Chapter 2 #2
They were alone in a massive RV park, away from town, with no one around but Hendrix. She would never trust Ted to stay away, and her in-laws were also a worry. “I’m sure we’re safe, but it’s always good practice to be careful.”
Solemn, he nodded, and then stared at the door with wide, fearful eyes.
Damn it, now she’d scared him.
When another knock came, they both jumped until Hendrix said, “It’s me, Joey. Open up.”
Letting out her breath with a great sigh of relief, she patted Ryder’s shoulder. But to be certain, she went to the window and peeked out.
Hendrix stood there, his head down and his brows gathered.
He had his hands partially tucked in the back pockets of well-worn jeans.
The wind played with his flannel shirt, flattening it to his torso in a way that showed off broad shoulders, a thick chest, and a flat midsection.
Dark hair that usually covered the tops of his ears and the back of his neck, now blew away from his face and high forehead.
He looked amazing. Like strength, safety, and comfort all rolled up in masculine hotness.
To Ryder, who now fretted beside her, she said, “It is Mr. Becker.” Together, they stepped to the door and she unlocked it.
She barely had it open when Ryder scrambled out and threw himself against Hendrix’s legs. “Mom was scared! She thought you might be a bad guy and it scared me, too.”
Hendrix’s brows tightened even more. He laid a hand on Ryder’s unruly mop of blond hair and met Joey’s gaze. “If you or your mom is ever worried, let me know. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Ryder’s eyes widened even more. “But aren’t you afraid of being out there all alone?”
“I’m not your mom, bud.” He held Joey’s gaze. “I’m a lot bigger, and I can handle trouble.”
Heat suffused her skin, making her self-conscious. To brazen it out, she stepped back and waved him inside. “I wasn’t exactly scared, but I wanted Ryder to understand caution, that he can’t just open the door. I need to do it, and only after I see who it is.”
Hendrix still watched her, and as he tried to move, Ryder stepped on his feet, clasped his knees, and grinned up at him.
More heat joined her face. “Ryder, Mr. Becker doesn’t want to play–”
“I don’t mind playing,” Hendrix said. “I just need to know the game.” He caught Ryder under the arms and lifted him up to eye level. “So what are we doing, squirt?”
Ryder hung in his grasp. To Joey, he was a small tank, to Hendrix, he apparently weighed nothing.
Loving it, Ryder said in his excited voice, “I’m gonna stand on your feet when you walk.”
“Ah, I see. Okay, let’s give it a go.” He lowered him down, then did a quick turn so that Ryder swung out away from the cabin. Hendrix had a good hold on him and gently lowered him back to the front deck. Smiling, he looked at her. “We’re eating at my place. Do you two need jackets?”
Eating at his place? Joey stared at him. “Oh, but I thought –”
His gaze unwavering, he said, “Pizza is already there, probably getting cold.”
“Wait!” Ryder hopped off his feet. “I got somethin’ for ya.” He raced back inside.
After her unhappy marriage, surprises annoyed Joey, so she knew her smile was stiff. “We just need a moment.”
The accusing tone didn’t faze him. “No problem. I’ll wait here.” He seated himself on the top step of the small deck.
Inside, she stalled Ryder long enough to stuff him into a jacket and pull a hat onto his head. It was a cooler day, moisture thick in the air, and the night would get downright chilly. Thankfully, they wouldn’t have far to walk. “Wait one second for me to get ready.”
“Ah, Mom. I’ll be with Mr. Becker. I wanna give him his card. Okay? Please?”
She’d have to talk to Ryder about his whining, but for now, she couldn’t resist his excitement. “All right. But the two of you will wait for me.” In case she was correct and Hendrix had a real aversion to Christmas, she didn’t want him to hurt Ryder’s feelings.
In a rush, she changed from her baggy long-sleeved T-shirt to one more fitted, then added a thick, pink, zip-up hoodie.
Gloves were already in the pockets. One glance at her hair and she knew she didn’t have time to make a difference with it.
She snatched a white hat off a hook and tugged it down over her ears.
She wasn’t more than thirty seconds behind Ryder.
At the kitchen counter, she snatched up her keys, turned out the lights, and stepped outside. At the last second, she took in the scene before her and very quietly secured the door.
Still on the top step, Hendrix stared at the card with an expression of emotional awe. Ryder snuggled close beside him – closer than she’d ever seen him willingly sit with his father or his grandparents. Other than Joey, it was only her sister who ever got that sweet reaction from him.
What really struck her was how comfortable Hendrix appeared too, as if little kids always crowded his space.
Naturally, her heart went squishy, both with tenderness and fear. By staying here, was she setting her son up for heartbreak? She tried so hard to be enough for Ryder, to fill the void of a missing father and extended family, yet she knew it was an unrealistic goal.
Kids needed friends and community; her son was as social as any little boy his age. But for right now, she was all Ryder had.
“I was addin’ more stars when you got here. Do you think it needs more? I could put some over here.” Ryder pointed at the card.
“I think it’s perfect,” Hendrix said in a very low, gruff way, as if he needed to clear his throat. “It doesn’t need a thing.”
“For real?”
“For real.”
“I signed it there. See? Mom says I got to always sign my artwork.”
“Your mother is naturally correct. Thank you.” His long arm went around Ryder for a quick hug, then he ruffled his hair before looking over his shoulder at Joey. “All done?” Without waiting for her to answer, he said to Ryder, “Ready to eat pizza now?”
“Yeah!” After jumping up, Ryder asked, “Want to see how fast I can run?”
Hendrix gave a gruff laugh. “You’re a fast talker, I know that. Are you a fast runner, too?”
“Real fast.”
Mouth quirking, Hendrix said to Joey, “He doesn’t lack for confidence.”
“Shush,” she whispered back, incredibly pleased by how he had praised the card. She should have known Hendrix would handle things competently.
To Ryder, she said, “How about you run to the playground and back. No farther than that, okay?” There were dark areas in the park and the thought of losing sight of him it terrified her. “Stay where I can see you.”
“Okay, Mom.” Immediately, Ryder took a stance.
Smiling, Joey counted, “One...two...three – go!”
Holding the card at his side, Hendrix watched Ryder run. The second he was far enough away not to overhear, Hendrix asked, “Are you worried about being here alone with me?”
“What? No. Don’t be silly.” How could he think he worried her? If anything, Hendrix being near reassured her.
“Then who are you worried about?” When she hesitated, his dark brows gathered together again. “Your ex, right? If there’s a problem, I need to know.” After he said that, he glanced up and called out, “You’re faster than a falcon,” as Ryder started back from the playground.
The easy camaraderie with her son pleased her. “Thank you. He hasn’t been this excited in a while.”
“He’s expending some energy. It’s good for him.” Still watching Ryder, he asked, “What are you afraid of?”
She thought about how to answer, but Hendrix’s hair was distracting.
It was so dark and thick, her fingers tingled with the urge to brush it away from his eyes.
Instead, she stuffed her hands in her pockets.
“I’ll make it brief, because I don’t want Ryder to overhear, but I’m always on the lookout for my ex or my in-laws.
I wouldn’t want to be taken by surprise by any of them. ”
Accepting that, Hendrix said, “I have security cameras that record movement, but I can keep the gates locked, too. You’ll just need to let me know when you’re leaving the park.”
The quick remedy pleased her. “Thank you.” His suggestion wouldn’t matter if someone snuck in on foot, but it was a great start.
As Ryder raced up to them, Hendrix said, “I had no idea you were turbocharged.”
“Does that mean I’m fast?”
“Super fast.”
As if he’d been doing it every day, Ryder grabbed both of their hands and urged them to a quicker pace, occasionally dropping his weight to force them to swing him. Hendrix laughed about it, and in the process stole another chunk of her heart.
His house was the most private area in the park, half-hidden by landscaping and naturally grown trees. She’d been curious about it forever. From the outside, it looked nice with the cerulean blue shaker shingles and bright white trim that mimicked the ocean.
He led them around back, past a privacy fence to a large deck that faced an abundance of spruce and fir trees.
Seeing a hot tub on the deck caused her to trip over her own feet.
It took only a nanosecond for her to imagine Hendrix easing into the steamy water, sitting back at his leisure to enjoy the whirling heat on a cool night like tonight.
Would he wear trunks – or be naked?
“Easy,” he said, catching her arm so she didn’t face-plant in the prickly grass.
Ryder released their hands and ran to the hot tub. “Wow, your own pool?”
“Hot tub,” Hendrix said, then he blew her mind when he added, “You can come down and use it sometime, as long as your mom is with you. Don’t ever go near it alone, okay? Will you promise me?”
“For real?” Eyes wide, he stared at Hendrix as if he’d turned into Santa Claus.
“Hey, you gave me this beautiful card. It’s the least I can do.”
Ryder launched into excited pleas. “Can we, Mom? Please, please, please?”