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Tucker smiles at me.
So easy, so . . .
Fuck, I really wish I wasn’t here right now.
I miss Hannah’s house viciously.
“You up for hanging out with them for a bit?”
“Y-yes.” I swallow hard and pretend that stutter didn’t happen.
“Awesome.”
With that same smile on, he gestures for me to walk to the other end of the conference table where the two adorable boys are waiting.
“Guys, this is Sunny. He’s here to meet you and see if you’d like to hang out with him while I’m working.”
I expected their eyes to turn assessingly toward me, so I’m ready for it.
Even though I should be botching this damn interview because I need to call Dr. Natalie right now—and possibly Dr. Nora too—to see if she can prescribe anything for the sudden heart palpitations I’m having.
Screw not liking pills.
I want all the pills.
My body clearly doesn’t give two shits about what I want, it acts on instinct, on years of experience with putting kids at ease.
I crouch down so I’m at their eye level and look at the coloring books they have pressed against their chests.
“What are you drawing?”
One of the boys, the one wearing a red shirt—which I commit to memory because there’s no other way to tell them apart—sends his brother a look, then a quick one to Tucker before taking a tiny step in my direction.
“I’m drawing a car,” he says, voice quiet, but trusting already.
God, he’s precious.
It melts all my useless organs, including my brain.
“What’s your name?” he asks.
“My name’s Sullivan, but everyone calls me Sunny.”
A quick, clearly involuntary giggle escapes the other boy—wearing green.
“That’s a funny name.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask with a teasing smile. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Mason and this is my big brother Maddox, and that’s our biggest brother Tuck. We live with him now and get to play every day.”
There’s so much wonder and happiness in that simple sentence that it somehow breaks and mends my heart at the same time. At least for the moment.
I feel Tucker take two steps away as I turn back to Maddox—red shirt, drawing a car. “So, you like cars, huh? What do you like, Mason?”
I focus on giving each boy equal amounts of attention even while I can hear Hannah going way past the appropriate line on the other side of the room.
I can’t ignore that conversation.
