Page 89 of Coveted Justice

“Some kids who have had to take care of their younger siblings end up not wanting their own kids because they’ve already been a sort of parent.”

“That’s not me,” he declared with a shake of his head. “I’ve never resented Sami for needing me. It wasn’t her fault.”

“She was lucky to have you.”

“I was lucky to have her. Because she needed me to take care of her, it kept me grounded. Made me think about things. Lots of kids go the other way. I could have been one of them.”

“No, you wouldn’t have been. You’re too smart.”

“Ask your dad or my dad about smart criminals. Wade Bryson wasn’t stupid.”

“He was crazy. He thought the Bryson family was a curse and needed to be wiped out.”

“Along with anyone and everyone in his path,” Josh said. “Anyway, I know that I want a big family. I want to give something back.”

She fiddled with her fork, her gaze on the table.

“It must have been awful. Living like that.”

“It’s…stressful. Lots of worrying,” he said after a long pause. “I worried about grown-up things before I was even twelve, but I had Sami and we were there for each other. It was totally worth it.”

“And then Aunt Kaylee and Uncle Reed adopted you both,” Amanda said with a smile. “A happy ending.”

“A happy beginning,” he corrected. “In a way, I’ve had two lives. One before and one after. You know, my mom and dad were not looking for a teenager to adopt. They wanted Sami, and at first, they didn’t know about me. I told Sami that it was okay for her to be adopted and not me.”

Amanda’s throat clogged with emotion. He would have been willing to give up his sister so that she would have a better life.

“I know your parents love you. It’s easy to see. They’re so proud of you.”

“Your parents are proud of you, too,” he said. “You should hear your dad going on and on about you.”

“I’m pretty proud of him. That’s why this campaign has been so hard. I’m sick and tired of hearing Arnold Hudson say nasty things about my dad.”

“Fuck Arnold Hudson,” Josh said bluntly. “His opinion doesn’t add up to a pile of spit. He’s a crook and a con man.”

“Yes, he is. And he just might end up being the next governor of this state.”

“There are forty-nine others,” Josh pointed out. “But I think your dad is going to win. I don’t know why because the polls are showing a tight race with Hudson having the edge, but I just feel it deep down that Uncle Tanner is going to pull it out.”

“I hope you’re right.”

The pizza arrived and they dug in, both of them hungry. There was nothing left but a few pieces of crust when they were done. It felt a bit strange eating with so much gusto in front of Josh. Normally, she wouldn’t have cared but this was different. Would he judge her for wanting to split the last slice with him? It was far too late, though. He’d seen her work her way through bigger meals than this one. If she’d ordered a small salad, he wouldn’t be fooled.

When the check came, she automatically reached into her purse for her wallet. She and Josh had always paid for themselves in the past, but he grabbed the bill and placed his credit card down on it. He’d already paid for the movie tickets because he’d bought them online ahead of time. She’d managed to pay for the snacks although he’d had his wallet out.

“I’ve got this.”

“You don’t have—“

“I’ve got this,” he repeated. “It’s a date, and I asked you out. So I’m getting the check.”

Her hand hovered over her wallet. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. In her experience, she’d paid her way on a date.

“If it makes you feel any better, we can call it an early birthday present,” he said, seeing her quandary. “Would that make it alright?”

“Then thank you,” she said, not wanting to seem ungrateful. “This was a really delicious dinner.”

“It was just pizza.”

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