finally reached the Eternity Springs city limits sign, Savannah wanted to cheer. Once Zach pulled up in front of the house, she asked him, “Would you like to come in for a few minutes? Let me show TJ where to put his things, then I’d like to speak with you.”
“Tell you what. Let me drop off my wheels at the office, then I’ll stop back. I rode my bike in this morning.”
“You bought a new bicycle, didn’t you? Cam had a bet on how long you’d resist it.”
Zach grinned that devilish smile of his. “I heard. I waited one day past the date he’d bet on.” He glanced over her shoulder, then deliberately leaned down and kissed her softly on her mouth. “See you in twenty.”
Zach drove away and Savannah turned to see TJ scowling after him. So, Zach was staking his claim with that kiss, was he?
Of course he had been. Savannah sighed, then muttered with disgust, “Boys.”
TJ’s insides were churning. Not like he was gonna be sick, but like he was gonna puke, roaring like he was gonna explode. He imagined flames shooting out of his mouth, laser beams zapping from his eyes, and steam blowing out of his ears. Not like a cartoon character, though. Like a monster. TJzilla. He wanted to grow a thousand feet tall and stomp all over Eternity effing Springs.
Instead, he stood silent and unmoving, waiting for his drunk dad’s druggie sister to tell him where to put his stuff.
She gave him a fake smile, then proceeded to tell him that the first floor of her house was a shop. “We can use the kitchen and downstairs bathroom, but since we share it with the shop, we need to be sure to keep everything very clean. I prefer you shower only upstairs.”
He almost told her, That’s okay, I don’t shower, but the idea of not showering grossed even him out.
“I closed the shop today so that we could have a chance to get you settled in. Ordinarily we’re open nine to eight Monday through Saturday and one to six on Sunday through Labor Day. After that, we’ll go to winter hours and most of the business will be by mail order. It’s a little weird living above the store, but you’ll get accustomed to it. Follow me and I’ll show you your room.”
She led him up the stairs and down a short hallway. “I thought I’d let you choose. I have a regular bedroom here that is two