Page 41 of Make Me Trust Again
Becky chuckles softly. “That’s how it usually feels when all the kids come around. How are you doing?”
“Good.” I tuck a runaway strand behind my ear. “No complaints on my coffee so far, so I’ll take it as a good sign.”
Just then, the doorbell rings again, drawing our attention.
“Be careful,” Savannah warns as she holds the door open so Levi can push the stroller into the café.
“I’ve got it, Mom.”
There is a look of pure concentration on his face as he maneuvers the stroller, making sure he doesn’t hit anything.
“Look at you go.” Becky smiles at Levi as they come to the counter. “Wanna come and take care of Jackson for me as well?”
“No, I have to take care of Pop-Tart.” Levi giggles, his glance darting to me. “Is Kyle here?”
“Not this time.”
“Bummer, I guess it’s just Poppy and me.”
“She’s one lucky girl to have such a good big brother.” Becky winks at him.
Levi’s chest puffs out with pride. Savannah stops behind him, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “The best big brother.”
The smile on that boy’s face is so big, it’s almost blinding. Savannah ruffles his hair playfully, and he leans his head back. “I’ll tell Daniel you said so. He thinks Poppy likes him the best, but he’s wrong.”
“Poppy loves you both very much.”
“But I’mthe best.”
He slips from her embrace and plops down on his knees so he’s at the same level as his sister, taking her hands in his. “Right, Pop-Tart? Wanna go and read books with me?”
The little girl grins at him and smacks her hands and feet against the stroller, making babbling noises. Levi leans closer and kisses her on the cheek before unbuckling her from the stroller and picking her up into his arms. “I’ve gotcha, Pop-Tart. Let’s go pick out the book we’ll read.”
“I’ll be there in a bit,” Savannah calls out, keeping an eye on him as the two of them disappear out back.
“He’s so good with her.” Becky sighs happily, just as the machine beeps.
“He is. They all are.” A wistful smile spreads over Savannah’s face as she leans against the barstool. “I couldn’t have asked for a better family for my little girl.”
Longing and envy clash inside me, but I push them back.
If you didn’t know it, you’d never think that Savannah wasn’t Levi and Daniel’s biological mother. That woman loves those boys like they are her own, and the feeling is mutual.
Will I ever find somebody like that? Somebody who’ll love Kyle and me just the way we are? Somebody like Chase.
The image of my smiling son standing next to our broody neighbor pops into my mind, throwing me off guard.
What the hell am I thinking? Somebody like Chase? The man is as surly as they come. Besides, I’m in no place to be thinking about something like that. For God’s sake, my divorce isn’t even finalized, and at this rate, I’m worried it never will be.
And yet, there is no denying that my shy son felt comfortable enough to approach him. Not just that, he wassmilingaround him, not in the least bit fazed by Chase’s silent, broody attitude.
“You want your go-to, Sav?” Rebecca’s question snaps me out of my thoughts, reminding me I should be working.
“Yes, please. God, I need coffee.”
I start to reach for the cup, but Rebecca waves me off.
“It’s fine.” She wiggles her brows at Savannah. “Who’s keeping you up? Baby or daddy?”
