Page 42 of Edge of Steele
“Not me.” He let out a long breath and looked at her. “At least not with dangerous things. I promised Avery I would never do anything to risk my life, so no skydiving or base-jumping or anything like that.”
“I admire the sacrifice you’re making.” Without a thought, she reached across the table to squeeze his hand, an action that just seemed right and natural between them.
Heat flared in his eyes as he locked gazes with her. A shot of adrenaline rushed through her.Oh, man.She really did still have feelings for this man. Big time.
“Ready.” Avery burst out the door, her cute pink pajamas covered with puppy dogs.
Ryleigh jerked her hand away, the mood evaporating.
Avery eyed them suspiciously. “Are you two holding hands?”
“I just rested my hand on Finn’s for support.” Ryleigh stood. “You know like when someone hugs you or rests a hand on your shoulder when you’ve had a tough time.”
“Like friends or moms do.” Avery’s tone held her usual cautious note.
“Exactly.” Ryleigh started for the house. “How about that tucking in?”
“Ready!” Avery’s suspicions vanished, and she cast a sweet smile at Finn, then ran over to him. She kissed him on the cheek. “Night, Finn.”
His wide-eyed surprise said this hadn’t happened before or if it had, not often.
Avery grabbed Ryleigh’s hand and dragged her to the bedroom. “Finn is reading me a story. We’re reading Nancy Drew mysteries. They’re my mom’s from when she was a kid. She got them from her mom. They loved ’em.”
“And do you?”
“They’re a little bit old, but yeah, because Mom loved them, I do too.” She grabbed a book from her bookshelf and flopped on her bed. “Have you read them?”
“Yes. Every single one and I liked them too.”
Avery chewed on her lip. “Do you have a mom?”
“I do.”
She dropped the book,The Secret at Shadow Ranch, on her rainbow bedspread. “Mine died. Just like that. One day she was here. Then she was gone. I miss her.”
“I would miss my mom too.” Ryleigh sat next to Avery. “My cousin recently died, and I miss him a lot.”
“It hurts.”
“Yes.”
“Real bad. Sometimes I just want to go under my covers and never come out.” She picked up her pillow and rested it on her knees.
Ryleigh sought the right words as the child was opening up, and Ryleigh didn’t want to discourage her by saying the wrong thing. “Have you talked to Finn about it?”
“Nah.” She pressed her face into her pillow.
Ryleigh had to swallow down tears that were threatening to spill. “Did you know his mom and dad died when he was ten?”
Avery’s head popped up. “They did?”
Ryleigh nodded. “And he totally understands how you feel, and talking to him might help.”
She squished her eyebrows together. “He didn’t tell me.”
Maybe Ryleigh shouldn’t have said anything. “He might not want you to feel bad for him while you were already feeling so bad. Plus, he’s not a real big talker. Kind of a silent type of guy.”
“He’s been trying though. Real hard.” She frowned. “But I’ve been mean to him.”
