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I can only nod silently. She places a delicate kiss on Josh’s head and hurries off to make sure the girls are okay.
Josh turns away from me, wiping away his tears and avoiding eye contact. I put a hand on his shoulder and spin him around to face me.
“Talk to me,” I rumble.
He still doesn’t look at me. “I hate him. I hate him so much and it makes me so… soangry.”
His little body roils with the weight of his emotion. I know exactly what he’s feeling right now—because once upon a time, IwasJosh, shaking with anger and frustration, without the faintest idea what to do about it.
I place my hands on his shoulders. “It’s okay, Josh. It’s gonna be okay.”
Finally, he raises his eyes to mine. “How do you know?”
“Because I’m gonna make it that way.”
42
EMMA
While the girls run into school, I put my hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Hey, kiddo, can you hang back a minute?”
Josh turns those sullen eyes on me and nods. We walk over to the low wall that circles the school garden and sit down.
“Am I in trouble?”
“No, of course not,” I assure him. “I just want to talk to you.”
When I went back into the living room last night, Ruslan was saying something to Josh in a low voice. By the time I saw Ruslan out the door and come back, Josh had already retreated to his bedroom. I crept in there hoping to talk to him, but he had the covers pulled tight above his head.
Say what you want about me, but I can take a hint.
“About last night?” He’s chewing on his bottom lip and pulling at the edges of his cuticles.
Gently, I pry his hand free and weave it through mine. “Yes, about last night.”
“I’m sorry.”
It breaks my heart how sad he looks right now—almost embarrassed. “I know you are. And I know you’re dealing with a lot right now. I want you to know that you can talk to me, Josh. About anything. Even about your dad.”
His lip falls out of his bite and quivers. “He makes me so angry.”
“I don’t blame you. It’s okay to be angry, Josh, but you have to try not to let that anger control you. I just want you to be safe. That’s all.”
He glances at me anxiously out of the corner of his eyes. “So you’re not upset with me?”
I wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him as close to me as possible. “Of course not. You’re a great kid. The best kid I know, actually.” He gives me a tiny smile and I kiss the top of his head. “So you lost it for a moment. Trust me: even adults lose it sometimes.”
He shrugs. “I bet Ruslanneverloses it.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” I poke him in the shoulder playfully. “Ruslan’s a person, same as you and me.”
He pushes off the stone wall and gives me a smile that makes my heart melt. “I’m glad Ruslan’s around. I like him.”
I have no idea what to say to that, so I point towards the school. “Go on now; I don’t want you to be late.” He hugs my waist and races towards the steps.
Great. Just freaking great.
Looks like I’m not the only one who’s gone and caught feelings for Ruslan Oryolov.
