Chapter 5
Matti never got used to the sad stories her children had to tell. The day their stories didn’t bother her would be the day she quit. It was hard hearing them talk about the abuse they suffered, though.
Although her parents were divorced, they were civil to each other and all their children knew they were loved by both Jonathon and Emily. Matti was grateful for that, especially because she knew firsthand how awful some parents could be.
“Watch, Matti,” Sam said. He zoomed his fire truck around the living room floor.
“That’s awesome.” She loved seeing his face lit up with joy.
“I never had a toy like this.” He grinned at Ryan. “Thank you, Doc.”
Ryan wrapped his arms around Sam, but his gaze was on her, and if she wasn’t mistaken, his eyes were watery. How could they not be? Sam liked her, she knew that, but he had a big crush on his Doc. She was a little jealous, even though she didn’t want Sam crushing on her.
“I need to check on dinner.” She stood and walked away from the temptation of joining in their lovefest.
Her bungalow—a home she’d lovingly restored over the years—was built back when everyone preferred walls over great rooms, so she couldn’t see the living room from the kitchen, but she could hear their laughter as she plated their dinner.
She smiled, happy that Ryan and Sam had taken to each other so beautifully.
When she’d asked Sam what he would like for dinner, he’d said, “I get to choose?” After getting over his surprise, he’d immediately said, “Waffles, with butter and syrup on them. I had some once when my daddy had extra money and he brought some home. They were frozen, so they were easy to make.”
It seemed to her that he’d added the last part, worried she’d have to work too hard over their dinner.
One or both of his parents had probably complained about having to feed him.
He was six years old. He should be able to read basic words by now.
He couldn’t because his parents had never sent him to school.
Tonight, after he was asleep, she was going to start on writing her recommendation that he not be returned to his parents.
Not sure how much Ryan could eat, she decided on waffles, an entire package of bacon, and yogurt and fruit parfaits. The parfaits she’d made earlier, and it didn’t take long to cook the bacon and a pile of waffles. After bringing the food to the table, she called for the boys.
Sam limped into the dining room with Ryan following close behind. At seeing the pile of waffles, his eyes widened. “Holy shit,” he said.
Before she could reprimand him, Ryan said, “We don’t use bad words, Sam, especially not in front of a lady.”
“Sh… That’s a bad word?”
Ryan nodded. “It sure is.”
“I didn’t know. My daddy says it all the time.” He looked up at Ryan with tears in his eyes. “Are you going to punish me?”
“No, because you didn’t know, but now you do, so never say it again.”
“I won’t.”
Ryan put his hand on Sam’s shoulder. “Good. Now, let’s eat. Where do you want us, Matti?”
The way he said her name was like silk sliding over her skin, and she suppressed a shudder. She shouldn’t have agreed to allow him to use her nickname because she didn’t need to be shuddering over this man.
“Anywhere you want.” She’d set the table so that one of them would have to sit next to Sam and the other one across from him. Ryan took the seat next to Sam.
“Sam’s right, that is a lot of waffles,” Ryan said as he put two on Sam’s plate.
“Didn’t know how many you two could eat.”
“And there’s bacon,” Sam exclaimed. “What’s that? It looks like dessert.”
“It’s a yogurt and fruit parfait. You’ll like it.”
“Can I eat it now?”
Ryan tapped Sam’s plate with his fork. “Eat your waffles first. Do you want syrup?”
“Yes! This is the best food I’ve ever had.”
“I agree,” Ryan said, smiling at her.
Sam’s table manners were lacking, but that was something she could work on later…rather, his foster parents could. He would only be here tonight.
“Thiftissogud,” Sam said.
Ryan put his hand over Sam’s to keep him from stuffing more food into his mouth.
“Sam, we don’t talk with our mouths full of food.
For one thing, we can’t understand what you’re saying.
For another, it’s gross. And before you ask, we’re not going to punish you because you didn’t know better. Now you do, right?”
Sam nodded as he swallowed. “I don’t like doing things wrong.”
“No one does,” she said. “I think you’re smart, and as soon as you learn something isn’t right, you won’t do it again.”
He vigorously nodded. “I want to know the right way to do things.”
“Good,” Ryan said. “Finish your waffles so we can eat this delicious yogurt.”
“I’ve never had yogurt.”
Turned out Sam’s new favorite thing was yogurt and fruit parfaits. It was a good thing he wasn’t staying with her because she’d be spoiling this boy who’d had so little in his short life.
“Matti cooked, so us men will clean up,” Ryan said after Sam had scraped every bit of the parfait from the dish.
“You don’t have—”
“That’s the way it works. Go sit and relax. We got this.”
“You don’t know where everything goes.”
“Didn’t you say Sam was smart? He’ll help me figure it out.”
“I will help him, Matti,” Sam said, puffing his little chest out.
“Do you need to rest your leg?”
“No. I’m not a baby.”
Standing behind Sam, Ryan grinned. “We’re tough men, right, Sam?”
There went Sam’s chest puffing out again. “Right, Doc.”
All righty, then. Wasn’t so bad having useful men in the house, she decided as she settled on the couch. She’d barely relaxed when her phone chimed. She leaned forward and picked it up from the coffee table, seeing her brother’s name on the screen.
“Wyatt the Pirate. What’s up?”
“That was cute when you were eight, not so much now.”
“You all love my nicknames.” She had one for all her siblings.
“No, we don’t. Listen, is Sam with you, or have you found him a foster already?”
“He’s with me, why?”
“I need to talk to him, and I thought it would be better to do it in an environment that’s more comfortable for him than the station.”
“True, but does it have to be tonight?”
“We found his parents this afternoon. They’re dead, Matti.”
“Oh, no. How?”
“Shot. They were in an alley behind the motel where they were staying. I’ll leave it up to you to tell him about his parents.”
“I hate this, but yeah, come on over.”
“See ya in a few.”
After disconnecting and returning her phone to the coffee table, she leaned her head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Should she tell Sam about his parents? Maybe she’d wait until after Wyatt talked to him to decide. She wouldn’t tell him tonight, though. Tomorrow maybe.
The boys returned to the living room, and Sam dropped to the floor, taking the remote to his fire truck in his hand. While he played, she pulled Ryan aside.
“My brother’s on the way over. Wyatt’s a detective, and he wants to talk to Sam.”
Ryan’s gaze went to the boy. “It can’t wait until tomorrow? Let him have tonight to just be a kid having fun with his new toy?”
“I asked the same thing. They found Sam’s parents. They’re dead, Ryan.”
“Damn. From the sound of it, they were terrible parents, but he still loved them. You can hear that when he calls them Mommy and Daddy.”
“Yeah, I hear that, too. Let’s let him have tonight before we tell him.”
“I’ll tell him with you,” he said.
“That would be great. He really likes you, and I think having you with him when he’s told will help. Are you working tomorrow?”
“Yes, so after my shift ends?”
“Why don’t you plan to come to dinner again?” She ignored that little flutter in her heart that she’d have another chance to see him.
“I have a better idea. Why don’t we tell him, then take him out for pizza?”
“That is a good idea. It’s possible he’s never had a pizza in his life.
If he’s really sad after we tell him, going out might dim that sadness a little.
” There was a knock on the door. “That’s Wyatt.
I’ll step out on the porch with him for five minutes while you tell Sam a policeman wants to talk to him. Prepare him as best you can.”
“Okay.” He touched her arm as she took a step away. “Matti.”
She looked back at him. “Yes?”
“You’re a good person.”
She smiled, absurdly pleased that he thought so.
He was, too. And sexy. But he was an emergency room doctor.
She knew firsthand that doctors worked long hours and didn’t have time for their families.
Her father had taught her that. So, Dr. Ryan Palmer would stay in the friend zone, a very handsome friend whom she’d enjoy looking at. Nothing more.