“Boys don’t cry.”
“Plenty of boys cry.” Raoul hesitated, knowing there was a fine line between saying what was healthy and the reality of being tortured by peers. “Losing your parents is a big deal.”
“I know.” Peter licked his cone. “I still miss them.”
“That’s good. You loved them. You’re supposed to miss people you love.”
“Mrs. Dawson says they’re watching me from heaven, but I don’t know if that’s true.”
“Every time you remember them, you know how much they loved you. That’s what’s important.”
Peter took a few more licks, then held up his cast. “I get this off in a couple of weeks. The doctor says I’m healing really fast.”
The advantage of youth, Raoul thought, remembering feeling like roadkill the morning after his last few games. There was nothing like being trampled by a few three-hundred-pound guys to make a man feel humble.
“Wait until you see your arm,” Raoul told him. “It’s going to look weird from being in the cast.”
“Cool! I wish I could see it now.” He raised his arm and turned it back and forth, as if trying to see inside the cast. Then he turned to Raoul. “You know there’s a school carnival next week, right? We’re gonna have games and stuff. It won’t be as big as this, but it will still be fun.”
While the boy went on about the different events at the school, Raoul was aware of three women standing on the path a few feet away. He’d never seen them before, so he guessed they were tourists, in town for the festival, or possibly the influx of men. They were in their midthirties, talking to each other and pointing at him. The tall brunette raised her camera and took a picture.
When they realized he’d noticed them, the smaller blonde waved and walked over.
“You’re Raoul Moreno, aren’t you?” she said, her voice high and excited. “I recognized you right away. Oh my God! I can’t believe it. You are just as good-looking in person. This is really exciting. We came here when we heard about all the men. There was an auction and everything. Too bad you weren’t in it. You would have gotten a lot of money.”
Her friends joined her.
Raoul tossed his ice cream and rose. Normally this sort of thing didn’t bother him, but it had been months since anyone had approached him as a fan. Living in Fool’s Gold where everyone treated him normally had spoiled him for the real world. Right now he wanted to spend the day with Peter—not deal with three women who probably weren’t going to be satisfied with a picture.
“Is that your son?” the taller blonde asked.
“He doesn’t have children,” the brunette said scornfully. “Are you in one of those charity programs? Is he disadvantaged? Look at his poor broken arm.”
Raoul stepped between the women and Peter. “That’s enough. Take your pictures and then move on.”
The petite blonde stepped closer. “This is a free country. We don’t have to do anything. We can spend the whole day just following you around.”
“I don’t think so.”
The firm words came from behind him. He turned and saw Bella Gionni walking up. With her were Denise Hendrix and a few women he didn’t recognize. They looked serious.
“Morning, ladies,” Denise said pleasantly. “How can we help you?”
“You can’t,” the brunette said. “This is a private conversation.”
“You can say anything in front of us.” Bella moved between him and Peter. She put her hand on the boy’s shoulder, then slipped her arm around his. “We’re close.”
Her friends took up places around him and Peter.
The younger women looked at each other and frowned.
“What’s going on?” the taller blonde asked.
“You’re welcome to say hello to Raoul and even take his picture, but that’s as far as it goes. You don’t follow him or disturb him in any way. Nor do you get to talk to Peter.” She smiled at the boy. “Girls,” she said in a mock whisper.
He was wide-eyed, more interested than scared. “I know,” he whispered back.
Raoul was as startled by the rescue as by the potential stalkers. While he appreciated the concern, his pride didn’t welcome the idea of being protected by a half dozen women in their forties and fifties.
Not that he was willing to take them on either. Ego be damned—for now he was keeping his mouth shut.
The three women turned their attention to him. “Are you serious? You’re going to let them tell us what to do?”
He gave them his best grin. The one he wore in all his publicity pictures. “Absolutely.”
“This town is stupid,” the petite blonde said. “We should leave. I don’t know why we thought we could have a good time here.”
“Us, either,” Bella told her. “Drive safe, ladies.”
The brunette flipped her off.
Bella only smiled. “Looks like you need a manicure, missy. Chipped polish is so cheap. Just like you.”
The three stomped off.