She, the Kingdom (She #1)(26)

She nodded and padded across the living room, slipping on her shoes before stepping outside.

From the dining room window, I watched her leave, and then I sat at the kitchen table and pressed the button to make a video call to Josh. Consecutive shrieking beeps sounded, and then Josh answered. I sat in the same dining chair where I had signed my contract, propping my phone against the floral centerpiece and resting my chin in my hand.

“Are you sick today?” Josh asked.

“No. Hannah didn’t tell you? I’m working from home now. Cool, huh?”

“I guess.”

I smiled, remembering trying so hard at that age to be unimpressed with anything my parents did.

“I miss you,” I said.

Josh nodded.

“Are you enjoying your visit with Grandma? What have you been doing?”

He glanced over his shoulder. “You mean in the few hours? Sitting around the house, mostly. Dad said he wanted to take us to a ball game before we came home, but he’s been saying that all summer.”

“I’m sorry, buddy.”

“It’s fine.”

“Are you watching over Hannah?”

He nodded.

“Thank you, bub.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, and I tried not to celebrate the biggest smile I’d seen from him in a year. He took pride in watching over Hannah… and me. He was the man of the house now, and he took that job seriously.

“How are you?” he asked.

“I’m really good. I got a promotion, and I really like my new job. It pays more, and…”

“How much more?” Nick said, poking his head in front of Josh’s face.

I frowned. “I thought you were on a date.”

“She cancelled, not that it’s any of your business.”

“Really? You just asked me about my raise.”

Nick sighed. “She cancelled, Morgan, okay? Don’t rub salt in the wound.”

I wasn’t sure what he was getting at. It wasn’t as if I’d asked for any other reason than the kids were now at their grandmother’s listening to her prattle on about Jesus, the latest women’s auxiliary gossip, and Hannah’s weight, for no reason. “Smart girl.”

Nick rolled his eyes, and Josh chuckled.

“Which ballgame are you taking them to?” I asked.

“I don’t know yet,” he said, taking a bite of the half-eaten apple he was holding.

“You’ve only got a few weeks left.”

“Yep,” he said, walking away from the camera. Responsibility could extinguish Nick’s enthusiasm about anything. It was my secret weapon against him to avoid his prying questions.

Hannah hopped into view, her curls tangled and frizzy. “Grandma wouldn’t let me have the donuts. She said I should watch my girlish figure. What’s a girlish figure?”

“An old wives’ tale,” I said, feeling my face turn hot.

“What’s an old wives’ tale?”

I looked at my watch. “Silly things people say. You’re beautiful, and your figure is perfect. That’s the truth.”

Hannah giggled. “I miss you, Mommy.”

“Miss you, too, bug. How did you sleep?”

“Good. Josh steals the covers.”

“I do not,” Josh snapped.

“Do so!” Hannah said, sticking out her tongue.

“Hey… hey, none of that. Hannah, are you ready for first grade?”

She nodded emphatically.

“What are you wearing on your first day? Pajamas?”

She giggled. “No! Not unless the first day is Pajama Day.”

“Good point.”

As she talked about school supplies and who she hoped would be in her class, I couldn’t help but smile. For the first time, I wouldn’t have to balance my checkbook after every purchase, hoping to God it would stretch far enough to cover everything. I was going to take them both shopping to get a closet full of new clothes. Brand-name clothes. Hannah in particular would be so excited. It was moments like those that made my agreement with Max make total sense.

I blew them kisses, and caught a few from Hannah before we hung up. I plugged my phone into the charger and headed for the bedroom to grab my book when the doorbell rang. I turned on my heels and reached for the knob, expecting to see Dawn.

Instead, there was a twenty-something man standing in my doorway, golden tan and wearing a faded red Pete’s Electric T-shirt, a ball cap, dusty jeans, and cowboy boots. He took off his hat, revealing his shaggy, light brown hair. “Ma’am.”

I thought I’d said something, but apparently I was having a silent conversation with the cut muscles in his arms that filled out his sleeves so nicely.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I think I left some tools here,” he said.

“Oh,” I said, stepping to the side. “I’m sorry, come in.”

He flashed a bright white grin. He’d probably had braces less than ten years before. He removed his boots, and then walked to the hallway, straight to my bedroom. I waited by the door for less than a minute before he reappeared, a small satchel in hand. “Yep,” he said, seeming embarrassed.

“It’s really okay. Thanks for working on the lighting.”

He bent over to slip on one of his boots. “Let me know if they’re not working the way you want. They should. Well, they will, because I did it, but… I’m just being polite. They’ll work perfectly.” He looked up at me with bright green irises under hooded eyes. “I’m Colton, by the way.”