The Deputy's New Family Read Online Free Page B

She needed to talk to Nick.
    * * *
    Nick watched his son with Beth. He could tell that Corey talked to her. As they filled birdfeeders, Corey chatted easily.
    He glanced at Beth’s mom, who’d been watching him. She was a nice lady, if a little scattered. “I think Corey will do well here after school.”
    “I’d love to have him, and this works well with my weekday shift of seven till noon at the airport. Plenty of time for me to run errands and get home to meet Corey.”
    “Some weeks I’ll have midweek days off and work the weekend. Would you mind Corey hanging out during the day on a weekend?”
    Mary’s brow furrowed. “What is it that you do?”
    “I start with the sheriff’s department in a few days.”
    Mary Ryken’s eyebrow lifted, but the expression on her face had fallen into disappointment. “You’re in law enforcement.”
    “Yes, ma’am. A deputy.” Nick drained his glass of milk. Mary had offered him cookies until he’d stuffed himself.
    “My husband worked for the same but was killed on duty.”
    “Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry for your loss.” He’d looked it up. It was what made her a good choice. Mary understood a cop’s life. She’d lived it. She’d understand if his shift ran late.
    Her eyes grew stern. “Don’t let it happen to you. That boy needs you.”
    Nick nodded. It was why he was here. Why he’d transferred out of undercover work. “I don’t plan on it.”
    “No one ever plans on it, but it happens. And it happens to the best of them.” Mary’s tone hardened.
    He waited for her to pass on watching Corey but she didn’t say a word, only looked at him expectantly.
    “The job’s yours if you want it.”
    “I do.” She smiled. “And weekends are no trouble. I’m a homebody on weekends, and Corey can go with me to church if that’s okay with you. Our church has a good children’s program.”
    “That would be great. We need to find one anyway.” He wanted to get back in the habit of going when he wasn’t working. It’d been a long time. A dry time.
    Again Nick glanced out of the large windows. Beth and Corey had finished filling the birdfeeders and sat on a wooden swing together. Corey laughed at something Beth said. His son looked like what a seven-year-old should look like. Carefree.
    Since he’d taken Corey back from his grandparents, the boy acted so careful, careful in what he did and said—if he said anything. Nick had learned to accept shrugs as their primary mode of communication. His boy had a lot to say to Miss Ryken.
    Mary glanced at the clock.
    Nick followed her gaze. It was closing in on four-thirty. Time to leave.
    Mary smiled. “Why don’t you and Corey stay for dinner?”
    That surprised him, but then it didn’t. If Mary Ryken cooked half as well as she baked, they were in for a real treat. He’d like to see how Corey responded to her. “Thank you, Mrs. Ryken. I appreciate your offer. We’ll stay.”
    The woman stood. “Good, and please call me Mary.”
    “What can I do to help?” He also got to his feet.
    “Not a thing.” She waved him away and then stepped out of the sliding glass door. “Beth, why don’t you show Nick around since Corey will be coming here after school. And, Corey, would you like to help me in the kitchen?”
    Nick gave Mary a double take. She’d turned down his help.
    As if sensing his confusion, Mary explained, “I might as well get to know the boy a little better, and you’ll want to make sure everything is secure for him here. Beth will show you.”
    “Oh. Yeah, thanks.” For a minute there, Nick thought she was throwing him and her daughter together.
    Corey raced into the kitchen. “Really, I get to come here after school?”
    Nick folded his arms. “That okay with you?”
    His son nodded.
    Nick remembered Corey’s comment about Beth reminding him of his mom. Of Nick’s wife. Was that why his son wanted to come here? To recapture a feeling of home and what he’d lost?
    “Corey, why don’t you wash