Giada looked his way.
“Protecting his Momma like that. He’s just barely seven, isn’t he?”
“Yes,” Giada said.
“And he’s already making sure you’re safe. He’s a good kid, but he’s going to be an even better man. He’s got a strong moral compass and is aware of so much around himself already,” Havoc said.
Giada blew out a long, tired breath. “He’s seen far more than any child should see, unfortunately.”
“A lot of us did. Thing is, he also sees you taking the steps to provide a better experience for them. They know where their security lies,” Analise said.
Giada nodded. “Yes, I suppose they do.”
“If you want to bring them with us, it’s no problem at all,” Ronan said.
Giada thought about it for only a second. “No, I know they’re safe here. I could really use a night of just not having to worry.”
“That’s what we’ll do then. You ready?”
“Yes,” she said, allowing Ronan to help her slip into her coat.
“Y’all have fun, don’t worry about a thing, but if you want to call, feel free to do that, too,” Analise said.
“We’re gonna build a blanket fort and watch movies while making ourselves sick on hot dogs and popcorn and candy,” Havoc said.
“Oh, man! I miss those forts,” Ronan said.
“They were so much fun!” Havoc said.
“I’m gonna do that with my kids one day,” Ronan said as he adjusted the coat on Giada’s shoulders.
She turned and smiled up at him, imagining him building blanket forts with her boys. Suddenly she realized what she was thinking and her eyes widened as her smile faltered.
“You alright?” Ronan asked as he led her out of the house.
“Yes, fine. Just had a thought and it caught me off guard.”
“What was that thought?” he asked.
“I don’t even remember. It was there and gone just that quick,” she said, flashing a shaky smile as Ronan opened the door of the passenger side door of his truck and helped her climb in.
“You don’t mind if we take my truck tonight, do you?” he asked.
“Not at all.”
“Good. Just making sure. I only took Havoc’s today because I had to drive so far.”
“I don’t mind in the least. I’m actually a little more comfortable in it than I would be in Havoc’s, or Analise’s for that matter. I was so afraid the boys were going to spill something in her car on the way over.
“Why? You just wipe it up,” he said.
“Oh, no. It’s just not a good thing to do. I mean, it ruins interior and damages things and… spilling is just a no no.” She’d just about worked herself up into a tizzy.
Ronan reached out a hand, cupping her jaw softly.
She stopped rambling about her kids spilling something, and looked into his eyes. His touch calmed her.
“It’s okay. If they spill, they spill. We just wipe it up. Kids spill things. Kids break things. Kids are loud and messy, and happy, and rowdy, and a handful, and that’s okay, because that’s how they’re supposed to be. They’re learning how to be themselves.”
