Page 124 of Make Me Trust Again
“I was looking for you yesterday, but you weren’t home! Where did you go?”
“I was in Austin.”
If possible, his eyes grow even wider. “Did you also go to the zoo?”
“Zoo?” My brows pull together at the sudden change of subject. “No, I wasn’t at the zoo.”
Kyle purses his lips. “Bummer. My grandparents took me to the zoo. It was my birthday present.” He grabs my hand and pulls me to the porch; Rose’s gaze is on us as Kyle continues chatting away. “It was so fun. They have all kinds of animals: birds, monkeys, snakes, even lions.” Kyle sits down in the armchair and looks at me, his eyes wide with excitement. “They werehuge. Even bigger than Shadow, and she’s so big.”
Shadow, who’s been following after us, eyes me carefully before she goes to Kyle and licks him in a hello.
“Did you ever see a lion?”
“Have you ever seen a lion?”Rose corrects.“And you shouldn’t be dragging people around, Kyle. Did you ask Chase if he wants to come?”
“He’s here.”Kyle points out, his brows connecting.
“You have to ask people. Just because he was passing by doesn’t mean he can hang out with you. Maybe Chase’s busy.”
Two pairs of sky eyes fix on me.
Kyle tilts his head to the side.“Are you busy?”
I rub the back of my neck. Even if I was busy, there’s no way I can tell either of them no when they’re watching me like that. “Not really.”
That blinding smile is back on Kyle’s face in an instant.“See, Mom? I told you he came to see us. Where is your phone? I want to show Chase the photos Nana took.”
“It’s inside.”
Kyle jumps to his feet and rushes into the house, yelling over his shoulder. “Wait, I’m going to get it.”
Rose shakes her head as she watches him go. “This kid… You can tell him no sometimes, you know?”
I lift my shoulders in a shrug. “It’s fine, I don’t mind.”
Letting out a long breath, I sit down next to her and rest my head against the back of the headrest, closing my eyes for a second.
When I open them again, I find those big blue eyes fixed on me, all of the amusement gone from her face. “Are you okay?”
She lets her hand drop, her little finger links with mine between us. The smallest of touches, and yet, it feels like I can breathe for the first time since I woke up today.
I tighten my hold on her, the truth coming out in a low voice. “Now I am.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, her finger squeezing mine as we just stare at one another. My gaze falls to her mouth. I raise my hand, but before I can touch her, I can feel the floorboards shake with approaching footsteps. I drop my hand just as Kyle appears in the doorway.
“Found it.”
He lifts the phone in victory as he joins us.
“Nana took photos when we were at the zoo,” Kyle explains as he squeezes between Rose and me on the loveseat.
He unlocks her phone, and the image of Rose and Kyle appears on the screen. He looks younger, a football helmet is tucked under his arm, a dirt stain on his cheek. Kyle looks ecstatic, but although Rose is smiling, too, there are unmistakable shadows in her eyes staring back at me from the screen.
“I should change that.” Rose chuckles softly just as Kyle opens the gallery. I glance at her. “We took it last year after Kyle’s team won the championship. He was so happy.”
“Found it.” He pats my leg, his head tilting back, and rests on my chest so he can see me. “Look, there is the lion. He’s so big, and he was so close to us.”
My body freezes slightly as I just stare at him for a moment. I’m not sure what it is about this boy. There’s so much light and happiness packed in that small body. So much trust staring straight at me.
