Chapter 6
Marcus
Two weeks ago, I pulled up near this park and bought ice cream for Noah. Now I was back, scanning the park as we crossed the street, surprisingly anxious to see Julia, who said she would meet us at the truck.
I helped Noah down from the car, and he adjusted his cape so it hung properly, the mask still covering his eyes. Robin was once again on a mission to save the day. Or eat ice cream, whichever was more pressing.
He and I entered the park, sidestepping a woman pushing a stroller while holding a baby in her arms. Like before, there were kids playing on the slide, swings, and merry-go-round, screaming, laughing, and yelling the way kids do, enjoying themselves.
My sidekick and I bypassed all of them and made a beeline for the purple truck. When I had picked Noah up from school and told him where we were going, he had asked, “Are we going to get ice cream?” His voice had carried the faintest hint of interest.
When I confirmed that’s what we were going to do, he sat forward in his seat and asked, “Will Miss Julia be there?”
More than interest in his voice then. I had heard the faint sound of hope, and with great pleasure, I told him she would be there because I’d already confirmed with her. He sat back without a word and folded his arms with a certain satisfaction that couldn’t be denied.
As we walked through the park, I smoothed down my shirt and straightened my jacket, which was ridiculous because I was there for Noah to have ice cream, not to impress his child advocate.
As we drew nearer to the truck, I saw her. This time she was wearing gray slacks and a white shirt, and heels again. Her hair was in the same conservative style, her dark brown skin seeming to glow in the afternoon sunlight as she watched us approach.
When I pledged Alpha Phi Alpha back in college, I had been given the name Romeo, a name I’d had since high school that started as a joke.
I had a reputation for knowing when a woman was interested and the ability to read subtle signals that a lot of guys missed.
I used those skills to charm my way into women’s panties.
So as we approached Julia, I put my skills to use, catching the way her eyes flickered to mine and held for a beat too long.
I noticed the slight straightening in her posture and how her smile shifted from friendly to something warmer, more intimate.
She was definitely interested. I wasn’t misreading the signals.
And me, I was interested too. I had thought about her a lot since the last time we spoke, and seeing her again elevated my heart rate.
She dropped her gaze to Noah. “Look at you! Hi, Robin. What’s your other name again? Boy something.”
“Boy Wonder,” he answered.
Wow, that was better than last time when he had barely spoken until it was time to order his frozen treat.
She snapped her fingers. “That’s right, Boy Wonder,” she said, as if he had shared the most fascinating nugget of information. “So, what flavor of ice cream is the Boy Wonder going to have today? Chocolate again?”
Noah shook his head, the slightest smile on his lips. “Vanilla.”
“That’s my personal favorite. It’s a classic flavor. Good choice.” She finally lifted her gaze to me, and I felt the full force of her brown eyes, my stomach contracting as my attraction to her intensified ten-fold. “What are you having today?” she asked.
I’d like to have you. The thought startled me, but fortunately, I caught myself before I said the sexually suggestive words out loud.
“Coffee, no ice cream. And yourself?”
“I think I’ll try strawberry today. I’m treating this time.”
I shook my head. “Absolutely not. I’ve got this.”
“You don’t have to—”
“It’s the least I can do for you being so helpful.”
“I’m doing my job,” she said.
“I’m pretty sure your job doesn’t include buying ice cream for your client and his guardian.”
We placed our orders with the vendor, and after she handed over the cones and my cup of coffee, we all walked away. Noah ate his ice cream with even more enthusiasm than the first time.
“So, Robin,” Julia said, “What’s the best part of being a superhero?”
He seemed to seriously consider the answer, as if he really were a superhero. It was hard not to laugh, but I didn’t want to disrupt this moment. Once again, she was making progress with him.
“You can help people,” Noah answered.
“That’s a really good answer. Do you like helping people?”
Clutching the cone in his hand, he nodded.
Her eyes met mine above his head, and a certain recognition manifested between us.
Not wholly related to Noah, but to us too.
Awareness hummed in the air—the knowledge men and women have had of each other since the beginning of time.
Much as we might try to ignore it, it couldn’t be denied.
Not when there was mutual attraction, and that was certainly the case here.
We sat down on one of the benches, and Noah sat between us, licking his ice cream with single-minded focus. There was a stark difference between how he behaved here, eating ice cream, and his sadness at the condo, pushing around the dinner I attempted to feed him.
He was more upbeat in Julia’s presence. More lively. The vanilla dessert dripped down the cone and onto his fingers, but he didn’t care. He licked it off and then kept going.
“All gone,” he finally announced proudly. Both the ice cream and the cone had vanished.
Julia was still working on hers. She took her time. She was careful. Deliberate. A bead of melted strawberry slid toward her thumb, and her pink tongue flicked out, slow and precise, tracing the curve before it could fall. She circled the top again, smoothing the edges. Completely in control.
Goddamn.
I swallowed.
Her actions shouldn’t have affected me. It was ice cream. In broad daylight. At a crowded park. But I was mesmerized.
I tracked the movement of her mouth, the way her full lips pressed against the cone, and the quiet concentration in her expression.
There was something intimate about the way she tasted it, unhurried, unaware of the effect she was having.
My crotch tightened, and I shifted on the bench, dragging my gaze away before she caught me staring.
“Was it good?” I asked Noah.
“Delicious,” he said in his solemn voice.
“Your Uncle Marcus told me you went to school today. Did you have fun?” Julia asked.
Noah nodded.
“What was fun?”
He told her about what he did at school, going into much more detail than when I’d asked him how his day went.
“For doing a good job, I got to go to the Reading Corner. We have bean bag chairs and mats on the floor,” he explained.
“Ooh, I love bean bag chairs. They’re soft and squishy.”
Noah smiled, such a rare occurrence that I had to stare. The woman was a miracle worker.
“Soft and squishy,” he repeated, almost shyly.
Julia grinned at him. “Which book did you read?”
He squinted, trying to remember. “There was a cat on the front. I don’t remember the name.”
“That’s okay. Did you enjoy the story?” She was really good at drawing him out by asking questions, giving a master class on how to make someone feel seen.
“Yes. I like cats. Mommy and Daddy said I can have one when I’m older.” A flicker of sadness crossed his face, and his voice lowered. “But they...”
Panic rose inside me. I wanted to scoop him up and protect him from the painful thoughts.
“You miss them.” Julia spoke in a soft voice. She didn’t panic. She was calm.
“Yeah.” His shoulders slumped.
“That makes sense,” Julia continued gently. “When a memory of your mom and dad comes up, missing them can feel really big.”
“Yeah,” he said again, his voice lower and thicker.
A small pause.
“It’s still okay to like cats,” Julia said. “And it’s okay to miss your mom and dad.”
Noah looked up at her. “Mommy liked cats too. She had a cat when she was little, and his name was Brutus.”
“Brutus. What a cool name.”
He smiled faintly. “When I have a cat, I’m going to name him Brutus too.”
“Just like your mommy’s?”
He sat up taller. “Yeah,” he said with conviction.
“I think that’s a great idea.” Julia had somehow navigated a painful conversation with ease.
Noah looked up at me. “Can I go on the swings?”
“Sure,” I answered.
He jumped up with more energy than I’d seen in a long time and rushed over to the swings, his cape flying behind him.
I watched him with a mix of sadness and relief.
I was sad he had experienced loss at such a young age and wasn’t himself at the moment, but relieved that I was starting to see his personality shine through.
“How did you do that?” I asked.
She understood the question right away. “All I did was validate his pain and put a name to what he was feeling. There’s no quick fix for what he’s going through, but we can help him navigate this period. Did you read the materials I emailed you?”
“I did, but I blanked in the moment.”
“I’ve had years of practice,” she said, her voice kind. “How has your day been?”
I relaxed, reaching my hand across the back of the bench, an inch or two from her shoulder.
“Surprisingly good. Work went well, and I was able to catch up on a few tasks. Considering this was Noah’s first day back at school, I was a little worried, but everything seemed to go well.
Better than expected. His teacher didn’t have a problem with him wearing the costume, so that was definitely a win. ”
“You have to pick your battles with kids,” Julia said, speaking with understanding instead of judgment.
“So I’ve heard.”
We sat there talking for a little longer while Noah swung back and forth, and I nursed my coffee. Julia finished her dessert and listened as I gave an update on his therapy sessions.
I didn’t want to leave, but we had to, and I was sure Julia needed to get back to work. I stood and called out to Noah.
He hopped off the swing and came running over. Running. That was new too.
“Thanks for... everything,” I said to Julia. I wasn’t just thanking her for meeting us for ice cream. I appreciated her talking to him and making him smile.
We headed back across the street and stood in the doorway of her building.
Her gaze held mine. “It’s always nice to see the two of you,” she said politely. She turned her attention to the superhero beside me. “Keep up the good work at school, okay?”
“Okay,” Noah promised.
“Bye,” I said.
“Bye.”
I didn’t move, and neither did she. Then we both laughed a little awkwardly.
“Take care. Come on, buddy,” I said.
“Bye! See you tomorrow.” Noah waved as we walked away.
I pulled up short.
Julia laughed, surprised. Then she waited, a question in her eyes.
“I guess we’ll be back tomorrow,” I said.
Her smile was soft and genuine. “I’ll be here. Same time?”
“Same time,” I confirmed.
Noah and I headed to my vehicle. He was quiet, but he had more bounce in his step and was no longer walking with his head down. I loved seeing the difference in him. It gave me hope.
As I pulled away from the curb, I checked the rearview mirror. Julia hadn’t gone inside yet. She was on the sidewalk, talking to a young couple. Maybe they were the parents of clients who had stopped by, like we had.
Looking at Noah in the backseat, his body relaxed and his face less solemn, I wondered if she had any idea how much she had transformed him.
Later, I’d have to deal with the stresses of life: responding to Zenobia’s text, which I had ignored all day. I’d have to find the documentation for the insurance company. I’d have to figure out how to preserve some of this lightness of being Noah was experiencing.
But come tomorrow, I could relax again, because we’d come back here. To Something Sweet.
To her.