Rescuing the Bad Boy (Second Chance #2)(84)

Ruby Voss, when she wasn’t gushing about his grandmother, was easy to respect.

“I appreciate all you’ve done. You didn’t have to let Sofia use this property. Or your land. I wanted you to know how much this means to these kids. To Open Arms.”

He watched as she pulled in a breath, taking in the surrounding acreage. The day couldn’t have been nicer: bright sun, blue skies, barely a cloud. Couldn’t have mail-ordered better weather.

He dipped his chin in a nod of understanding and turned to finish unloading his Jeep.

“I didn’t tell you his story to resurrect your demons,” she said before he’d taken a single step. “Just thought you should know that someone sees you. Even if it is a little late, Donovan, I see you.”

She cupped a hand on his shoulder as she walked by and squeezed. Then she called to a group of girls wandering too close to the trees.

Donovan didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath until spots appeared in his vision. He blew out the breath and sucked in another just as Ben approached the Jeep.

“I can help with the big stuff, too,” Ben said.

Yeah. Donovan would just bet he could. He pulled two logs out and nodded at Ben to hold out his arms.

“More,” Ben instructed. “I can take it.”

Kindred spirit, Donovan thought, and piled on another two.





Donovan had no idea what time it was.

The kids had roasted hot dogs, ate bags of chips, and drank enough Mountain Dew to keep them up half the night. He tipped his head and looked at the moon, guessing half a night was about what was left.

The kids made s’mores, finally crashing from their sugar-and-caffeine-induced highs. Sofie had been inside most of the evening helping organize the ballroom and getting the kitchen ready for tomorrow. Donovan had gone on the nature walk with Connor and the kids, and learned a few things himself. Ben stuck to his side for most of it. Later, Donovan assisted with how-to-roast-a-hot-dog-without-stabbing-or-burning-yourself portion of the evening.

By the time Sofie caught up with him, he was manning a dying fire. But there was enough heat left for her to roast a few marshmallows to golden perfection. He’d watched her eat them, helping her lick gooey marshmallow off her fingers and sharing sticky kisses while he was at it. Shortly after, she’d laid her head in his lap. She’d conked out the second she closed her eyes.

“Mr. Pate?”

Donovan pulled his fingers out of Sofie’s hair. Ben stood at the edge of the fire, gesturing to one of the log benches.

“Care if I sit?” he asked, his voice carefully quiet.

“Help yourself.”

Ben sat, rubbing his hands together and holding them in front of the fire to warm them. “I don’t sleep sometimes.”

Yeah. Donovan understood that. His sleep patterns had been shit when he was a kid. Hard to sleep when the man who raised him might be around the corner waiting to punch him in the face. He angled a glance at Ben. Or give him a drink.

Ben looked from Donovan to Sofie.

“She your girlfriend?”

Donovan ran a hand down her upper arm while he thought. Then up and down again before responding, “Yeah. She is.”

For a few more nights.

“She’s pretty. She a model?”

Donovan smiled. “I’ll tell her you asked.” Maybe then she’d believe she was beautiful. “No, she’s not a model. She’s the one who put this event together.”

“That’s cool.”

It was cool. Sofie was incredible at this planning stuff. She was organized, cared—probably too much—and worked tirelessly. Even while she stayed here with him, she didn’t treat those nights like a vacation. He’d noticed her taking phone calls, rushing to the library to get her binder, or scouring the Internet for information.

“The campouts Open Arms did the last few years have been shitty. Not like this.” Ben nodded his head in the direction of the tents. “We were in a park last year.” He made a disgusted face, his lips curling. “You can’t camp out in a park.”

Donovan swallowed a smile. He didn’t want to insult the kid by laughing. “No. I guess not. I’m not sure camping in someone’s backyard is a step up.”

Ben smiled and it didn’t look strained. Maybe he would be okay. In spite of what he’d been through. Maybe he would grow up and have normal relationships. Donovan stroked his fingers through Sofie’s hair. Maybe Ben would have a model girlfriend. A real girlfriend, not a woman he would leave behind. Twice.

Donovan tested the softness of her waves between his fingertips. Ben deserved a real girlfriend—hell, maybe he’d have a wife. He had his entire life ahead of him. And thanks to Ruby and Open Arms, had a fighting chance at learning how to accept love when he saw it.

Or felt it.

Too late for Donovan. Long term wasn’t something he’d get to have.

Shame.

“You live here?” Ben asked, his eyes on the mansion looming behind them.

For some reason, Donovan answered honestly. “Used to.”

“Have any wild parties?” Ben’s mouth quirked. So, still a teenager despite the adult drama he’d been through.

“Not here.” He’d partied elsewhere.

“Ruby said the old lady who lived here donated a shit-ton of money to Open Arms,” Ben said. “That true?”