Chapter 8
Julia
“During our first conversation, she casually said, ‘I’m sure Brandon made sure Noah would be well provided for.’ At the time, I thought she was just making conversation, but I know better now. She’s been way too persistent.” Marcus sighed.
“Which is probably why they chose you to be his guardian,” I pointed out. “You don’t care about the money. You care about the boy.”
I was too entangled in their personal affairs and had probably said too much, but I wanted to reassure Marcus that if he decided to keep Noah, he wasn’t making a mistake. We should be making the best choices for his godson, and as Noah’s advocate, I believed Marcus was the right choice.
Noah wandered over, his lips pushed into a pout and his brow wrinkled. “I don’t feel so good.”
Marcus dropped to his haunches. “What’s wrong?”
“My tummy hurts,” Noah said, and then he proceeded to rub his stomach.
“Too much ice cream,” Marcus said in a solemn tone.
“No,” Noah wailed, probably because he saw his chance of having ice cream every day slipping away.
“I think you’ve had enough ice cream to last you until at least the next week.” Marcus stood. “We’d better go.”
He said the words reluctantly, suggesting he didn’t really want to leave. I didn’t want him to leave, either, but I needed to get back to work and finish up some of my reports. Taking time away from my desk every day meant I had to make up the work on the backend by staying later.
Not that I minded. I enjoyed spending time with him and Noah, whom I was beginning to think of less as his godson and more like his son as I observed their interactions. That was another reason why I thought it might be a good idea for him to keep Noah here. Their relationship was growing stronger.
Noah grasped Marcus’s hand and rested his head against his hip.
“I know that look. He’s done for today,” I remarked.
“Yeah, no doubt. Come on, Robin.”
Marcus lifted Noah into his arms with ease, and the little boy flung his arms around his neck and rested his head on his shoulder. The move made my ovaries vibrate. Me, a woman who had insisted she never wanted to be a mother.
We walked to the park entrance and waited for a lull in the traffic.
“You have big plans for the weekend?” Marcus asked.
“Does doing laundry count as big plans?” I replied.
He laughed, and though the mask obscured most of his face, there was no missing those full, juicy lips of his. They were visible and entirely too appealing. And the sound of his husky laughter did things to me, making my pulse quicken despite myself.
“I figured you’d have a hot date.” His eyes focused on me.
“Nothing so exciting,” I told him, a little embarrassed. Now I wished I did have plans so I wouldn’t come across as lame with nothing to do all weekend.
After waiting for traffic to pass, we walked across the street and stopped in front of my building.
As we faced each other, the moment felt significant.
Maybe because I knew I wouldn’t see them again for a while.
He couldn’t feed Noah ice cream every day forever, and today was Friday, which meant I wouldn’t be here even if they did come tomorrow.
“It was good to see you both again, and I’m very impressed with his progress.” I patted Noah’s back. “I hope you feel better,” I said gently.
He didn’t say a word, but acknowledged me with a whimper.
“I guess I’ll be stopping at the pharmacy for some kiddie Pepto-Bismol,” Marcus said.
Noah lifted his head. “Miss Julia, we’re going to the zoo tomorrow. Do you want to come with us?”
I blinked, surprised by the question. “The zoo?” I repeated, my gaze landing on Marcus’s face.
“Don’t listen to him. I’m sure you have—”
“We get to feed the goats and everything. You should come,” Noah said.
“I don’t think it’ll be that exciting for you. We’re going to the children’s petting zoo,” Marcus explained.
Was he trying to convince me not to come?
“You should come,” Noah insisted. “Do you have to work?”
The expectation on his face tugged at my emotions.
This sweet little boy was asking me to be part of his day.
Practically speaking, I felt as if this was crossing a line.
Afternoon visits were one thing, but I didn’t spend time with clients on the weekend.
Doing so could complicate our relationship.
“You could come... if you wanted to,” Marcus said.
“Well... I don’t have to work tomorrow.” I looked at him, trying to gauge his true feelings.
“Then you should come with us,” he said firmly.
The invitation from him sealed my decision. “I haven’t been to the petting zoo before, but it sounds like a good time. Thanks for the invitation, Noah. I would love to join you.” I smiled at both him and Marcus.
“Yay!” Noah said softly, raising his fisted left hand.
“What time?” I asked Marcus.
“I need to go into the office for the first part of the morning to handle some paperwork, so I was thinking about ten-thirty-ish, if that works for you? We could meet at the zoo and hang out for a couple of hours.”
“Sounds good,” I said, making sure I spoke in an even tone though I was jumping up and down on the inside. Not good.
I was way too excited about spending more time with Marcus and this little guy. But especially Marcus.
“Uncle Marcus said I’ll get to feed the goats.
Did you know that goats can climb really good?
I get to see the goats and the sheep and the chickens, but I really really want to see the goats.
” Noah then dumped all the information he knew about goats into the conversation, though much of what he said sounded like a combination of television and imagination.
Sorry, Marcus mouthed.
I didn’t mind. The kid’s enthusiasm was infectious.
Finally, Marcus interrupted him. “Robin and I have to go now,” he said, covering the boy’s mouth mid-sentence as he was in the middle of explaining the different species of goats. “We’ll see you tomorrow at the entrance to the zoo?”
“Works for me,” I agreed.
I watched them walk down the sidewalk, with Noah waving over Marcus’s shoulder. “Bye, Miss Julia! See you tomorrow!”
“See you tomorrow,” I called back.
I watched Batman carry Robin to the vehicle and put him in the backseat. I was so focused on them, I didn’t realize I was staring until Marcus had shut the door and paused to look at me. I shook out of my trance and waved.
He lifted one hand and then climbed behind the wheel.
I didn’t wait until he drove off. I had been standing there long enough, so I entered my building and climbed the stairs up to the second floor. I walked briskly to my desk, ignoring Gina, who thankfully was on the phone.
I had plans this weekend. A day at the petting zoo, with Marcus and Noah.
I groaned quietly. What was I doing? I should not be getting involved with a handsome real estate agent and his adorable pseudo-son, but here we were. That’s exactly what I was doing.
I sat at my desk and completed my reports, including a short summary of the progress I was seeing in Noah. As I wrote my notes, a smile crept onto my face.
He really had gone through significant change since the first time we met. This was the part of my job that I loved. The reason I got up in the morning and fought so hard for these kids.
The transformation made it all worthwhile, even the uncomfortable parts I didn’t like to deal with that broke my heart, such as the abuse.
Seeing them grow and become happier human beings was an immense reward.
Seeing their parents or guardians also transform from being apprehensive to relaxed parents was something I appreciated.
I could see Marcus becoming more comfortable as he parented Noah, and it was a beautiful thing.
Because of that, I suspected Marcus was going to have a hard time letting him go when the school year ended. I was starting to think he wasn’t going to let him go at all.