My heart sank. “He left again?”
Ripley looked up at me with his big eyes. “Does that make you sad? Do you need a hug?”
Oh, my heart. This child was the sweetest. “I always need a Ripley hug.”
I held my arms out and let him scramble onto my lap. I squeezed him for a quick moment, careful to let him determine how long the hug went on for. But when he didn’t let go, I hugged him tighter. I was so grateful I’d had the chance to spend time with him and Rowe before all this happened, so that now I could be a source of comfort for him.
Rowe poked at some eggs he had cooking on the stove top. “He’s probably just gone to work. He was better last night.”
Ripley grew tired of the hug and clambered back to his own seat.
I shrugged in response to Rowe’s question. “Do you think? I thought something still felt off with him.”
Rowe shook his head. “Seemed normal to me.”
I nodded thoughtfully, tucking that away. It made me feel better. In the shower last night, I’d still gotten the sense that Liam was struggling, but Rowe’s conviction helped those nervous feelings settle.
Heath wandered into the kitchen, and Ripley stared up at him, eyes wide. “Whoa. You’re big.”
Heath leaned down so he was closer to Ripley’s height. “You’ll be this big one day, too.” He stuck his hand out for Ripley to shake. “I’m Heath. Nice to meet you.”
Ripley giggled and clamped his tiny hand in Heath’s tattooed one. “Nice to meet you, too, mister. I like your drawings.”
He traced over the lines on Heath’s arm while I melted inside at the exchange. Heath had an easy way with him, and Ripley seemed to have taken an instant liking to him, too.
Rowe glanced over at them occasionally, humming something under his breath. I could barely believe the change in him. Rowe, humming? Unheard of.
The aroma coming from the food Rowe had sizzling on the stove top had my mouth watering, and we all shoved down huge platefuls when he placed them in front of us.
The bacon was crisp. The eggs fluffy. I eyed him with another forkful hovering over my lips. “You’ve been living on takeout all this time when you can cook?”
His gaze followed my fork as I put it to my lips. “Didn’t seem worthwhile when it was just me.”
My heart squeezed, and I looked over at Ripley. “It’s not just you anymore.”
“No, it’s not.” He ruffled Ripley’s hair. “If we’re gonna get this guy as big as Heath, we’re going to have to have lots of fruits and vegetables.”
Ripley wrinkled his nose at the idea.
“And chocolate for dessert,” Rowe tacked on. “Of course.”
Ripley brightened at that.
I stifled a smile. “You like chocolate, buddy?”
Ripley launched into a list of his favorites, and I could practically see Rowe’s brain ticking over, trying to remember them all.
“My best friend Tori loves Oreos, too. She actually named her cat Oreo because he’s black and white.”
Ripley’s eyes went huge. “Cats are my favorite animals! Can I see him?”
My heart sank. Because just days ago, I would have been able to say, yes, sure, let’s go there now. Sadness dropped over me like a veil. I wanted to take Ripley to my best friend’s place. He might not be legally mine, but I’d promised to be there for him and for Rowe, and so for as long as Rowe wanted me in their lives, I was going to be here.
I had so much love to give a child. I’d always known I was meant to be a mother. It had made my doctor’s prognosis at sixteen nearly impossible to bear. It had been the whole reason I’d gone into teaching. I needed something to fill the void I couldn’t fill with a child of my own.
And now here I was, with a little boy who needed that love. A chance for me to be the mother I’d always dreamed of.
But no best friend to share it with.
I took my phone quietly from the countertop and walked out onto the front porch. I could feel Heath and Rowe pick up on my mood, their gazes firmly burning my back, but they didn’t ask me what was wrong or try to stop me.
I sat on the porch swing, now much more comfortable with a few throw pillows, and called Tori’s number.
“Hi, you’ve reached Tori. I can’t come to the phone right now, so leave a message and I’ll get back to you. God bless.”
“It’s me. Again. I just…something’s happened. It’s pretty big, and you’re the person I want to share it with. I know you’re angry at me right now, but please, Tor.” I sucked in a deep breath as tears pricked the backs of my eyes. But I wasn’t going to let them fall. I was stronger than this. She might be mad, but us taking custody of Ripley was huge. I knew my best friend. Once she got over being mad at me, she’d then be mad at herself for not being here to celebrate Ripley being with us. “I’m not taking no for an answer. We’re not ending a decade-old friendship without even talking about it. I’m coming over there right now. See you in ten.”
I instantly felt better, lighter, for having decided to be proactive. I’d go all Romeo and Juliet on her if I had to, throwing pebbles at her window until she came outside and talked to me.
I stuck my head back inside the door, but Rowe and Heath were right on the other side.
Rowe jingled his keys in my face. “Off you go.”
I grinned at them. “Eavesdroppers much?”
“It was Heath’s idea. He’s a massive gossip.” Rowe sniggered.
Heath rolled his eyes but pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Was just making sure you were okay. Go get your friend back.”
I grabbed the keys from Rowe, brushing my lips over his quickly, and called goodbye to Ripley who was still scarfing down bacon at the kitchen table.