Austin stood at the back door the entire time, hands deep in his pockets, staring out into the evening shadows.
“Yay! Movie time!” Cody shouted.
Austin shot Debbie a frustrated glance, and Savannah hovered nearby, as though wondering if she’d be forced to watch the movie before finding out what bothered her dad.
Austin turned to Debbie. “Is it okay if Savannah and I pop some popcorn while you take the boys downstairs and get a movie started?”
Was he dismissing her? Or did he just want a few minutes alone to talk to his daughter?
He ruffled the boys’ hair. “I need to talk to Miss Debbie about something, so I’m afraid we won’t be able to watch with you tonight. But Savvy will join you in a little bit, okay?”
“Okay,” the boys said in unison as they darted toward the stairs still unaware of the tension filling the kitchen.
Austin caught Debbie’s arm as she turned to follow the boys. “Give me a few minutes with Savannah, please.”
She nodded and headed down the stairs. Exercising great patience, she listened to the boys argue then finally settle on which movie to watch. She showed them how to work the recliners and got them blankets to snuggle with. Then Debbie lingered a little longer, figuring if Austin and Savannah were done talking, she would have come downstairs by now.
Unable to stand it any longer, Debbie crept up the stairs. She couldn’t hear any voices in the kitchen. Finally, she stepped around the corner to find Savannah in Austin’s arms with her head on his shoulder.
Austin spotted Debbie and gave her another tight smile. He loosened his hold on Savannah and lifted her chin. “Are you going to be okay?”
She shrugged as she stepped out of his embrace. “I have to be, don’t I?”
“Savvy, you know I don’t want—“
“I know, Dad.” She wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I don’t want to either. But if you feel that’s what’s best, then we’ll do it.” Savannah shot Debbie a quick glance then looked back at her dad. “But I think you should do that other thing we talked about, too.”
Austin cupped his daughter’s cheek and pressed his forehead to hers. “Don’t tell the boys yet, okay. This isn’t going to be pleasant, but we’ll get through it together.”
Savannah nodded before pulling away again. She stepped to the sink and splashed water on her face before patting it with a paper towel.
The raw emotion filling father and daughter’s faces pulled at Debbie’s heart strings. Could she convince Austin to let her help with whatever was going on?
Wait.
He wasn’t going to force Savannah to stop working on the mural, was he? She was getting so close to finishing, and Debbie loved it. She loved the artist and her brothers even more.
Debbie sucked in a deep breath. She’d tried to tell herself not to get too attached to the Reed children, but her mother was right; Debbie loved wholly and completely.
Savannah gathered the popcorn buckets and headed toward the stairs.
“Savannah, wait.” Debbie darted to the pantry and grabbed an additional popcorn tub and filled it with juice boxes, licorice, and some miniature candy bars.
“Thank you,” Savannah said when Debbie handed her the bucket. She glanced at her father who stood at the back door again with his hands in his pockets then leaned closer to Debbie. “Please say yes,” she whispered, then she darted down the stairs.
Say yes to what?
Debbie turned to find Austin staring at her. He looked more guarded and upset than he did when he first arrived. She took a hesitant step toward him.
He jerked his head toward the family room and walked out of the kitchen.
Debbie followed, feeling like she was headed to her own execution.
Austin sat on the leather sofa, so she did the same, but he was back on his feet in an instant, pacing the length of the room.
Debbie wanted to tell him to just spit it out, so she could help him with whatever was bothering him, but she bit her tongue. He’d tell her when he was ready.
He finally paused his pacing and looked at her. “I stopped by my house after work and…found Cheyenne and her—” He cut off his words. “Cheyenne and Tucker were there.”
