“Are you sure I should be out in public?” I ask, as the cars drive farther and farther away.
“Yup. Frankie doesn’t want you. He’s interested in the money his lackey Kevin hid in the bakery. Once Ridge makes contact and negotiates a drop point, you’ll be in the clear.”
Liam runs a few feet ahead, kicking all the loose stones on the sidewalk and picking up every stick pretending it’s a gun before he tosses it to the side.
“Don’t cross the road!” Bennett yells, his voice booming on the quiet street.
Liam stops a few inches from the curb of the road and Bennett picks up his pace to catch up with him. My stomach tightens at the picture playing out in front of me. Or my womb, if it’s really capable of emotion like all the books would have you believe. Before today I wasn’t even sure I wanted children, but right at this very second I need a hundred. All of them with Bennett’s features and Liam’s personality.
The thought doesn’t linger long before worry over the bakery takes its place. As much as I loved spending the last two days with Bennett and Liam, I have to get back to work. If I don’t sell some doughnuts soon I’m going to be piled high in debt. More than I already am. My father dropped some hints about offering to send money if I needed it, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I’m struggling. This is something I’ve got to do on my own.
I’m also not one hundred percent on board with Ridge bypassing the police and taking care of this whole Frankie issue himself. But he promised me I’d be back in the bakery a lot faster if I let him handle it under the radar. I’m banking on the fact Bennett won’t let me go to jail…or worse, get shot.
“Okay, since there are no cars coming now we can go,” Bennett directs Liam across the road in a few paces to the curb.
They make it to the other side and Bennett stops to wait for me while Liam runs ahead.
“He’s such a good kid.” I keep a steady pace as we walk to the ice cream stand. “He seems to be adjusting well.”
Bennett nods his head, his eyes watching Liam as he continues to kick rocks into the road. “It’s been about a year since we moved here. He has his moments when he misses his mom and asks a lot of questions. I try to be honest with him, but I’m not sure if it’s working.”
“You’re doing a good job, Bennett.”
He sighs. “He starts kindergarten in the fall. I guess we’ll see what his teacher says.”
Liam stops on the edge of the road, this time at least two feet away from the curb and waits for us to catch up. “Hurry up, Dad. What if they run out?”
Bennett holds Liam’s hand as we cross the road and laughs. “Trust me, buddy. They are not going to run out of ice cream. Especially chocolate.”
“I want strawberry.”
“Strawberry?” Bennett acts confused. “I thought you wanted chocolate?”
Liam doesn’t seem upset by his dad being two steps behind his ice cream choice. “My mind has turned. I want strawberry.”
“Are you sure? It’s a big choice. You should run up and check out the sign before you make a final answer.”
The breeze picks up, throwing sand across the sidewalk that separates the beach from the parking lot we’re walking through. Not bothered by any of it, Liam darts off toward the ice cream booth.
“Watch for cars!” Bennett yells, but the parking lot is empty. “And what do you plan to order?”
“Me? There’s no question about it. I always order blueberry.”
Bennett laughs once, twisting his head in my direction, his eyes sparkling in the midday sun. “Blueberry? Two Scoops has over fifty flavors and you’ve only tried blueberry?”
I shrug. “Why mess with perfection?”
We reach the small red ice cream shop and Bennett steps up to the order window to order for all of us. I almost object, but then remember not only did I tell him what I would order, but I don’t have a purse, wallet, or any money on me. I guess this one I’ll leave all to him.
Bennett finishes and we all step a few paces to the right waiting for our order at the pickup window. I watch the worker twist the cones perfectly under the machine’s spout and briefly consider offering ice cream at the bakery. Ultimately I toss the idea out because I can’t foresee Tabitha making a twisty cone anywhere as well as they do here. Bennett hands Liam a chocolate cone — he went back to his original decision, but not before much consideration. When I have a light blue cone twisted higher than should be possible with gravity and Bennett carries a bright pink colored one I can only assume is tutti frutti, we let Liam lead the way to the lighthouse.
The tall Pelican Bay lighthouse beckons from farther up the shore and we leave the sidewalk to stroll through the sand.
“You think he’s okay?” Bennett asks while Liam runs ahead.
The small child eyes his cone, his head down searching the ground for shells before stopping to lick every few seconds.
“Yeah.” It’s an easy answer. I’m not experienced in children but Liam is happy and that feels like the most important part.
