“
Hi, birthday boy,” I called out, a little more shyly than I would’ve expected. “Hi, Jackie. Hi, Johnny.”
“Hi, Ora,” the teenager called out as Jackie hopped off the couch and came over to hug me, Johnny’s greeting ringing out too.
We were good together, but she had never really hugged me before, probably because of the awkwardness. Secrets and lies could do that to people.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Amos got to his feet and headed over too, looking like he wasn’t totally onboard with the idea but resigned. I was winning this kid over slowly but surely. Just as Jackie pulled away, he gave me one of those little half smiles that I could only guess he’d learned from his dad and said, “Thanks for helping with the cake.”
“You’re welcome,” I told him. “Want a birthday hug?”
He hunched his shoulders, and I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him, feeling his thin ones go up too, patting me on the back gently and awkwardly.
He was too precious.
When he stepped back, I thrust the card at him. “This was the best I could do on short notice, but happy birthday.”
He didn’t even really look at the card before taking it after glancing at Jackie. He opened it, his gaze moved across the inside of it, and his gray eyes flicked up to me. Then he surprised the shit out of me.
He smiled.
And I knew in that moment that the second he hit his next growth spurt, this kid was going to have the same effect his father did on humanity.
Someone was going to need to protect him from the sexual vultures.
Then again, if he developed his dad’s scowl, maybe not.
He was just a sweet kid for now.
”
”