Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,21

understood why he felt the way he did, but she needed him to learn to be a bit more independent. How she was going to achieve that, she didn’t know.

“How about if I ask Madelyn to come over?” she asked, already knowing his reaction.

His eyes grew big as he shook his head more aggressively. “She’s too…noisy.”

That was definitely true. Whether she was in the midst of their big family or with just one person, she was loud. It was like she had no volume control.

She could ask her youngest brother to come over and mow, but getting the teen off his game console or phone was nearly impossible, if her parents were to be believed. He’d also probably want more money than she could afford to pay him. Madelyn would have wanted money too, if she’d come over to watch Bryson.

Frustrated, she decided to just let it go for the time being. She knew she was going to have to figure something out soon, though, or they’d be living in a jungle. Then insects would be the least of Bryson’s worries…

“Let’s go see Nana,” she said instead.

Nana greeted them enthusiastically when they walked into her room a short time later, and happily relieved Bryson of the container of cookies he carried. Sophia sank into her chair with a sigh, watching as Bryson clambered up on his seat and pulled the coloring book and crayons closer.

“You doing okay, sweetheart?” Nana asked, a frown creasing her brow. “You look tired.”

“I am,” she admitted. “Bryson had a rough night last night, so we were both up a lot. He took a nap, but since I had Vivianne, I didn’t feel like I should.”

“I’ll pray you sleep better tonight.” Nana patted her hand. “Both of you.”

“Thanks.”

Nana turned her attention to Bryson when he wanted her to look at the picture he’d chosen to color. He began to talk to her about what he’d been doing, chatting even more than usual.

During their other visits, he would talk to Nana, but usually he focused on his coloring while she and Nana talked. This time, however, when Nana asked him a question, he answered it, then volunteered more information about what had been going on.

“Who is this Ryker that Bryson keeps talking about?” Nana asked.

“Hmm?”

Nana’s brows lifted. “Ryker. Who is he?”

“Oh. He’s the man who’s been picking up Vivianne since Michael broke his leg.”

“I thought Bryson was scared of him.”

“He was,” Sophia agreed, then went on to explain what had happened.

“Sounds like the boy has taken a bit of a shine to him now,” Nana observed. “From fear to adoration? It would take a pretty special guy to help a little fella change like that.”

Sophia happened to think the same, but she didn’t say so, afraid that Nana would read something into it when she shouldn’t. Instead, she just shrugged.

She wasn’t sure she’d ever be able to trust her own judgment where men were concerned, which was why she would never look at Ryker as someone special except in relation to how he treated Bryson. However, she would always be grateful that Ryker had found a way to help Bryson with his fear.

She wondered if Bryson warming up to Ryker the way he had might spill over into how he related to his grandpa and uncles. She was also glad that he wasn’t riddled with worry and anxiety about Vivianne leaving with Ryker each evening now, and she really hoped that maybe the experience would help Bryson deal with his other fears.

But regardless, what Ryker had done for Bryson was worth a whole lot to her. She’d never be able to thank him enough for that.

CHAPTER FIVE

A couple evenings later, Sophia tried to get Bryson to stay with Nana for just an hour so that she could tackle the ever-growing jungle at the house. Unfortunately, he wasn’t willing to consider that, even though he probably trusted Nana more than any other person aside from Sophia.

She knew that his clinginess was a result of their experiences. Of him being taken away from her when he was barely a toddler. The memory of that crept in every time she considered trying to force him to be away from her even for a little while. He didn’t know that it would only be for a short time. In his mind, it was possible his momma’s absence could stretch on for much longer like it had in the compound.

So Sophia was forced to accept that the grass would continue to grow