Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
When they walked in the door, they were surprised to find Boone and Cody playing with Duplo blocks on the living room floor.
Where’d Wyatt go?
And what was the boy doing up so late?
Boone clocked their surprised expressions—it was one in the morning, after all—and stood to go. “Uncle Wyatt got a call and had to go take care of something, and Mr. Big Ears here overheard the whole thing.”
Cody came rushing over. “It’s a coyote, and his tongue got cut off, and there was blood everywhere, and he might be dead.”
“Okay, hang on, buddy.” Jude lifted him into his arms, swiping the hair out of his eyes. The dark circles worried him. “Tell me what happened.”
Boone grabbed his coat. “A coyote got into a garbage can and got his tongue stuck in a can of corn. It’s not cut off, and the coyote’s going to be just fine. I gotta go. I’ll see you both in the morning for Snowfest, right?” He touched the top of Cody’s head and held his gaze. “The coyote’s okay.”
Jude walked his brother to the door. “Hey, man, thanks for coming.”
“Any time.” He paused, uncharacteristically uncomfortable. “So who all came to girls’ night?”
“It was Ava and a new friend, Molly,” Finlay said, putting the blocks back into the box. “Eloise couldn’t get a sitter.”
His gaze cut away, frustration pulling his lips tight. “See you bright and early for the festival.”
“We’ll be there.” After the door shut, Jude headed to the couch and sat down, settling Cody on his lap. It was late, but he didn’t want the boy in bed, imagining worst-case scenarios.
He got his phone out of his pocket and texted his brother.
Jude: You got a second to talk to Cody? He’s upset about the coyote.
It didn’t even take a minute before his phone rang, and Wyatt’s face appeared on the screen. “Hey. Can I talk to Cody?”
“Yeah, of course.” Jude handed the phone to the boy.
“Is he still bleeding?” Cody asked. “Is he dead?”
“No, he’s not. He’s sleeping. Come on. I’ll show you.” Wyatt flipped the camera around and showed the rows of metal kennels at his rehab center. “See this guy? That’s a rabbit.”
“What happened to him?” Cody asked.
“He got into a fight with a cat, but he’s okay. See him nibbling those carrots?”
Cody nodded.
“And this guy?” Wyatt moved along. “That’s a cougar. He got sick.”
“Is he going to die?”
“Nope. We got him all fixed up. He should be going home in a few days.”
Jude had heard about that. Someone had poisoned the mountain lion. Glad he’s okay.
“And this is the coyote.” The animal was pacing in its small cage. “See that? He’s fine.”
“He’s not bleeding.”
“No, he’s not. He’s healthy and strong. We’ll release him as soon as his tongue’s healed.
” The camera flipped back around. “I didn’t know you’d overheard my conversation, or I would’ve explained the situation.
I’m sorry about that. Now, we’ve got to be at the park at seven in the morning. We should all get some sleep.”
Cody nodded, rubbing his eyes. “Good night, Uncle Wyatt.”
“‘Night, bud.”
Hearing Cody call his dad “Grampa” and his brothers “Uncle” really got to him. Maybe it was the idea of bringing this lost, lonely boy into his family. Giving him stability he’d never had.
In his mind’s eye, he could see the five of them in a circle, arms around each other, the boy in the center. Protected. Safe.
Loved.
And it made him think about what Finlay said about six-year-old Jude. Maybe, in some way, he was healing himself through Cody.
After the call disconnected, Jude got up, ready to put the boy to bed. He smiled when Finlay breezed into the living room, looking fresh and pretty, not giving away a hint she’d just been railed in the hallway of his dad’s bar.
She handed Cody a tumbler. “Here’s some warm milk. It’ll help you get to sleep.”
The boy just stared at her for a moment. “You look pretty.”
“Well, thank you.” She pressed a kiss to the boy’s cheek. “That’s a very nice thing to hear.”
And right then, with Cody sandwiched between them, he got it. A magical Christmas wasn’t lights and stockings hung on the mantel. It’s us.
Together.
As a family.
What they had was special, and if she doubted him for even a second, then it was on him. He wasn’t letting her know how serious he was about her. He had to crack himself wide open to banish any doubt she had about his intentions.
“Come on. Let’s get you to bed.” Funny how, at the start of all this, he’d warned Finlay not to get too attached. He’d told her this was dangerous. And look at me now. He was the one at risk for a broken heart.
When he got upstairs, he placed the tumbler on the nightstand, settled Cody in bed, and tucked him under the covers.
Jude sat on the edge of the mattress. “You have a good time with your uncles tonight?” Man, he was grateful for his brothers.
They’d embraced this boy like he’d always been part of the family.
“Uncle Wyatt brought Nerf guns, and we ran around the house, shooting each other. It was fun. And then, he counted how long I could hold my breath in the bathtub, and he made a fort with sheets and blankets, and then, we ate popcorn and read books.”
“That sounds like a lot of fun.” He’d have to thank his brother tomorrow.
Both of them. They’d said they were in this with him, and now, they’d shown him.
He got up. “We’d better get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.
” Not only was shaping a block of snow into a recognizable form tough, but his family was competitive.
They wanted that trophy. “Good night.” He kissed Cody on his forehead and headed for the door.
“Mister?”
It was starting to bother him. How his family got titles, and all he got was Mister. “Yeah?”
“I told Uncle Wyatt I want to get Miss O’Neill something for Christmas, and he said I should make something, but I don’t know what to do.”
His mind went blank. He had no idea what to make. And Christmas was three days away. “I can help you. You have anything in mind?” It had been so chaotic and busy, he hadn’t considered gifts.
“Uncle Wyatt got out his phone and looked stuff up. He said we could draw her pictures, but I want to do something else, so he kept looking and said I could make her a chocolate cake in a jar, and I know she likes cake, so can we do that? And I want to make Grampa hot chocolate in a jar. Can we do that, too?”
It struck him how petty it was to worry about what Cody called him. The only thing that matters is that he trusts me and comes to me for help. Knowing he can depend on me.
Swear to God, if they let me adopt him, I will protect this boy with my life.
“Yeah, we can do that.” Of course, when he set his stupid ego aside, he could see that everyone had told Cody what to call them. Finlay was his teacher, so he’d only heard her referred to as Miss O’Neill. His brothers called themselves Uncles, and his dad referred to himself as Grandpa.
I’ll have to do the same thing. Once I figure out what he should call me.
Because if I don’t get to keep him, I can’t have him calling me Dad.
“What’re you making Miss O’Neill?” Cody asked.
His mouth opened, but no words came out. Because he hadn’t given it a single thought. And that sucked. “I don’t know, but I’m glad you asked.”
“Why?”
She deserves the world. She deserves to be showered in love. “I want to make sure I do something special for her. Let’s both give it some thought, and we’ll talk about it on our way to the park. Maybe after we’re done working, we can go to the store and get supplies.”
“Okay. And can we make something for Uncle Boone and Uncle Wyatt?”
“Absolutely.”
“I don’t know how to make cocoa in a jar.”
This kid’s mind was racing. “I’ll look it up and see, and we’ll get presents made for everybody in time for Christmas. You have my word on it.” He speared his fingers through the boy’s hair, pushing it off his forehead. “You’re a good boy, and I’m proud of you.”
Even in the darkness, he could see Cody gazing up at him. He could almost see the shift from wariness to a newfound trust.
He leaned over and kissed his forehead, breathing in the scent of soap and little boy. “Good night.”
Leaving the door ajar, he stepped out and looked down the hallway. The light was on in Finlay’s room, and water flowed through the pipes. While she got ready for bed, he texted Ava.
Jude: You drinking tea and reading?
An introvert, she had a whole unwinding process after she came home from socializing, so he figured she’d be up.
Ava: You know it. What’s up? Need something?
Jude: I do. Can I call you?
Ava: Always.
He quietly headed back down the stairs. As he looked out the window, he imagined mowing the lawn and rolling garbage bins out to the curb. He wasn’t raised in a family neighborhood, and he’d never imagined that life.
But really, it wouldn’t be so bad.
He brought up Ava’s name and hit Connect. Unsurprisingly, she answered right away.
“What’s going on?” she asked. “Everything all right with Cody?”
“Yeah. He’s good.” No, talk to her. Tell her. Make the effort. “When you said kids are resilient, I didn’t get it. But now, watching him settle in, going from being shy and quiet to talking my ear off…”
“It’s good, Jude. Really good.”
“It is. Yes.”
“But? Come on. I hear the worry.”
“But what if I can’t keep him? He’s letting down his guard, trusting us—”
“We’ll fight with everything we can to make sure you keep him, but honey, there are no guarantees.
And if it doesn’t go your way, he will always have this Christmas to remember what love and safety felt like.
No matter where life takes him, he’ll have this gift you gave him as proof there’s love and good people in the world. ”
“You’re right.” He didn’t realize the weight of his worries until she’d lifted them off his shoulders. “He seems happy.”
“You guys make it easy.”
“What do you mean?” Not a soul was outside. The moonlight illuminated the snow, making the crystals glitter.
“You brought him right into the family, and he already feels like he belongs. All of you did that, and it’s just wonderful. You’re doing a beautiful thing, Jude. You’re a good man.”
She was a teacher, so she said things like that to everyone. But for him, it sank deeply. Most of his life, he’d heard his name called with disgust. Or with a snap of anger.
So when he got praise, it spread through him like warm maple syrup. “Thanks, Ava. I’m grateful for you, you know that, right?”
She didn’t answer right away, and when she did, her voice sounded thick. “Where did that come from?”
“We might’ve called you a nanny or a babysitter, but you were as close to a mom as we could get. I’m pretty sure you’re the reason I didn’t turn out like Marco.”
“Oh, Jude. Thank you for saying that, but it’s just not true.
You want to know what I think?” She didn’t wait for his answer.
“Of all the kids, you were the most sensitive. All you wanted was to cuddle on the couch and read books and eat cookies.” He could hear the smile in her voice.
“But that wasn’t going to happen in a biker club. ”
“It happened with you.”
“And you’ll make it happen with Cody.”
“I’ll try my damnedest.” Unfortunately, though, that fate was up to a judge who thought the worst of him. “Yeah, so, anyhow, I want to get something nice for Finlay for Christmas. Any suggestions?”
“Well, I’d probably get her a cute water tumbler because she doesn’t remember to drink during the day. Or maybe something for the house, like a toaster, since her ex wouldn’t buy one because he thought it was ‘the most unnecessary appliance in the world.’ You can just put bread in the oven, right?”
“I’m hearing a ‘but.’”
“But that’s because of my relationship with her. What you choose is based on yours. What have you guys talked about? What has she mentioned? What’s she looked at in a store that she liked but would never buy for herself?”
“We haven’t gone shopping for anything but food and clothes for Cody.”
“Oh, come on. There’s a real bond between you—anyone can see it. I think you know her pretty well. Just, whatever you do, don’t get her a toaster.” She laughed. “That would hurt her feelings.”
“She hasn’t mentioned anything. What do I do?”
“Pay attention, figure out what she’s into.”
“She used to make soap, and I know she likes to bake.” He thought about the moose slippers she used to wear, and it made him smile. He’d get her a pair of those. Maybe matching ones for Cody. The whole family. Yeah, that’d be cute.
“It doesn’t have to be expensive. Just meaningful. But I will say, I think she’s more of an acts-of-service kind of person.”
“A what? I don’t know what that means.”
“You know the five love languages, right?” Ava asked.
“No.”
“Basically, it’s figuring out how your partner receives love. Because if you need physical touch, and she only gives you gifts, you’re going to be hurt and angry all the time. You’ll assume she likes to shop when, really, she’s trying to do nice things for you. See what I mean?”
“I do.”
“Figure out Finlay’s love language and be sure to give it to her.”
“What’s an act of service? Do I change the oil in her car while she’s making dinner? Change the light bulb in that downstairs bathroom?”
“Yes. Do those things, for sure. But to really hit her in the feels, you’ll want to do something sweeter.”
“Like?”
“Jude, sweetheart.” Her tone softened like it used to when she’d come into his room after he’d been suspended and wanted to talk to him. “That’s for you to figure out.”
“Christmas is in three days.”
“Given how closely you watch her, I think you know exactly what makes her feel loved.”
Two things came to mind. “My time and attention.”
“See that? You know her heart.”
Confidence rolled in. “I think I do.” And that was when he knew exactly what he was going to do. “Hey, can you watch Cody tomorrow night?”
“Of course. I’d be happy to.”
“And can you get me into the gym at the high school?”
“Legally, you know I can’t do that.”
“But as the closest person I have to a mom, can you?”
Ava laughed. “You play dirty.”
Jude chuckled as he disconnected.
He had a plan.
And step one starts now.