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The driver pulled up outside the house and killed the engine. I pushed the door open, got out, and squinted ahead. A moment later, the front door opened, and Jimmy came out with Anne in tow, holding his backpack and a brown lunch bag in her hand. She said something under her breath before shoving the lunch bag into the pack and zipping it up. Wordlessly, Jimmy put his backpack on and raced down the steps, taking them two at a time.
When he saw me, he skidded to a halt. “Hi.”
“Hey there, buddy. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
Jimmy stood up straighter and peered at me. “School. I love to learn.”
“Yeah? I think that’s great. What’s your favorite subject?”
Jimmy paused and shifted from one foot to the other. “Science.”
“I used to love science too.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and when we were old enough to cut up frogs, I really enjoyed that.”
Jimmy’s eyes widened. “I get to cut up frogs? Cool.”
I nodded and glanced over at Anne. “Are you sure you two don’t want a ride?”
Anne waved my comment away, looking harried and a little impatient. “No, don’t worry about it. Thank you, though.”
Martha materialized in the doorway behind her, looking beautiful in her knee-length skirt with a button-down shirt tucked into it. She hiked her purse up her shoulder and pulled the door shut behind her. Then she took out her keys, locked the door, and lifted a hand to her eyes.
When she saw me, Martha’s entire face lit up.
And it felt like the whole world came to a grinding halt.
What was it about this woman that had me all tongue-tied?
Once she took the last step, Jimmy launched himself at Martha, nearly knocking her backward. She righted him with one hand and adjusted his hair with the other. Then she bent down to give him a quick hug before nudging him in Anne’s direction. Anne steered him in the direction of her own car after a quick wave.
When they pulled out of the driveway, Martha lingered for a few seconds, watching them intently. I held the door open for her and waited. She smiled, got into the car, and twisted to face me. In the car, I reached for her hand, and she let me lace my fingers through hers. She was glancing down at her phone, a furrow between her brows, while I looked out the window.
Now and then, I glanced over at her, and the words became lodged in my throat.
Why couldn’t I just tell her how I felt?
And why I was worried about her going back?
It wasn’t my job to protect her from Banks, but I already felt like I was failing her.
Martha deserved better than to have to go back to work for that man all because she needed the money to survive. Neither she nor Jimmy deserved to have their lives dependent on a man like Banks, and if it weren’t for the fact that I was trying to ease her into the idea of me, I would’ve offered her an alternative on the spot.
I could give them a big apartment with plenty of room for the two of them.
I wanted them to move in with me.
It took every ounce of self-control I had to hold back and avoid scaring Martha off. Instead, I used my thumb to trace the inside of her wrist while looking out the window. The city whizzed past us in either direction. A short while later, we pulled up outside Gent’s headquarters, and the driver pulled up next to the curb. With an exhale, I released Martha’s hand and got out of the car. When she slipped her hand into mine to get out, I didn’t want to let her go.
She glanced at the building and back at me. “Well, this is it.”
“It is.”
“Thanks for the ride.”
I drew her closer, and my hands moved to her waist. “You’re welcome.”
