Page 29 of Welcome to Forever
“Who?”
“The kids. The Seaside vandals?”
Micah glanced around. “No one. Just you.”
“I heard noises. I know they were here. I heard—” She followed his gaze and cursed under her breath at the large dark letters still wet and dripping down the side of the school.
CHANDLER SUCKS.
Nice.
“Here. Let me.” Micah offered her a hand and helped pull her up, waiting to let go until she was steady on her feet, his gaze still heavy on the gash.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked numbly.
“Ben said he left his sketchbook at the picnic table.” He held up a wired notebook. When he did, a folded piece of paper slipped out. He bent to pick it up, his lips pressing into a hard line as he opened the paper and looked at the drawing inside. “Not one of Ben’s.” He handed it over.
Kat studied the poorly drawn stick person sitting inside a wheelchair. The words “dumb” and “ugly” were scrawled across the top. “Who would do this?” she asked, looking up into Micah’s dark eyes.
“I don’t know. But I’m going to go find out,” he said, turning and walking with a mission.
“Wait, I have a better idea.” She stopped following him as pain seared through her leg. “Ow.”
“You sure you’re okay?” he asked, looking back at her. His brows hung low over his eyes, no longer angry, but tilting with concern.
She nodded. “Yeah.”
He walked back toward her and took her arm. “There’s a first aid kit in my Jeep. Let’s get that scrape cleaned up.”
Her body jolted with his touch, and something about his concern made her heartbeat quicken. But he was a Marine. And Sergeant Micah Peterson’s fate could end up being the same as John’s. He could die, and leave her more alone than before she’d met him.
When they reached the Jeep, Micah pointed at Ben. “You and I are having a talk tonight.” Ben’s face paled as he handed him the notebook with the drawing on top. Then he turned back to Kat. “First things first. Sit and give me your leg,” he commanded.
Her blood drained to her toes as his hands closed around her calf and he reached for a first aid kit in the glove compartment. Betraying her, her body grew warm and tingly, though it could have been from loss of blood—she hoped. She didn’t want to like his touch, even if he was only smearing an alcohol wipe on her gashed knee. She didn’t want to find his callused hands intoxicatingly sexy or let her mind wonder how his skin would feel rubbing against other places.
“How’re you doing?” His eyes met hers.
She swallowed the thick knot of pain and bone-melting lust in her throat. “I can’t go to that function with you,” she said, her voice quiet.
He watched her for several long seconds, his grasp still tight on her leg. “You’ve already said yes, Kat.” He reached for a Band-Aid. “You don’t strike me as one of those people who goes back on their word.”
“I’m usually not, but—” She shook her head.
“I normally wouldn’t press, but I really do need a date to this thing.” He placed the Band-Aid neatly on her wound, continuing to watch her. “You sent out an email this morning asking for parent volunteers for this friendship gang you’ve started.”
“Friendship Club,” she corrected. “And, yes, one or two additional adults would help.”
He raised a brow as he released her leg. “I can be your backup.”
This made her smile. He made it sound like the kids were a bunch of criminals instead of misguided students. “Actually, there was something I wanted to talk to you about,” she said. “Ben helped me with the after-school group today.” She glanced over at the third grader in the backseat of Micah’s Jeep. “He was a great helper. I could really use him in the afternoons, and you wouldn’t have to rush to get over here every day. Plus, when you’re doing the lawn, he’s here anyway. Why not have him do something worthwhile?”
“By hanging out with a bunch of delinquents?” Micah gave his head a hard shake. “I’m not sure that’s such a great idea.”
Kat lifted her chin. “I think it’d be good for him.”
Micah studied her. She’d expected that he’d be furious when she suggested the idea, but he actually seemed to be considering it, which surprised her. Ben had enjoyed helping her today, and she’d made sure not to treat him differently than any other kid in the group. She even thought that Ben looked happy out there working with the kids, showing them that he was just like them in more ways than not.
“You would still need another adult. And if I agree to let Ben help, I’ll have a vested interest.” He was staring at her with the intenseness of a soldier watching his target. “I’m off duty in time to be here most days.”
