Page 39 of The Maverick

She nodded. “He did, when he took me from the school bus stop.” She thought hard about what to say and decided to be straightforward. “Did you see me go with your father this morning?”

Jake nodded, and his eyes teared up. “I saw, but I couldn’t do anything. I thought maybe he was trying to convince you to go back to him. You saidno, didn’t you?”

“Yes. I saidno. What happened next?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “I guess I just hoped if you did go back to him, we’d live here not in New York. But I don’t want to go back. Please, Mommy, don’t make us go back.” Jake wrapped his arms around her and sobbed into her stomach.

She held him and rubbed his back. “Don’t cry, Jakie. We’re never going back to him or back to New York. We’re staying here. I promise.”

Jake’s lip trembled. “Really?”

Rachel smiled at her baby boy. “Yes, really. Now, dry your eyes and finish your ice cream.” She wiped her thumbs under his eyes to remove his tears.

He gazed at her. “I love you, Mommy.”

She hugged him tightly. “I love you, Jake, more than anything.”

He ran back to his stool and climbed up to eat more of his treat. He took a bite.

“We’re gonna?—”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, sweetie.” Rachel sat next to him, picked up his napkin, and wiped the corners of his mouth.

He swallowed. “Sorry. We’re going on a field trip to the Natural History Museum. You have to sign my permission slip, and we have to have a sack lunch that day.”

“Okay. What day is it?”

“Friday,” said Bailey, “I have one for you, too, Daddy.”

“We’ll be sure and get the slips signed.” Nick sat next to Bailey. “I’m sure Sarah will come up with something good for your lunches.”

“Of course, I will.” Sarah turned her gaze between Nick and Rachel. “I see you two have had a productive day.”

Nick nodded. “Everything turned out perfectly.”

Sarah lifted a brow. “I’m glad to hear it. Do you have any requests for dinner tonight?”

“Hamburgers!” shouted Jake. The meal was his favorite and he’d have it every night if he could.

“Steak,” said Nick.

Bailey looked up at him and shook her head. “You always want steak.”

Nick laughed and ruffled her hair. “We live on a ranch. Of course, I want steak.”

“I think pork chops,” said Rachel. “We haven’t had those since Jake and I have been here. What do you think?” She tapped Jake’s arm.

Jake nodded. “I like pork chops. Can we have mashed potatoes and gravy, too?”

“I think that sounds like a good idea.” Sarah looked up at Nick. “You’re out voted. Pork chops it is.”

Nick sighed and then shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I like pork chops, too.”

Sarah smiled at Rachel. “I’m glad your day went well.”

“Yes, it was...interesting.” Rachel couldn’t say anything in front of Jake, yet she knew Sarah wanted to know what had happened. She looked at Jake’s bowl and saw it was empty. Bailey’s was, as well. “Do you two have homework to do?”

Bailey nodded. “We have numbers and spelling. We’re supposed to test each other on the words.”