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“He does,” Adam replied in a low voice. “As much as I can help him understand. Which isn’t a lot whenwehardly know anything about it.”
I nodded with a forlorn expression. “Sorry.”
“About what?”
“It must be hard. Does his mother visit? She must worry about him being on the ranch, right? I’d be worried about my kid being caught in that kind of a mess.”
Hesitance trickled between us and then a brick wall the size of a mountain sprung in its place. Whatever affection glowed in Adam’s eyes disappeared and drained into the ground beneath us. Suddenly, the air went cold.
“I offended you,” I stated shakily. “I’m so sorry.”
“No, you didn’t offend me.” His eyes hosted a faraway look. “It’s just hard.”
Shock gripped me when Henry took my hand. I peered down at the pup, a kid a little shorter than most kids his age but who stood confidently nonetheless and reflected the freckles that his father proudly wore. One smile from Henry put me at ease.
And I had no idea why.
Adam slid his hand on my left shoulder, drawing my attention back to him. “We make do with what we have. And we have a spectacular alpha. Our family is more than just blood.” He leaned back to look at his son. “Right, kiddo?”
“That’s right, Dad.”
I smiled weakly. “That’s good to hear.”
“I think I’m the one who offended you,” Adam admitted. “I mean, I didn’t mean to…” He shook his head and allowed light back into his features. The mountain dissipated. Warmth returned. I was back in that sunny valley with his rays bathing me with affection. “I don’t like talking about it.”
“Then, we don’t have to talk about it.”
His lopsided grin tickled me. “Yeah? You sure? Lots of women want to know about my situation.”
“Is it something I need to know?”
“I mean…”
I shrugged. “Take your time, Adam. I’m not going to judge you.”
Gratitude flickered in his eyes. Dewdrops kissed his irises like they had in the tavern the other night and I found myself swept up in his presence, inviting his arm to circle my waist. For a moment, we were just three wolves wandering through the farmer’s market without a care in the world.
Henry had a strong appetite for baked goods. I showed him the ropes of bartering and how to politely maneuver his way through different situations. He earned three cookies on his own while Adam and I watched from the sidelines. It dawned on me then that I was spending time with a single father and his kid in a very public place with a lot of loose mouths.
Did it matter? We were having a good time and I didn’t want it to end. Henry held my hand while yanking me toward this cart and that, his charming personality a mirror image of his father’s with a dash of childish innocence. His curiosity never seemed sated, and Adam seemed happy to indulge his son’s inquiries.
At every turn, Henry posed a question. And Adam always had a response ready.
When Henry darted ahead to join a group of wolf pups dancing in the square, Adam leaned toward me. “He likes you.”
“I mean, he seems like such a friendly kid. I’m sure he likes a lot of people.”
“No, I mean…” He paused near an abandoned booth and dragged me into the shadows. Only his eyes glowed here. “He looks up to you. I haven’t met anyone who ever did that for him.”
The shadows hid my surprise—thankfully. “Oh?”
“I’m not mad about it. I’m just…”
“Scared?”
His sigh spoke volumes where silence permeated the air between us. Those dazzling green specks sucked me in, drowning me in an eternity of blessed summer. When he finally spoke, his voice was so low that I wasn’t sure he was speaking out loud.
“Charlotte, there’s something different about you.”
