“Yes, I know,” Kit answered mildly, turning from Savannah after only a slight hesitation. “And what’s your name?”
“I’m Michael. Michael McBride.”
The boy’s face was flushed, his hair tumbling haphazardly over his forehead. Savannah hadn’t seen her son looking so flustered since—well, ever, she thought ruefully.
Kit held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Michael.”
Michael shook Kit’s hand almost reverently, then blurted, “What are you doing here?”
“Michael.” Savannah shook her head in response to his lack of manners. She didn’t want him to forget that he was still in serious trouble, but she wouldn’t embarrass him further in front of his hero, she decided. She and her son would have their talk after Kit left.
“I’m a new friend of your mom’s. I just stopped in to say hello while I was in the area.”
“Oh, man. You’re, like, my favorite writer ever. I just finished reading Code of Thieves. It was great”
“Thank you. It’s always nice to meet someone who enjoys my books.”
“So, could you, like, sign it for me or something?”
Kit promptly reached inside his jacket and pulled out a pen. “I’d be glad to.”
“Oh, man.” Michael looked delirious with pleasure.
Kit scribbled something in the book, signed his name with a flourish and handed it to Michael, who thanked him fervently.
“You’re welcome,” Kit replied. “It’s been very nice to meet you, Michael. I know your mother must be very proud of you.”
Michael flushed, glanced quickly at his mother, then down at his feet, and mumbled something unintelligible.
“Yes,” Savannah said firmly, “I’m very proud of both my children. They’re good kids. They just need to learn to choose their friends a bit more carefully.”
Michael’s gulp was audible.
Kit shook his head and chuckled. “The worst trouble I ever got into was when I let a guy who was supposed to be my best friend talk me into doing something stupid. Nearly got us both killed. After we were rescued, I thought my dad was going to finish the job. Fortunately, he just grounded me for a month and made me work my punishment off in his hardware shop.”
Michael looked up at Kit through his lashes. “That really happened?”
Kit nodded sympathetically. “Sure did. I knew it was a dumb thing to do, but I didn’t want my friends to think I was chicken. I learned my lesson that time, though. Haven’t you noticed that in my books, I often have basically decent guys go bad because they haven’t learned to stand up for what they know is right when they’re pressured to do something wrong?”
Michael nodded slowly. “Like Deke Irons in Code of Vengeance.”
“Exactly.” Kit looked pleased that the boy had taken his point
Michael looked thoughtful for a moment, then glanced at his mother again before turning back to Kit “You were grounded for a whole month?”
Kit nodded gravely. “I didn’t like it, of course, but even then I knew it was better than being in juvenile detention. Or dead,” he added. “Remind me sometime, and I’ll tell you the whole story. When I’m finished, you’ll probably agree that I really got off easier than I deserved.”
“I’d like to hear it,” Michael agreed eagerly.
“Not tonight,” Savannah said, deciding it was time to intercede. “It’s getting late, Michael. Go back upstairs and get ready for bed. I’ll be up soon.”
Like his sister, Michael knew when arguing would get him nowhere. He probably realized he’d pressed his luck as far as it would go. He shook Kit’s hand, said he hoped to see him again soon, and left the room, looking back over his shoulder until he was out of sight
“What did you let your friend talk you into?” Savannah asked Kit curiously.
His smile was sheepish. “Playing chicken with a freight train. My shoe got caught under the rail. If I hadn’t been able to get out of my sneaker at the last minute, I’d have been killed.”
“Oh, my God.” Savannah wished now that she hadn’t asked. The thought of her son doing anything that stupid was enough to make her want to lock him in his room until he turned thirty.