Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,32
window to watch him leave. Sophia checked on Vivianne, not too surprised to see she was awake. She was awake more often now than when she’d first started watching her.
Scooping her up out of the car seat, Sophia went to sit in the rocker and cuddle her. Bryson came over and kissed the top of Vivianne’s head. “Hey, Vivi.”
Sophia loved to see how Bryson interacted with Vivianne. After everything he’d been through, she was so glad that his core of gentleness was still present. It was too bad that he’d never have siblings.
“Do you want to read her a story?” Sophia asked, knowing the answer before he even gave it.
“Yes!” He went over to his pile of books and picked one out.
When he came back to her, Sophia helped him up into her lap then angled Vivianne so that she could see the book. It was a chilly, gray day outside the house, but inside? She was filled with warmth as she held her little boy and the baby girl they’d come to love.
As Bryson “read” to Vivianne, Sophia considered what Ryker had revealed about Lani and Michael. She wasn’t sure if they’d had a romantic relationship or just a friendship. But regardless, the news of a falling out between them was a sad turn of events.
She still needed to talk to Michael about how he would feel if Mellie came to stay with her for a while. Thinking of the conversation she needed to have made her a bit nervous because it was possible he would decide that he didn’t want that to happen and take Vivianne to another babysitter.
Once Bryson finished his story, he slid off her lap and went to pick up the tablet that Nana had given them. Sophia allowed him to play a couple of children’s games on it that she hoped would help him learn letters and numbers. He was a smart little kid, just a bit behind other children his age because of how he’d been raised.
She was doing everything she could to reverse the damage, but it was hard to not feel an enormous amount of guilt over what had happened.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ryker had hoped he might be able to do more yard work at Sophia’s, but as forecasted, rain started to fall as they were finishing up their last job in the middle of the afternoon. Resigned to the fact that it would have to wait for another day, he headed to Sophia’s place to pick up Vivianne.
He was pretty beat, so his plan was to not linger too long at Sophia’s. Both he and Michael had had fractured sleep since Vivianne had woken several times through the night. Though Michael had insisted that he would be okay caring for the baby on his own, Ryker hadn’t been sure that would be the case, which was why he’d spent the previous night at Michael’s place now that Lani wasn’t watching Vivianne at night.
After he came to a stop in front of Sophia’s house, he sat for a moment in the truck, not sure he wanted to get wet again. It had been a damp and chilly day, and he was looking forward to a hot shower.
Finally, he climbed out, tugging the hood of his waterproof windbreaker into place. Jogging up the sidewalk to the house, he was glad to reach the shelter of the porch.
“You look a little cold,” Sophia said as she let him in.
“Cold and wet,” he agreed, not moving further into the house since he didn’t plan to stay.
The interior of Sophia’s home was warm, and it smelled like they’d been baking again. It was probably greedy to hope that there was a Ziploc baggie with a few cookies in it waiting for him.
“Do you want cookies, Ryker?” Bryson asked.
Score! “I’d love cookies, buddy. Did you make them with your mom?”
“Yep. This time we made…” He looked at Sophia.
“Oatmeal cookies. Half with raisins for Nana, and half with chocolate chips for us.”
“Do you want the raisin ones or the chocolate chip ones?”
“I have to say I’m a little partial to the chocolate chip ones,” Ryker said.
“Can I go get them, Momma?”
“Yep. Go ahead.”
Bryson darted away but reappeared not even a minute later with a bag in hand. “Is this the right one, Momma?” He lifted it up for her to inspect.
“It is, baby. Good job.”
“Here you go, Ryker.” Bryson held them out to him. “Hope you like them. They’re yummy.”