“I’ll make you ride in the back.”
The puppy redoubled its efforts.
Gerrit reached over and tousled the black-and-white monster’s ears. “You rascal. I can’t believe I paid two hundred bucks for you.”
He followed the paper’s instructions and pulled up in front of a small white house long before he was ready. The number 713 was painted on the side of the mailbox.
“This is the place.”
Everything he’d considered saying to Morgan suddenly seemed stupid. About how important the kid was to him and how sorry he was. Maybe he should leave well enough alone. Maybe Morgan was better off without him and his big mouth.
Gerrit’s lip curled. Rae’s description of the guy Morgan used to live with reverberated through his memory, along with Morgan’s face the day Gerrit asked him about his father.
He scooped up the puppy. “Come on.”
Halfway up the walk, he paused. Looked down at the little critter. What was he thinking, showing up at Morgan’s door with a puppy in his arms? Maybe Morgan didn’t want another dog. Maybe dogs weren’t even allowed in this new place. He turned around.
“You better wait in the truck.” He set the puppy on the passenger seat and pointed his finger at it. “And you better not pee on anything.”
He steeled himself as he approached the front door, second thoughts—and third and fourth ones, too—swirling in his head. It wasn’t too late to hop in his truck and drive away. No one would have to know.
The door flew open.
Morgan looked out at him, eyes narrowed. “How did you find me?”
“Uh . . .” Gerrit cleared his throat.
“It was Rae, wasn’t it?”
“I . . .”
Morgan stepped out of the house and shut the door behind him. He wore the same ratty sweatshirt as always, and his black hair hung over his face more than ever, but he seemed different. Taller.
Gerrit shifted on his feet. “I didn’t mean for you to hear—”
“Rae told me.” Morgan stuck his hands in his pockets. “You were trying to explain me away to your kids. I get it.”
“You don’t understand.”
“I don’t expect you to care about me the same as them.”
“But I do.” Gerrit swallowed hard. “That’s just it.”
“What?”
“When Rae told me you were missing from school, I was scared.” It was hard to get that word out, hard to admit, yet he was knee-deep in it now. “I thought something happened to you. I was afraid you’d run off to Nashville, and I’d never see you again.”
Morgan looked away. “Well, there’s nothing keeping me here. Why shouldn’t I go?”
Gerrit hesitated. He didn’t want to come between a boy and his dreams. And what did he have to offer, anyway? Now that Morgan had graduated, a world of possibilities lay at his feet. A world far away from here.
But Morgan was just a kid. Shouldn’t there be someone looking out for him?
Morgan met his eyes with a challenge. “Give me one good reason.”
Gerrit opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. “Okay.”
He turned around and strode back to his truck. When he glanced back over his shoulder, Morgan hadn’t moved from his spot in front of the door. His face was hard. Defensive.
Gerrit reached into the truck and tucked the puppy under his arm. Morgan’s eyes fixed on the squirming creature as Gerrit walked back to stand in front of him. Gerrit knew that look. Was all too familiar with it. Longing.
He held the puppy out. “Who will take care of this little guy if you go?”
Morgan’s sharp eyes flashed back and forth between Gerrit and the puppy, as if testing the weight and strength of Gerrit’s words. As if he stood at the water’s edge, unsure if it was safe to jump in.
Gerrit placed the dog in Morgan’s arms, and it immediately scrambled to reach Morgan’s face with its tongue.
“He likes you.”
Morgan grasped at the puppy for dear life. “He’s . . . he’s . . .”
“He’s yours.”
Now, that was a smile Gerrit would not soon forget.
CHAPTER
FORTY-SIX
Hannie leaned against Gerrit and wept, a tissue pressed to her face. He squinted in the sun. It was the first day of June. A beautiful Saturday that smelled like clover and promised a perfect summer. But here they were.
Evi and Noah stood on the other side of Hannie, staring somberly at the tiny wooden box. George and his family were across from them, along with a handful of other family members. It was a small gathering. A small hole dug in the ground. A small comfort that the birds sang a cheerful tune.
Mallory’s shoulders shook, her sobs silent but violent as the pastor asked each person to place a yellow rose on the casket. Her husband held her tightly, as if afraid she would disappear into the freshly dug grave along with their daughter if he let go. Gerrit looked across at George and caught his eye. Éclairs. When this was all over, he was going to make George some éclairs. And then pay him full price for Hannie’s table.
He nodded once. George nodded back.
As he led Hannie back to their car, she clung to his arm. He relished her touch. Her nearness.
She looked over at Evi and Noah walking alongside. “I’m so glad you guys could come.”
They didn’t answer, but Gerrit knew Evi and Mallory had been good friends growing up. She wouldn’t have missed this for anything.
“You’ll come for dinner, won’t you?” Hannie’s voice was hopeful.
Evi looked at Gerrit. They’d spoken briefly on the phone, and he had apologized for his behavior last weekend. She hadn’t said much, but he was willing to give her time. Take it slow. It’d taken him years to get himself into this mess, and he wouldn’t get out of it overnight.
“Sure.” Evi shrugged. “If it’s okay with Noah.”
Noah nodded and opened the car door for Evi. They’d driven up together and met Gerrit and Hannie at the cemetery. Gerrit noticed Travis’s absence but didn’t dare bring it up.
Hannie smiled. “That’s great.”
“Why don’t you ride with the kids?” Gerrit waved an arm at Noah’s car. “I have an errand I
