“It's hard to tell in the photo, but that’s a dinosaur on his shirt. His name is Peter.”
“Got it. Do you think he went back to the playground?”
“Maybe, but my brother-in-law went that way. I was given this middle area to search.” I start walking, and he steps inbeside me. It feels good to have his eyes on the task too.
We’ve been searching for five minutes or so, but it feels like so much longer. Alexander Henry touching my back or shoulder every once in a while, as if to say, “I’m here, we’ll find him.” It helps keep me calm until I let my thoughts run wild with the passage of so much time. I stop walking and check my phone for a missed call. Nothing. My breathing becomes rapid, and a tear escapes my eye. I see Alexander Henry reach, as if he were going to wipe the tear from my cheek, but he stops himself.
“Oh no. None of this. We’ll find him, or his parents will. Kidnappings are rare.”
“But they happen.” My bottom lip trembles, briefly drawing his attention.
“Come here.” He opens his arms, and despite him being a stranger, I step into them, needing a few seconds of calm.
He soothes me with his hands against my upper back, the pressure of his arms around me, and the cadence of his words as he reassures me. I take a deep breath as I step back from this surprising man.
“Thank you.”
He nods. “Ready to resume looking?”
“Yes.”
We’ve been back looking and calling for Peter for less than a minute when Alexander nudges my arm and points towardthe group of boys playing soccer. “Is that him?”
Relief like I’ve never felt washes over me. I had missed him when I had looked before. “Yes,” I say as I turn, resting my forehead on Alexander Henry’s shoulder while I take a deep breath to collect myself. I don’t want to go over there and lash out at my nephew. I’m sure he didn’t mean to cause the worry that he did. He saw a soccer ball and had to make friends with the kids playing with it. He needs to understand the problem with what happened, but I’ll leave that to his parents.
I lift my head from Alexander Henry’s shoulder, deciding to call Val before going to collect Peter. The movie star is giving me a bit of a funny, yet still friendly, look. I suppose it is really weird that I had my head on him. Of course, he did hug me earlier. It can’t be that weird.
“I found him. Come to the grass area.” I end the call on Val’s relieved sob and turn to Peter’s true finder. I stare up at him for a moment. “Thank you for helping me.”
“I was glad to.” He looks at me like I’m a puzzle, pausing to look at my hair. I’m sure my wild curls have done nothing to help my crazy-lady appearance.
“I promise I haven’t just escaped from an insane asylum."
“I wasn’t thinking that, but now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m sure that’s exactly what you’ve done.” He looks entirely serious. Those acting skills are coming in handy.
I grin up at him, and I swear his pupils dilate. “I bet youregret going for a walk today now that you know the truth.”
“Oh yes. I’ll be riddled with regret for years to come.”
“Good. I like to make a lasting impression.” I glance over to make sure Peter is still playing soccer. Football.
His fingertips touch my jaw, gently urging my gaze back toward his. His voice is low when he speaks. “You’ve definitely made a lasting impression on me.”
I swallow and stare up at Alexander Henry for a moment. “I … umm … thank you. I’m going to go get Peter.”
“Okay.”
I smile like this was it—all that was to be for Alexander Henry and me—and walk toward my nephew. Only, it isn’t long before I hear footsteps jogging behind me once again.
7
Alexander
Ihangbackwatchingthe reunion of Peter and his parents. I could have left. Maybe I should have, but there is just something intriguing about this woman whose name I haven’t even gotten. Her hair is a dozen different colors, ranging from rich brown to gold, with her wild curls really showing off in the sunshine. Then there were her pale green eyes when she first really looked at me. They were captivating and best of all, they didn’t show a hint of recognition. To be fair, she was in the middle of something pretty important, but still.
She looks over her shoulder and finds me watching. I smile because I have no shame. She walks over to me, and I take the opportunity to check her out, starting with her white sneakers, moving up over her sage green sundress, finally landing on herbeautiful face. She’s giving me a crooked smile and shaking her head.
“I saw that,” she says as she reaches my side.
