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I can see his throat hitch.
“You’re different,” I confirm for him. “But not in a bad way. You’re different because the answer to your question is that I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay untilyouwant to go somewhere else.”
There.
I said it.
The reason I came home to Birch Harbor was to find a family.
And this kid?
He came crashing into my life, and the smile on my mom’s face… The way my extremely empty house feels so muchmoreafter him being here for a few hours, is something I don’t want to lose.
Now, I just need to get him settled so I can get a handle on the vixen determined to ruin my life.
“So…” Lucas interrupts my thoughts. “Does that mean I can stay?”
The question, one that only a sixth grader could ask so innocently, throws me for a loop.
“Yeah, Lucas.” I finally push off the wall. “You can stay as long as you want to.”
“But my mom.” He twiddles his fingers. “What if she makes me go back?”
“She can’t.”
Fuck, I wish I could put this better. Smarter. But I can’t. And honesty is always best, right?
“Your mom is going to be in a lot of trouble if even half of what you said is true.” I’m quick to add. “Not that any of us think you’re exaggerating or lying about anything. I just want to make a point. You’re not going back to her, or anyone else who had a hand in hurting you, for that matter. I’m going to help you. I’m going to protect you. And if anyone tries to hurt you while you’re with me, they’ll have Hell to pay.”
“And Miss Avery.” Lucas adds. “She wouldn’t let anyone hurt any of her students.”
“Okay, then.” I clap my hands together. “Now that we have that settled. Let’s get this stuff unloaded in your room and everything put away. At least for now. I’m sure my parents are going to be here first thing tomorrow with even more junk that neither of us need.”
I know I’m just talking shit, and eventually Lucas will understand what it means to have people care for him.
By the time he’s ready for bed, in a brand-new room setup with things that only a mother would buy, in pajamas that he was afraid he’d ruin, Lucas finally stopped flinching at every noise the old farmhouse made.
And me? Well, I sat long into the night, with my phone in my hand, while I tried to convince myself to text Avery. Until exactly 12:01 a.m. when my phone started to vibrate in my hand.
Avery
Are you up?
Carter
Yep. Why are you?
Avery
Thinking about Lucas… and you.
Carter
He’s finally asleep. Mom went a little crazy with stocking him up on supplies.
Avery
And you?
