Once he’d called them, he’d figure out what to do next about Amber.
AMBER SAT ON her front steps, shivering in an oversize sweatshirt. Sarge was at her feet and Davey knelt just on the other side of the big dog. “Those are some good holes, Davey,” she said to the little boy vigorously digging in her flower beds.
“Thanks.” Davey’s tongue stuck out a little from the corner of his mouth as he carefully planted the last tulip bulb from the bag. “Any more?”
“Nope, that’s all I have, but you’re welcome to dig more holes.” It seemed like the boy could use more of a physical outlet. She remembered from Hannah’s childhood that the more time a kid spent outdoors and active, the better their mood and appetite and sleep.
Davey dug for a short while longer and then threw down the trowel. “I’m hungry,” he said. “I’m gonna go home for lunch.”
Amber glanced over toward Paul’s house. “Come on inside my place. Daddy will be over soon, but I’m sure he won’t mind if you have lunch with me first.” When Davey opened his mouth to complain, she said, “I make really good grilled cheese sandwiches.”
Davey’s face brightened. “Okay,” he said.
They walked inside, Sarge trailing behind them, and Amber set butter melting in her cast-iron skillet. Then she got Davey to wash his hands and dug up a box of crayons someone had left here. She sat him down to color until lunch was ready.
She was no expert on how to handle kids with problems, except to let them play and feed them well. Hannah had been a dream child, and her mom and Erica had been nothing but supportive. She didn’t envy Paul the task of working things out between a troubled kid and his difficult grandparents.
She dipped slices of wheat bread in the melted butter and built sandwiches in the pan. Maybe Paul would be hungry when he came to get Davey.
Exactly what she shouldn’t be expecting, let alone hoping for.
Sarge gave a low, casual bark as footsteps sounded on the back deck.
“Hey, are you up for a couple of visitors?” It wasn’t Paul; it was Erica, baby Hunter on her hip, opening the back door and coming in. That was their habit here in Pleasant Shores, and Amber loved being able to walk into her sister’s house and for her sister to do the same here. They’d lived together, Hannah, too, when they’d first moved to Pleasant Shores, and now, their houses seemed like big extensions of the same dwelling, even though Erica and Trey and Hunter lived a block away.
Amber greeted Erica and gave her a one-armed hug, then kissed Hunter’s cheek with a loud smack that made the baby laugh. “Davey is visiting me and I’m making grilled cheese. Want some?”
“You know I would never turn down your grilled cheese sandwiches.” Erica smiled at Davey. “Hi, buddy.”
“Hi.” Davey didn’t look up, but kept coloring, still with the same intense focus.
“This is cozy,” Erica said. “Where’s Paul?”
“He’ll be over in a few.” Amber sliced cheese for more sandwiches as the first set sizzled away in the pan.
“He’s calling Grammy and Grandpa because they got me a gun,” Davey volunteered. “He’s mad.”
“I see.” Erica glanced at Amber and then walked over to sit beside Davey. “Looks like you’re coloring some great pictures.” She leaned closer. “What is that, a dog?”
“Yeah, a police dog,” Davey said. “Here’s the officer, and this is his gun, but I’m not allowed to have one.” He frowned. “Daddy used to have one, but now he doesn’t.”
Erica glanced at Amber again. “I don’t much like guns,” she said to Davey. “They can be dangerous.”
“I like them!”
Amber came to the table, plates in hand. “Lots of kids do, and that’s okay,” she said to Davey. “But Daddy makes the rules about what you can play with.” She set sandwiches in front of Erica and Davey. Then she returned to the counter, added tomato slices and fresh basil to two more sandwiches, and set them cooking.
From the table, Erica groaned with pleasure. “I don’t know how you make something so ordinary taste exotic.”
“Everybody’s good at something, I guess,” Amber joked. But she liked this, feeding people, taking care of them. She missed it now that Hannah was in college.
“I think we had grilled cheese every night for a month when Mom was working that night shift job. Remember?”
“I sure do. That was mainly what was in the refrigerator. White bread, and that awful processed cheese we loved so much. I think we had cans of tomato soup, too.” She looked at Davey. “Want me to heat up some soup for you, kiddo?”
Davey shook his head. “’Nother sandwich,” he said through a mouthful.
“Sure thing.”
A knock sounded at the door, and Sarge lifted his head and gave a half-hearted woof. “I bet that’s your daddy,” Amber said, and went into the living room. She sucked in her stomach, ran her fingers through her hair and opened the door.
There was Paul, handsome and haunted. She swallowed against her suddenly dry throat. “Come in. You look like you could use some lunch.”
“That bad?” He was trying to joke, but there was no humor in his eyes. The conversation with Davey’s grandparents must not have gone well.
“Do you want to talk about it? My sister’s here,” she added so he would know not to share anything confidential.
He shook his head. “No, thanks. I’ve burdened you enough already.”
“Not a burden.” She led the way to the kitchen and put the sandwich she’d intended for herself onto a plate, cut it in half and handed it to Paul. “Have a seat. Eat up.”
“Hey,” Paul said to Erica, and she responded in kind. Then he wrapped his arms around Davey from behind and blew into his neck, making a raspberry sound that made Davey laugh.
“Every time I come over here, I get a meal out of you,” Paul said to Amber.
