Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,54
she wasn’t going to let anything she might feel for him show. Especially since she knew that she’d never be considered a catch by any man she’d actually want to be with.
“Momma!” Bryson called from the living room where he’d gone after he’d finished his job of washing the potatoes. “Ryker’s here.”
“Okay, baby.” She didn’t go into the living room to see for herself, even though her heart rate had picked up ever so slightly at Bryson’s words.
Instead, she stayed in the kitchen, continuing to peel the carrots she still needed to prepare for their meal. She glanced over her shoulder as Bryson came running into the kitchen, going straight to the back door to unlock and open it. He stood in front of the screen door, his fingers pressed to the screen.
Sophia could see his desire to go outside and talk to Ryker, but it was definitely battling against the desire to stay inside where it was safe. She didn’t say anything one way or another. This was a decision he had to make himself.
She was pretty sure that forcing him outside to just stand there in the yard would deepen the intensity of his panic. And so soon after Charlie’s little “joke,” it would only make things even worse.
Still, as she went to the sink to wash her hands, she couldn’t help but look through the window to see Ryker in the shed, removing some tools. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a long-sleeve black T-shirt along with a ball cap.
“He brought flowers, Momma.”
Sophia turned to look at Bryson. “What?”
“He put a box of flowers on the sidewalk at the front.”
Sophia dried her hands on a dishtowel as she walked into the living room. Going to the large picture window, she looked out at the sidewalk. Sure enough, there sat a large flat of flowers in a variety of colors.
She lifted the hand clutching the dishtowel and rested it on the window. Flowers…
What was she supposed to do about that?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Sophia was still standing at the window when Ryker walked around to the front from the back yard. Bryson came running to stand beside her. When Ryker glanced at the window and saw them, he smiled and lifted a hand in greeting.
“Hi, Ryker!” Bryson called.
Ryker’s response was muffled, but Bryson reacted with a little dance beside her.
“He said hi, Momma.”
“Yep, he did.”
Together, they watched as Ryker knelt in front of the flower beds that lined the space right in front of the porch. The height of the porch blocked their view, and while Sophia figured that was a good thing, Bryson didn’t.
“I can’t see what he’d doing, Momma.” He paused, pressing his hands flat against the window. “Can I…can I go outside for a minute?”
“You want to go outside?”
“Just for a minute.” His voice wavered as he spoke. “If you stay with me.”
“Of course, I’ll stay with you.” Sophia tried to keep from sounding as excited as she felt. “Let me just check the food, then we can go outside.”
She hoped that delaying for a couple of minutes wouldn’t give him enough time to change his mind. Maybe his anticipation would grow, and he’d be even more determined to go outside and stay out there for a few minutes.
After she stirred the potatoes and turned the burner under the carrots down, she went back to the living room. Bryson still stood where she’d left him.
“I’m ready,” she said.
When he turned, she could see the apprehension on his little face. She wanted to kiss it away and tell him that everything would be okay. But she’d told him that plenty of times, and it had never made any difference.
Slowly he left the window and approached her. “You’ll stay with me?”
“Of course, baby. I’ll always stay with you.” With a nod, he took the hand she held out, gripping it tightly. “When you want to come back inside, you just tell me.”
She took a deep breath to calm her excitement and let Bryson lead the way to the door. He hesitated again, but then he pressed the handle of the storm door and pushed it open.
Ryker must have heard the door open because he got to his feet. His eyes widened as he spotted Bryson. He glanced at Sophia, and she could see that he was as amazed by this latest turn of events as she was.
“Hey there, Bry,” he said. “Come to see what I’m working on?”
“Yep.” Bryson pulled her cautiously toward the porch railing.