Page 5 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“I won’t. Move over a little.” He did, and she slid onto the bed next to him. “This better?”

He nodded. “I dreamed my daddy was hurting my mommy, then he looked at me, and he was going to hurt me, too.”

You’re killing me, Sammy. “Did your father ever hurt you?”

There was a long silence, then, “Sometimes,” he whispered. “When he didn’t have stuff to put in the needle that he put in his arm. He’d get mean and his hands would shake. That’s when he’d hurt Mommy and sometimes me.”

“Well, he’s never going to hurt you again, Sam. I won’t let him.”

“You can’t stop him. Nobody can.”

She was going to prove him wrong about that. There was no way she was letting this boy go back to his parents. It would mean extra work and time getting the proof she needed to show he’d been neglected and abused, but she wouldn’t let Sam be another Mikey.

“Close your eyes, and I’ll tell you a story.” This was something she’d done with other children, and she had a story about a puppy that went on a search for a ball he’d lost. She used her soft, sleepy voice that she’d perfected over the years of putting children to bed.

She was only halfway through the story when his breaths evened out, but she finished anyway, then drifted to sleep.

“Sleeping beauty and her little minion,” a familiar voice said.

Matilda blinked her eyes open and found herself staring into the chocolaty eyes of her fantasy man. “Oh.” She sat up. Her hair had to be a mess, and she probably had drool on her chin. Sadly, there was no way she was going to be his fantasy woman.

She combed her fingers through her hair. “He had a nightmare, so I…um, I guess I fell asleep.”

“You’ve had quite a night.” He held up a white bag, waving it in front of her face. “Thought you could use some decent coffee. There’s also a juice for Sam and a couple of Danishes.”

“Careful,” she said as she greedily grabbed the bag. “I might decide to marry you.”

He laughed. “Only propose to me if you mean it. And I’ll expect you to drop to a knee or the answer will be no.”

Matti usually felt a bit awkward around men, especially gorgeous ones like Ryan, but he had such an easy way about him that she felt comfortable just being herself. “You should’ve held the coffee ransom until my proposal. Now that I have it in my greedy little hands, I have no need to marry you.”

He slapped a hand over his heart. “I’m crushed. I was already planning my vows, but I’ll remember that the next time I bring you coffee.” He tapped a finger to his head. “Remember to hold Matilda’s coffee hostage until I have my proposal.” He took a step closer to her. “Have I earned the right to be your friend and call you Matti now?”

Lord help her, this man was a delight, and that grin he directed her way made her toes curl. “Depends on how good my Danish is.” Were they flirting? It sure felt like it.

“I should’ve brought one of each kind,” he mumbled loud enough for her to hear. “How’s our boy doing?” He walked to the other side of the bed.

And just like that, the flirty doctor was gone. Well, it was fun while it lasted. “He had a nightmare. Told me his father would hurt him when there was nothing to put in the needle that his father would stick in his arm.” Ryan muttered some words a doctor probably shouldn’t say in front of a patient or his social worker, but she wholeheartedly agreed.

“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to check up on him, make sure his leg is doing okay. Would you be willing to give me your phone number so I can do that?”

“Sure.” She gave him her number, and he put it in his phone.

“I’m sending you a text so you’ll have mine. If the wound turns red or looks irritated, call me, okay?”

“I will.” She shouldn’t be disappointed that he asked for her number so he could check up on Sam and not because he wanted to talk to her.

“Are you doing okay? It’s been a long night for you.”

“Nothing a bottle of wine wouldn’t cure, but since it’s early morning, I guess I should wait a few hours.”

He chuckled. “Might be a good idea.” Sam stirred. “Looks like our boy is waking up.”

“While you’re here to keep an eye on him, I’m going to hop into the bathroom real quick. I didn’t want him to wake up and think he’s alone.” Maybe there was a comb and toothpaste in there.

“Sure.” He removed Sam’s chart from the wall and busied himself reading it.

Matti groaned when she got a look at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was a tangled mess, and her clothes looked like she’d slept in them… Well, she had, but did they have to be so wrinkled? She tried to smooth out the creases in her T-shirt, but the shirt didn’t look any better.