“No, because you already did that.”
“We did not lie. We just said things that could be misinterpreted.”
“On purpose.”
Havoc grinned at her as he stepped around her to open the back door and get his son out. “Come on, Ruger! Let’s go make some new friends.”
“I want new friends, too,” Lola said.
“Of course, you do. And you’re going to get some,” Havoc said. He handed Ruger to Analise then leaned across the seat of the car to Lola’s car seat and released her from the straps so she could walk across the seat to him, rather than going around the car to her side. When she got close enough, he picked her up and backed out of the car. He closed the door, and Analise used her key fob to lock the doors. “Alright, now, this nice lady is a friend of ours and of Uncle Ronan. She’s got two little boys and we’re going to be nice to them, right?”
“I’m always nice,” Lola said.
“Yeah, I’ll be nice,” Ruger said. “I won’t bite them or nothing.”
Havoc opened the door and held it for Analise with Ruger on her hip to walk into the reception area of the shelter. He followed her as he lifted Lola up to ride on his shoulders. “The gang’s all here!” he cried.
Giada looked up and smiled at them through the window. “Hi! I’m Giada! I’m coming out there,” she said, as she disappeared from view. A few moments later she was hurrying across the reception area toward them. “Thank you so much for coming by. I hope it wasn’t too much of an inconvenience.”
“Not at all. I’ve been wanting to come back by and see how things are going. I just get so hectic with the kids,” Analise said, gesturing toward Lola and Ruger. “And we’ve got an eleven year old. She’s in seventh grade and going through all the growing pains.”
“Oh, gosh. Yes, I remember those pains. They were no fun at all,” Giada said. “But you know, you said you’d been planningto come back. I think I’ve met you before — I know I’ve seen you here.”
“I’ll be honest, I haven’t volunteered much time at all since the shelter’s very inception. I was traveling a lot for work, then I had these heathens, so I’m not here as much as I should be.”
“You do not have to explain to me. If I wasn’t able to bring my sons with me, I don’t know how I’d do it. I don’t think I’d be working here. It’s overwhelming when you have little kids and you’re alone.”
Analise gestured at Havoc. “It’s overwhelming when you have little kids and you’re not alone.”
“You said I was going to have new friends,” Ruger said.
“You are,” Havoc said. “If you’re not rude.”
“This is Ruger, he’s four. And this is Lola, she’s three. Our eleven year old is Harley, but she’s in school today. I’m Analise, and I’m guessing you know Havoc?” Analise said.
“Yes,” Giada said, smiling at the kids. “I am so happy to meet you guys. My boys have been hoping for some kids their age to play with. It seems like everyone that comes through our doors is either older or much, much younger.”
“Like babies?” Ruger asked.
“Exactly like babies,” Giada said.
“I don’t like babies. They cry a lot.”
“Sometimes they do,” Giada said. “But it doesn’t take very long until they get old enough to stop crying all the time.”
“Where are they?” Lola asked.
“My kids? I’ll run get them real quick. I’ll be right back,” she said to Lola, but looked up at Analise and Havoc.
“Take your time,” Havoc said.
Giada nodded, but was already rushing out of the reception area.
The minute she was gone Havoc looked at Analise. “What do you think?”
“I like her. I really do. I get a good, honest feeling from her. I think she and Ronan could be really good for each other.”
“Me, too. And she didn’t even lose her temper today when I was being me,” Havoc said.
