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Wow. I had a rough idea how much Paths took in. A few months worth of donations was in the millions.
She pointed with her head toward the kids sitting on the floor. “They’re waiting.”
“Ap-ple juice. Ap-ple juice.”
I laughed as the children chanted. We’d spent an hour at the park down the street. Instead of it wearing them out, they were even more energized now that we were back indoors.
“Looks like you could use some help.”
I dropped the stack of paper cups in my hand. Stone swiped them off the table and pumped them over his head. “Ap-ple juice. Ap-ple juice.”
They cheered and joined in. He pulled a cup off of the stack, and I poured. We repeated the process until everyone had a glass.
“We make a good team.” He raised his paper cup, and we clinked.
“Do me. Do me.” Corey, a sweet seven-year-old whose mother had been beaten within an inch of her life, lifted her cup.
Stone cleared his throat and the kids settled down. “I’d like to propose a toast.” A few confused faces stared back at him. “To another day at the park tomorrow!” he shouted, touching his glass to Corey’s and then to everyone’s within reach. He didn’t stop until he’d toasted all seventeen of the children.
My eyes drifted around the table. The kids vied for Stone’s attention. This right here was what I wanted more than anything. A table full of children.
“Puzzle, Mr. Stone?” Corey blinked her long lashes at him with such hope even I wouldn’t have been able to say no. And then I realized she knew his name.
“You got it.”
She jumped to her feet and slipped her hand in his, dragging him toward the playroom. The little girl made something that was so difficult for me look easy. It was a lesson I desperately wanted to learn.
They all followed Stone, and I cleaned up the empty glasses.
“He’s good with them.” Mrs. Quinn stacked the abandoned cups before depositing them in the trash.
“The whole world loves him.” So often I forgot he was a star. It wasn’t so odd Corey knew his name. Stone’s face was everywhere.
“But they know him.” She pointed toward the playroom.
“What do you mean?”
“He comes by any chance he gets. They’re thrilled he’s in New York for a bit.”
“He comes here?” I asked, dumbly.
“Here,” she confirmed, her silver hair bobbing when she nodded.
He didn’t want anyone to know. Not even me. Because he wasn’t trying to coerce me into a relationship. Slowly, but surely, he was doing it anyway.
An hour later,Stone held my coat open for me as I got ready to head home. I slid my arms inside and hiked my purse onto my shoulder.
“I gotta go back to the set.” He glanced longingly toward where we’d left the children.
“Will you be home for supper?”
He grinned. “I’m supposed to be finished around eightish. Should behomea little after if we don’t run over.” My face flamed. “Want a lift?”
“I believe I’ll walk.” I hooked a scarf around my neck and pulled my hair out from underneath my coat collar.
“It’s cold out.” He shrugged on his own jacket.
I pulled a pair of gloves from my pocket. “I’m prepared.”
