Finally, he made an announcement. “I want the upstairs room.”
“It’s yours.” I found some sort of triumph in that. I had given this kid something. I didn’t know I was capable of giving anything, but the last few weeks had changed that.
Hunter had changed it. Julie had changed it. The bastard who only looked out for himself was suddenly looking out for other people.
The boy took the sack of ragged clothes, ran up the stairs, and started pulling open dresser drawers in one of the chests. Everything was stained or torn. It only took three drawers before the bag was empty. Julie was by my side.
I scratched the back of my head. “What do you say we do some shopping today before I head to practice?”
“Shopping?” Hunted looked more confused than I had ever seen him.
“Yeah. Thought we could fill up that empty closet and dresser with some more clothes. Stuff you can pick out yourself. What do you think?”
I turned when I heard the gasp from Julie.
Did she really think I would let the poor kid walk out of my house dressed like that? I didn’t care what he wore, but I could feel his unease coming off of him in waves. The poor thing was terrified of someone making fun of him or being judged. I’d be damned if I didn’t do anything and everything in my power to make sure that didn’t happen.
Ever again.
She sprang tears more often than a cloud in the middle of April, but fuck if she wasn’t the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my whole fucking life—even when tears flowed from her eyes, or hell maybe because of it. The wetness made her already brilliant eyes sparkle and shine like sapphires.
I wanted to drown in them.
And every single fucking time her bottom lip quivered, it took every damn thing inside of me not to lean forward and capture it between my teeth. I wanted to kiss away all of her pain and then I wanted to bind her to my bed and make her ache in ways she’d never dreamed of before.
Fuck.
What was this chick doing to me?
32
Julie
“Everyone, ready?” Hawk asked, entering the living room.
I could tell Hunter felt out of place, and I wished there was something I could do to help him feel more at home. But the sad fact was that it was going to take all of us time to adjust. This was a huge change for everyone.
I hadn’t processed what this meant for my relationship with Hunter. And I hadn’t even let myself realize what this meant for Hawk and me. We were in this thing together. Co-parenting? Dating? I couldn’t wrap my head around it.
“Yeah I’m starving, how about you, Hunter?” I asked. Hawk and I decided we should get some lunch while we were out shopping.
“Kinda,” he answered, glancing down at the ground.
“Come on,” Hawk prodded. “We’ll get some food and your choice of clothes. I’m driving.” He snatched the keys from the table near the front door.
My heart felt as if it could literally cry right this moment. Every single time I doubted this man and his ability to care for this beautiful little boy he proved me wrong. I glanced back at Hunter and watched as hope lit his eyes. I wondered how long it has been since someone has taken him shopping.
How long had it been since someone bought him a pair of shoes and didn’t just pass along someone else’s hand me downs?
How long since he had underwear and socks that fit his body?
Hunter and I followed Hawk to the elevator and down to the parking garage where his car was parked. I couldn’t stop thinking about all of the things that had happened in the past few weeks. How I had gone from not having any hope to having so much hope it was overwhelming. And yet, I was nervous.
Hawk shuttled us both inside the car.
I was nervous that he wouldn’t get custody. Nervous this was only a dream. Nervous he’d break my heart. That this wasn’t the real man—it was only a temporary fix for the playboy I had met.
I wasn’t a pessimistic person—far from it, but teaching kids who came from nothing, who had nothing, shone a spotlight on the injustice and pain in this world. It was hard to ignore that some of that pain had rooted itself in my heart.