of warmth in the center of my chest. “I’m sorry your mom wasn’t there for you. And you’re right; I’m not going to let what she said get me down.” Her arms tightened around me. “Thanks for sticking up for me today. It means a lot.”
Holy moly, wow. My free arm slowly wound around her back, bringing her closer. I tipped my chin, resting it on top of her head, taking in the scent of her apple shampoo.
From my periphery, I could see Charles was staring at us—this look of wonder, awe even.
My cheek pressed against the softness of her hair, and I let out a low breath. “I say, we go to her house and TP it or wear a scary mask and stalk her outside her window.” My tone was light, but crap, I meant every word.
The giggle that fell from Sarah’s lips lightened my insides.
“Before this conversation falls to the dark side, let’s go.” Charles tipped his chin toward the door. “We can head to the park or go home and watch a movie.”
“Or we can go to Jennifer O’Neal’s house,” Sarah piped up, wiggling out of my hands. Her eyes shone with an inner glow, a calm that hadn’t been there earlier, and I was glad that some of that ease had to do with me.
I stood first, ready to leave and move on from the Jennifer O’Neal debacle. Sarah followed, linking her arm through mine, and my heart damn near exploded.
We ended up at the park, Charles and me sitting on a bench, watching the girls on the swings. The light breeze and early fall sun warmed me all over. I didn’t remember going to the park much when I was younger. I remembered watching a lot of television, being home a lot, and learning how to use the microwave at a very young age.
So, watching the girls jump from the swing and run from the monkey bars to the slide to do their self-made obstacle course gave me joy.
Charles bumped his shoulder against mine, breaking me from my thoughts. “Hey.”
I smiled up at him. “Hey.”
“Have you ever nannied before for kids? I mean, you mentioned that you watched that older kid before Patty’s mom, but have you ever watched younger kids, or were you around them a lot?”
I shook my head. “No. Why?”
His eyes flickered back to the girls, and a light smile touched his lips. “You could have fooled me. You handled that so well back there. Well, at the ice cream place. At the school …” He glanced down and let out a low laugh. “You have a temper on you, Miss Becky.”
I couldn’t deny that. After you’d been pushed and shoved and pushed some more for so long, you eventually snapped.
Just reliving the day and seeing Sarah’s sullen face when I had walked into the principal’s office tore at my insides. “I’m used to people like Jennifer. I’ve encountered them all my life—when I was younger and”—I took a long pause—“even when I was older.” My eyes moved to the girls. “I remember feeling helpless and angry. Just seeing Sarah sitting there, feeling as though she was guilty for something other than sticking up for herself, made me so …” I searched the air, trying to look for a word that would describe my anger and agitation and frustration at the principal for not even reprimanding the other kid. I came up short. “Mad!”
He laughed again and placed his hand on my arm. “I’m jealous, quite honestly.”
“Of my anger management issues?”
Humor danced in his eyes. “No. Of your ability to just connect with Sarah that way.”
“What way?”
“In a way that Natalie connected with her, in a way that sometimes Mason can connect with her. What she’s missing is that motherly touch.” His eyes teetered back to the girls, the smile slipping from his face.
I smirked. “Are you saying Mason has that motherly touch?”
We both laughed, and I savored the deep sound of his voice, a real, honest-to-goodness laugh.
Charles kicked the mulch on the ground, his stare firmly planted on his children on the swings. “Natalie always had a way of digging under the surface. As you know, Sarah is an introverted kid. She analyzes things a lot. Sometimes, I try to talk to her when I know something is bothering her, but she clams up.” He rubbed one hand against his jaw. “I wish I could click with her in a way that you did today. Where she’d just open up