The Summer of No Attachments (The Summer Friends #2) - Lori Foster Page 0,110

side of his bed and began talking about the cat, ad-libbing his adventure sneaking out and trying to tangle with a Rottweiler.

Almost against his will, Justin moved closer. “Why did the dog bite him?”

“I’m pretty sure he was surprised to find a hissing cat in his bushes.” Taking his hand, she guided him to sit beside her, then stroked his hair—and he let her. “It would have been really easy for a dog that size to kill a cat, but I know Rory. He’s a good dog, friendly, and usually he’s great with other animals.” She leaned closer and said in a conspiratorial way, “That is, when they don’t jump out at him from the bushes.”

A ghost of a smile, there and gone, teased over his mouth. “I’m glad the cat is okay.”

“Me, too. Mrs. Tassie loves him as much as I love Maurice. And speaking of Maurice, where is he?”

Justin looked down at his hands. “He went to bed with the dogs.”

Ivey felt him struggling, and because of that, she resisted the urge to baby him. Instinctively she knew it might cause him to lose his fragile hold on control.

“I was getting ready for bed, so they all went into the laundry room.” He fell silent again. “I’d just finished brushing my teeth when the cops got here.”

“I see.” They both heard the front door open and close.

Justin stiffened, his bottom lip quivering. “I gotta go to the bathroom.” He stood again, looking as if he wanted to escape the reality of what would come.

Corbin stepped into the room.

Ivey took one look at him and her heart crumbled. No man should have to tackle so much in such a short period of time. She wished for a way to help but didn’t know what to do.

Corbin’s hands flexed, he watched his son, then came closer. “Justin, I—”

“I gotta use the bathroom,” Justin blurted again and darted past his dad into the hall. They heard the bathroom door close a little too hard.

Ivey was horribly afraid that Justin had just sought privacy for a good cry, and she wasn’t sure if she could stand it.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered to Corbin.

He came over to sit beside her, his elbows on his knees, his head bowed. “The fact is, I knew this could happen. But I couldn’t help hoping...” He shook his head. “She had my information on her. That’s why the police came here. I don’t know anything about her parents, and neither did the cops.”

Their shoulders touched, and their voices were low. Corbin heaved a long sigh and straightened, glancing back at the door. “He’s struggling.”

“He doesn’t want to cry in front of anyone.” She touched his jaw. “But you’re his dad, Corbin. He loves you, and I know he trusts you.” Her own eyes burned with the truth of that. Yes, Justin had a very difficult background, but that wasn’t his future—and he knew it. “Don’t let him be by himself. Go to him, show him that it’s okay to cry and hold him while he grieves.”

As if that settled the indecision for him, Corbin stood and crossed the room in a few long strides.

Ivey watched him go, praying that father and son could console each other...and wondering how much right she had to take part in it all.

Corbin returned in mere seconds. “He’s not in the bathroom.”

“Oh no.” Already on her feet, Ivey followed Corbin as he jogged down the steps.

“Justin?” he called but didn’t get an answer. He went through each room, then started to go downstairs and practically ran into Lang. “Is he down there?”

“No.” Lang looked around. “You check the animals?”

“He’s not with them.” Corbin suddenly straightened. “The lake.” His stride long and full of fear, he headed straight for the patio doors, Lang right behind him.

Ivey called, “I’ll look out front!” She didn’t pause for her shoes, just darted out, her gaze searching. Except for the chirping of crickets and the occasional long croak of a frog, the yard was quiet. Dusk had settled with all the bleak gloom of bad news.

Damn it, she should have known Justin would try something like this. He was so stubborn in his pride—but then, for years, pride might have been all he had.

She started to turn around, praying he wasn’t anywhere near the lake, when a low sound reached her ears, a sound that didn’t belong to the quiet night.

Heart pounding hard, she listened...and realized it came from the tree house. It was a low, muffled,