Page 47 of Make Me Trust Again
I hand him the machine, eyeing him to make sure he’s holding it properly before I grab the door and put it in place. Kyle picks up a screw, and I instruct him on how to place it before he screws it in place.
He looks up, a big grin on his mouth. “That’s so cool. Can I do another one?”
“Go ahead.”
His tongue peeks from the side of his mouth in concentration as I hold the next door for him. And for a kid that probably just started school, he’s really good at it, too. We’ve finished before I even realize it.
“Do you need to screw anything else?”
The corner of my mouth twitches upward. “Not now, but I know who to call when I do.”
He sighs dramatically, handing me back the machine, and I put it in the box.
“At least now I know how I can help Mom in the future.”
I turn to face him. The happy attitude is gone, his gaze goes distant for a moment, and I can feel my shoulders tense at the dark expression in his eyes.
He blinks it away, his gaze coming into focus.
“Didn’t your dad help?” The words are out before I can think them through.
It’s none of my business. There is no reason for me to meddle. God knows I don’t want people to poke their noses in my life, but I can’t just ignore the change in him. No kid should have to worry about how to help his mom with fixing their house, for God’s sake, especially when his father’s right there.
Kyle shakes his head and shrugs. “Dad’s not around much.”
My jaw clenches at his words, the way he’s trying to seem like he’s unbothered, but there is no missing the hurt in his eyes.
Shadow joins us, her body brushing against Kyle’s. He leans down and sinks his fingers into her fur, his face burrowing into her neck. Shadow licks his ear, and Kyle chuckles, just when a loud growl spreads through the room.
The growl that didn’t come from an animal, but from a boy sitting on the floor. Apparently, a very hungry boy.
The corner of his mouth lifts in a half smile. “Oops, that’s my belly.”
My eyes dart to the windows and the darkening sky, my brows pulling together. It was getting late. Not just that, a quick look at my phone confirms itislate. It’s almost eight, and Rose isn’t here. Something about that thought had my shoulders tensing.
Rose should have picked him up by now.
I glance at Kyle, who’s just tossing a ball to Shadow. He must feel my gaze because he turns to me.
“Does your mom know you’re here?”
Kyle shakes his head. “Mom was sleeping when I left, so I didn’t want to wake her up.”
I start to turn around toward the window once again, but his words have me pausing.
Rose was sleeping?
She doesn’t seem like a woman who takes naps, especially not when her son’s around. And to sleep past dinner time? The same woman who marched over here, worried out of her mind when she couldn’t find her son playing in their backyard the other day?
Yeah, I’d think not.
Something isn’t right here.
I look out the window once again, trying to see if I’ll spot the light coming from the cottage, but there is only darkness.
Cursing under my breath, I turn around, only to find Kyle standing there, a worried expression on his face.
Maybe he can’t hear, but he has no problem reading the tension radiating off of me.
