45. He Found True Friends
He Found True Friends
Toby
The Rawles house was alive with squeals and laughter.
Smiling, I rapped my knuckles on the front door and glanced around the yard.
Zach’s place had good energy—chill, but a bit nuts at the same time.
He could pay more attention to his grass, though.
What did his dad think about the patches of clover growing along the front fence and by the driveway?
I bet he nearly busted an artery when he looked at ’em. I was.
Noah clung to me like a koala, blinking his big eyes at all the new sights. Footsteps pattered closer. When the front door swung open, an unexpected face greeted me.
“Toby!” Maree stepped back to give me the once-over.
“Don’t you look handsome in your suit this morning!
” Her smile faded into an intense look of concentration.
She stepped closer, her thin brows knitted together behind her glasses, and she straightened my tie and adjusted my collar. “That’s better!”
“Uh, yeah…” I swallowed nervously. My mother had never fussed over me like that. “Thanks, Mrs. Rawles.”
I might not have been used to being fussed over, but Noah was. All grizzles, he stretched his legs, bucking against me and straining his chubby hands for Maree.
She laughed. “Did you think I forgot about you?” She leaned over to smack kisses on his fists until he gurgled a belly laugh. “You look handsome, too!”
Noah happily went into Maree’s waiting arms, and she snuggled him close, swaying him from side to side like only grandmas knew how to do just right.
A pinch twisted under my ribs. Well, some grandmas.
I had no regrets about cutting contact with my mother, but she’d never cared about Noah.
Never kissed him. She’d been just as cold when I was growing up. Nothing had changed.
Maree bounced Noah on her hip. “We’re going to have fun this morning,” she cooed. “Aren’t we?”
“Thanks for looking after him, Mrs. Rawles,” I said, dropping his baby bag by the door. “I appreciate it.” I raked a hand through my hair. “I have no idea how long this whole court thing will take. I don’t want Noah getting upset… Or Gwen…”
I snuck a look over my shoulder to the car.
Gwen chatted to Marnie on her phone. She wasn’t bothered about charging into court.
She was a pro. She didn’t even seem worried about being stuck in the same room with Kayleigh.
I rubbed my palm over my chest. I was the one with the nerves fizzling like I was about to run on the rugby field for a grand final with everything to lose.
“We’re happy to have Noah over any time,” Maree said. “The more, the merrier!” She flashed me a sly smile. “And I have an ulterior motive.”
Juicy . I leaned closer for the gossip. “Don’t leave me hanging, Mrs. Rawles.”
“Zach and Eden say they’re happy with two kiddies, but I was thinking… If I can show them how well I handle Josie with the two babies…” She wiggled her eyebrows. “Maybe…”
“Not happening.” Zach’s voice drifted down the hallway. He lumbered into view, shrugging on a black jacket, Josie clinging for dear life to the leg of his pants. “Two terrors are enough, thanks!”
Maree’s face fell. “But—”
“No buts. Eden will ship me off on a one-way ticket to the moon if I even suggest another baby right now.” Zach tried to pry Josie off his leg, but her tiny arms only clung tighter. He turned to me with a smile. “But we are happy to have NoBo over any time.”
“Slick suit,” I said to Zach. He looked like a different guy from the one who rocked up at Stroller Squad and hung around his folks’ place. “Aren’t Mondays your day off? How come you’re all gelled up?”
“I’m going to tag along,” Zach replied. “Can’t hurt, right? Moral support. Glaring at the opposition. A shoulder to cry on. I’m good for all those.” He grimaced. “Just, uh… Don’t ask me to get up in front of the magistrate. I’m not like Gwen. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes kind of lawyer.”
“Glaring at the opposition sounds like something I need.” I grinned. “Thanks, man. You bringing the fancy lady to court, too?” I pointed to the tiny minion still gripped around Zach’s leg.
He groaned. “Uh…”
He bent over and gently tried to coax Josie to let go, but she wasn’t budging. Too bad she wasn’t coming to court. She had the glare thing down, and she shot a fierce one first at Zach and then at me. Yikes.
I crouched in front of her. “Reckon I can kidnap your dad for a bit?” She shook her head. “What if I pay a ransom?” Did little kids know what a ransom was? Double yikes. “I’ll bring you an ice cream.”
Josie lifted her chin. “With sprinkles, Uncle Toady?” Her glare was back. She was ready to drive a hard bargain.
I pretended to think it over. “I think I can swing some sprinkles.”
“The, um…” She fluttered her fingers in tiny waves, her eyebrows pinched, trying to think of a word. “Choc dribbles?”
Zach leaned down. “Chocolate fudge sauce,” he muttered.
“Is that a go?” I whispered back.
“Are you still coming to the park with us this arvo?” He waited for me to nod a yes. “If you’re prepared to run up the spiderweb after her when she’s hyped up on all this sugar, promise anything you want.”
Easiest deal ever. I grinned down at Josie. “All the choc dribbles.”
Her tiny hands released. She let Zach hug her goodbye. I got a high-five, and then, after Zach planted a quick kiss on his mum’s head, he headed out the door and along the driveway to his car. Before I could launch after him, a hand tugged my arm.
“Toby,” Maree said. “Before you go…”
Did I do something wrong? “Ye-yeah?” I tugged nervously at my tie.
“Good luck at court this morning.”
A warm, gooey feeling better than Josie’s choc dribbles filled my chest. “Thanks, Mrs. Rawles.”
“I–I know I haven’t always been…well…as nice as I could’ve been to you.
” She grimaced a little. “But, these last few weeks, Zach’s popped out of his shell more.
It’s been good to see him have someone else to spend time with.
John, too. And… well, I’m not too proud to say you’re growing on me.
” She lifted her chin and smiled. “I just wanted you to know.”
My cheeks flamed. I ducked my head, not quite sure where to look. I felt a little bit…overwhelmed. “Th-thanks, Mrs. Rawles.”
“Maree.”
“Wow.” I nodded a lot. “Thanks.”
I still wore a dopey smile when I sat in the car and dragged the seatbelt over my chest. I glanced out the windshield.
Maree stood by the front door, showing Noah how to wave goodbye.
He didn’t quite have the hang of it yet—he just flapped his whole arm—but he loved that he got lots of smiles for trying.
Gwen dropped her phone in her bag. “Everything go okay?” she asked. “You and Maree were talking for a bit.”
“She doesn’t hate me,” I breathed, still in complete disbelief. “Even if everything else goes to crap today, at least one good thing happened.”
“Nothing will go to crap today,” Gwen reassured me. “Trust me.”
“I trust you. But I’m hopeless at this stuff. What if I say the wrong thing? Or do something dumb?” All real possibilities.
Gwen squeezed my thigh. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll be there. And Zach. The police prosecutor will do most of the talking for you. It’ll probably all be done and dusted in a few minutes.”
I pushed Gwen’s hand higher up my thigh. “Okay, but keep your hand here so I build up some extra courage.”
Gwen’s expression turned deadpan. “Courage, huh?”
I leaned over the console and flashed her a big, smug grin before I kissed her cheek. “I’m already planning our date, you know,” I murmured beside her ear.
“Are you just?”
“Uh-huh.” I nuzzled her neck. It was warm there. Perfume tickled my nose. I liked that spot.
“What, um…” Gwen gulped. I think she liked my lips in that spot, too. “What are you thinking of, um… you know…”
I lowered my voice to sound as husky as I could. She liked the growly voice. “Something…fun…and…dirty.” I grinned when goosebumps prickled the skin of her neck. “Paintball.”
Gwen groaned. “Toby.” She swatted my arm.
I laughed. “Laser tag?”
She glared at me.
“Bowling?”
She folded her arms and stuck her nose in the air.
“Okay, okay.” I tried hiding my smile to go as deadpan as she was. “I’m being serious now. For real. Your favorite. Let’s go mountain biking!”
Gwen laughed. A real laugh. The type she used to laugh years ago when everything was good between us.
And that was all the courage I needed to get going.