Healing Hearts (New Hope Falls #6) - Kimberly Rae Jordan Page 0,68
out of his shell, he was drawing the boy to himself.
He owed Sophia an apology. Both for allowing such a closeness to develop between them and then for backing away.
Maybe the reason Callie told him he was stupid sometimes was because he really could be. Of course, he hadn’t ever been in this sort of situation before. Any kids he’d come in contact with prior to his trip to Syria had been patients during his residency or the children of family or friends.
“I think I may have messed up,” Ryker murmured, as if saying it any louder would carry the words straight to Callie’s ears so she could use them against him.
Rather than comment on what he said, Michael shifted Vivianne to his shoulder, rubbing her back when she began to fuss.
“I thought I was doing the right thing, but I think I went about it the wrong way.”
He had approached Bryson using his previous experience with scared young patients in order to put him at ease, but it was clear from the start that Sophia and Bryson hadn’t viewed him as a doctor. And why should they have? They didn’t know his background.
“Well, there’s no reason you can’t try and make things right,” Michael said.
“Except I think I should still keep my distance.” Ryker set his empty plate on the couch beside him. “I should just never have gotten as close to them as I did.”
“Do you think that Bryson would read something into you being around? Like is he going to ask if you’re his mom’s boyfriend?”
Ryker really didn’t think that would happen. At least, not yet. If Bryson and Sophia really had come out of a cult, the boy might not even know what a boyfriend was. But that would change at some point. Especially once he started going to school.
“I think maybe I just need to tell him I’ll be back once a week to do yard work. That way, he knows I’ll be back, but I won’t be there are much as I have been.” Ryker grimaced. “It’s probably what I should have done in the first place.”
“Live and learn, my friend,” Michael said with a smile. “I’ll probably be doing plenty of that in the years to come, so I’m glad to have you trailblazing.”
Ryker got up and went to the table. “Want some more pizza?”
“Sure.”
After Ryker gave him a couple more slices, he got them both a couple of cans of pop from the fridge. “Want me to lay her down?”
“That would be great,” Michael said as he lowered Vivianne from his shoulder.
Ryker scooped her up then settled her into the bassinet that sat beside Michael’s chair. She wasn’t asleep, so he turned on the mobile that hung above her.
Thankfully, they didn’t return to the subject of Sophia and Bryson. Instead, they discussed some work issues ahead of the meeting they were having with all the employees the next day. The meetings were only held once a month, but they gave the employees a chance to air their concerns and hear any concerns that he and Michael might have.
Once they were done talking about the meeting, Ryker decided he should head for home. He put Michael’s pizza into the fridge then, after saying goodnight, took his own box out to his truck.
As he drove to his apartment, he debated what he should say to Sophia. It had been almost a week since he’d been there, so maybe he should just see if it was okay for him to drop by the next day, then talk to her about his plan moving forward.
He’d just pulled into his parking spot at the apartment building when his phone chirped. Thinking it was probably his mom, Ryker climbed out of the truck and grabbed his pizza box, leaving the text to check until he was climbing the stairs to his third-floor apartment.
Sophia: Thank you for paying for our pizza. You didn’t need to do that.
Ryker came to a stop mid-way up the flight of stairs as he read her message. Given what he and Michael had discussed earlier, he’d needed to do that and so much more.
You’re welcome. I hope Bryson liked it.
Sophia: He did and so did Nana. We went to the care home to have dinner with her.
Ryker smiled as he imagined Bryson and his great-grandmother sharing a pizza. Slowly he began to walk up the stairs again, using his thumb to tap out a reply.