Page 80 of Love Me Boldly

I should have left sooner, but once Jonah got started on something, it was hard to get him to redirect. Also, there was a part of me who enjoyed watching him light up talking about something he enjoyed with a man who understood it. I was trying to learn and definitely knew more than I did in those few games I saw in college, but there were some things that I still couldn’t help him with.

And God bless the person who ever sawmeon a pair of ice skates. After the first few attempts of trying to teach Graham to skate, I gave up and put him in lessons. I spent more time falling and sliding than Graham, and he’d been three.

“We’re going home,” I said. It was the one place where he couldn’t follow, unless he’d done more stalking. Someone in town would tell him what neighborhood I lived in.

“We are?” Jonah whined. “I wanted to see Paul. Ormaybe, Mr. Graham could take me skating?”

His eyes lit up with excitement. I sucked in a breath.Thiswas why I didn’t want Graham here. Jonah would latch on to him, Graham would someday leave, and then my boy would know the pain of watching someone you care about walk away.

Graham watched me like he saw every fear flicker through my brain and gave Jonah a soft smile. “Maybe another day, Jonah. I have to head back home today.”

“You’releaving?” Jonah cried.

“Oh darn,” I quipped. “So soon?” I snapped my fingers together in anaw-shucksgesture.

Graham’s chest shook with laughter, something that wasn’t hard to miss since his shirt could have been painted on to him.

“Don’t get too disappointed. I only packed for camp. I’m heading home to grab clothes and work things.”

Shoot. I should have already considered that.

“But you’ll be back, right, Mr. Graham? And then you can take me skating and help me?” Jonah’s tone was so pleading even as his little chin wobbled. He’d been around Graham for a few hours, and already he was getting attached.

I couldn’t bring myself to stop it even seeing the ending play out.

“Of course. As soon as it’s okay with your mom. Just not today.”

“All right.” His shoulders slumped, and he glanced up at me. “Can I go back to the park?”

“Look for cars and stay where I can see you.” The park was right across the empty street, less than fifty yards away.

“Sweet!” He held out his tiny fist to Graham, who returned the fist pump and then took off running.

“Cars!” I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth before he could run into the street.

He pulled to an abrupt stop at the curb, looked back at me, grinned and waved, and then looked both ways. My eyes followed the movement, and once he was across the road safely, I turned back to Graham. “I don’t want you here.”

“I plan to change your mind. We still have things to talk about, and until you can give me a few hours to do that, I have no plans to leave.”

“And if I give you that time?”

“I intend to use every second to convince you that taking a chance on me isn’t a risk.”

He was so cocky, so sure of himself. It irritated me and drew me in with equal measure. He’d always done that to me. Made my head spin and made my feet feel firmly planted and secure.

I had my eyes on Jonah at the park and didn’tdarelook at Graham to see the smirk he’d proudly wear.

“When?” I finally muttered. Best to get this conversation done and out of the way.

“When’s the slowest night at work, or when can you get away?”

It was Saturday, by far our busiest day.

“Tomorrow,” I admitted. Maybe Graham would give up this foolish notion that he could find all those missing puzzle pieces from years ago and make us fit.

“Tomorrow then.” He grabbed his keys from his pocket and spun the ring around his thumb. “And do me a favor?”

“I thought I already was.”

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