Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,19

asked, already well familiar with Michael’s coffee machine.

“That sounds great,” Michael said as he cradled Vivianne in his arms.

He got Vivianne’s bottle ready and gave it to Michael before turning his attention to the coffee. Once he had filled a couple of mugs, he set Michael’s on the end table beside his chair.

“What do you know about Sophia and Bryson?” he found himself asking after taking a bite of the snickerdoodle and a sip of coffee.

Michael’s brows drew together. “Why? Do you have some concerns?”

“Not where Vivianne is concerned. There are just some things I’m curious about.”

“Like?”

Ryker considered if he should share his observations. After another bite and sip, he said, “Well, first off, Bryson’s reaction to me—which seemed a bit over the top with fear. He worried every time I left with Vivianne, that he’d never see her again.”

“Yeah. The first few times I saw him, he seemed a little reserved and wary of me too.”

“So do you know anything about their past?”

“Not really,” he said with a shake of his head. “Pastor Evans said that Sophia had just returned to New Hope Falls with her son after being away for several years. Her family still lives here and attends the same church as me.”

“So you know her family?”

“I know of her family, but I don’t know any of them personally. Pastor Evans said that Sophia was looking for a way to earn money while being able to stay home with her son.”

“And you pay her enough for that?” Ryker asked, realizing as soon as the question was out of his mouth, that what Michael paid Sophia wasn’t any of his business.

“I don’t know what her expenses are, but I had asked a few people what a reasonable rate for childcare would be, and when Pastor Evans quoted me what she wanted, it fell in that range. So that’s what I pay her.”

What Ryker had seen of her home made him think that her rent was minimal. The place wasn’t rundown, especially inside, but it had looked small and in need of some TLC, particularly on the exterior.

“So you don’t know anything about what they may have gone through before coming here?”

“Afraid not,” Michael said. “I’ve been a little preoccupied with stuff in my own life, so I haven’t really indulged in much conversation with her.” He paused. “Wow, that sounds really self-centered.”

Ryker chuckled. “I think you can be forgiven right now. Having a baby dropped in your lap when you’re a single man would be disconcerting for most of us.”

Michael eyed him. “But you seemed to know what to do with Vivianne without missing a step.”

“I have had some experience with kids,” he said by way of explanation. “My older brother has two, so I’ve helped out a time or two with them.”

All technically true, but he wasn’t going to divulge more than that. He didn’t want Michael to start looking at him differently when he realized that the man he’d trained to care for yards, do landscaping, and take down trees was actually a pediatrician by profession. Maybe some day he’d tell him, but it wasn’t going to be that day.

“Well, since Vivianne is my only sibling’s first child, I haven’t had a chance to acquire those skills.” Michael leaned his head back against his chair. “But I have a feeling that even if Taylor had had six, I wouldn’t be as comfortable with babies as you are.”

“Guess I’m just a natural,” Ryker said, forcing a laugh. Not that that was a lie. He’d always enjoyed being around kids and taking care of them. “I also babysat as a teenager. One of the only boys in church that parents trusted with their kids.”

“All I did when I was that age was mow grass and shovel snow. Look where I’ve ended up. Following that trajectory, you should have been a teacher or something.”

Ryker shrugged. “Not all of us follow a trajectory that makes sense.”

“True,” Michael said. “Very true.”

Though his thoughts about Sophia and Bryson lingered in the back of Ryker’s mind, he allowed Michael to re-direct the conversation to the business. He understood that while he might have some concerns about the pair, Michael’s concerns would be about the business since he wasn’t able to be as hands on as he usually was.

“I might try and hit a couple of the work sites tomorrow,” Michael said. “Since I’m able to drive, and I’m getting a bit steadier on my crutches, I think I’d like to get back out