Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,139

thank you for doing all of this for Bryson,” Sophia said as she set the plates she carried on the counter.

“Oh, darling,” Valerie said as she approached her with a smile. “It was our pleasure. We are just so happy that God brought you and Ryker together.”

“Really?” Sophia couldn’t help but ask. Had Ryker not told them about her past?

“Yes, really.” She reached out to grasp Sophia’s shoulders. “That expression on my son’s face when he looks at you? I’ve never seen that on him before. But it’s a look I know well because it’s one I see on his father’s face every day when he looks at me.”

Sophia swallowed hard against the emotion that threatened to choke her. She lifted a shaking hand to brush away a tear that refused to be blinked away.

“After all Ryker’s been through, I worried that he’d never open his heart to anyone again. But seeing how he is with you and knowing that even as he’s opened his heart to you, he’s opened it to God once again is such an answer to prayer.” Valerie smiled at her. “Ryker’s love of children and his desire to help them has always been a big part of who he was. That was why what happened in Syria hurt him so badly. The need had been so great, and he had felt helpless in the face of it.

“Seeing my son withdraw from something that had always given him great joy, and that I truly believe was a gift from God, was so hard. You didn’t have to let him into your life, but I’m so glad that you did. Not just because it allowed him to get back in touch with an important part of himself, but because it brought you and Bryson into our lives as well.”

“Ryker is a very special man,” Sophia said. “I could see that from the moment he took the time to help Bryson when he could have said no.”

“I’ll never know why he said yes because he’d been so resistant to being around children, but I’m so grateful to God that he did.” Valerie hesitated a moment then said, “I know about what happened with Callie and Lydia, and I just want to reassure you that you don’t have to worry about any more of that. Callie knows that what she did was wrong, and I think after today, she’ll truly understand what you and Ryker mean to each other.”

“I didn’t want to cause any problems.”

“You didn’t. She manages to cause problems all on her own. Now, enough about that,” Valerie said with a smile. “Let’s get this cake out to Bryson.”

Sophia turned to look at the cake that sat on the counter. It was shaped like a book and had a plastic car on top of it.

“It’s peanut butter and chocolate. I thought he might like the flavor combination.”

“He will love it,” Sophia assured her. “This is awesome.”

With a broad smile, Valerie called for Emery. The little girl climbed up onto a stool at the counter and leaned over, eagerly taking the candles from her grandmother. With her guidance, she stuck them into the cake.

When they were all in place, Valerie lit the candles then had Sophia carry the cake into the dining room. Bryson’s expression of utter joy at the sight made tears spill over again. She couldn’t do anything but let them fall unchecked as she walked around the table to place it in front of him, where he now sat perched on Ryker’s lap.

Silas stood on the other side of the table with an expensive-looking phone aimed at them. Valerie led everyone in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday, then encouraged Bryson to blow the candles out.

When he looked around in confusion, Ryker showed him what to do, and Sophia had so much hope that Ryker would be there with her to guide Bryson through all the lessons of life that still lay ahead for her little boy.

Sitting down on Bryson’s chair, Sophia leaned against Ryker, her cheek pressing against his shoulder. He looked down at her, and everyone around them seemed to fade away as she reached up to cup his cheek much like Bryson had.

She knew that she should maybe wait until it was just the two of them, but she just couldn’t contain how she felt any longer. “I love you.”

With all the noise, she wasn’t sure he had heard her, but then his eyes widened. He moved his arm to slide it