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I knew that voice.
And it took everything in me not to respond with my fists.
I forced myself to turn around and saw Jimmy watching me with smug amusement from the doorway. There was little satisfaction in watching him take a step backward when I stepped forward.
“Jimmy, what are you doing?” a woman snapped from behind him. I recognized her as Jimmy’s mother. She was holding onto her husband’s arm as he escorted her up the steps.
Jimmy had no choice but to step into the foyer to let his parents pass. His eyes shifted from me to the very full living room.
Yeah, asshole. They’re the only thing keeping me from kicking your ass.
“You,” Edith Cornell said in surprise when she entered the house and spied me. Then her eyes narrowed. “You and your lies got my Jimmy fired,” she bit out.
“Edith,” her husband began as he tried to pull her toward the next room, but she resisted.
“My daughter works for a lawyer,” she announced.
I ignored the urge to smile at the empty threat. Instead, I motioned to her coat.
“Don’t you dare try to touch me,” she said, her voice carrying to the next room.
“He wants your coat, dear,” her husband said. He shrugged off his coat and handed it to me with a polite nod before helping his wife with hers. She huffed and muttered something under her breath about how she knew I’d been trouble from the first time she’d met me, then went to the living room to greet people. I took the coat from her husband.
“How’s your bear?” Jimmy asked softly, his lips pulling into a sneer.
I barely managed not to grab him. He took off his coat and handed it to me, but right when I was about to close my fingers around it, he dropped it. Then he walked away.
Nolan needs you, I reminded myself. Keep it together for him.
I stuffed the coats into the closet and waited for the next group of people who were already making their way up the walkway. Another ten minutes passed before the traffic slowed. I was just in the process of putting the last of the coats in the closet when I heard a loud crash.
I rushed into the living room. My breath caught at the sight of Nolan lying on the floor. There was a silver platter on the floor next to him and deviled eggs everywhere. On the carpet, on him.
And fucking Jimmy Cornell was standing right by the doorway leading to the kitchen, his hand covering his mouth as he unsuccessfully tried to stifle a laugh.
I had my hands fisted and was striding toward Jimmy when Nolan let out a soft sob. Pain ripped through my chest as Nolan curled himself into a ball and began sobbing hysterically. The room was utterly silent as Nolan cried, and I wanted to beat the shit out of every single person there when not one of them made a move to help him.
I rushed to his side and dropped to my knees. He didn’t even acknowledge me as I pulled him against my chest. His fingers curled into the lapels of my jacket as he just let go. His tears instantly soaked through the fabric of my shirt.
I wanted so badly to tell him he was okay, that I was there and I wasn’t letting go, but I was helpless to do anything but hold him. I kissed the top of his head, his temple, anywhere I could reach as he clung to me. I didn’t give a shit who was watching – it was just him and me. I kept brushing my lips over his head and then I made the only sound I could.
I whistled softly to him as I cradled him against my chest.
But I didn’t just randomly whistle.
No, I whistled the one song I hoped he’d hear.
The song he’d been playing for Gentry over and over to show the traumatized bear that he wasn’t alone.
Nolan’s sobs quieted a bit, but I kept up the whistling.
“Nolan?” I heard his mother cry. “Nolan!” she said again, her voice high and wrought with concern as she dropped to her knees next to me, not caring about the mashed-up deviled eggs all over the place.
“Yep, Grungy Grainger is definitely home,” I heard Jimmy say under his breath with a laugh.
If Nolan hadn’t needed me more in that moment, I would have put my hands around Jimmy’s throat and not let go, consequences be damned.
But it turned out that I didn’t have to.
With unprecedented grace, Nolan’s mother climbed to her feet. She turned around to face Jimmy and then calmly walked up to him. Jimmy had the sense to stop laughing.
About three seconds before Helen Grainger’s palm cracked against his cheek.
Jimmy’s head snapped to the right, but the second he straightened to look at Nolan’s mother again, she slapped him again.
