Maybe Matt's Miracle(7)

“Of course.”

“In the church, when I took your hand, it wasn’t just because you were trembling.”

My heart lurches, but now we’ve arrived at the restaurant. He ushers me through the door with a hand at the small of my back, and the time for small talk is over. Crap.





Matt



My brothers are pigs. I have known this for a long time, but it’s never more evident than when they’re all in one place. And in public. Sam and Pete are having an arm wrestling match in the middle of the table while we wait for the waitress to bring the check. Mellie and Joey have fallen asleep. They’re draped across Seth at angles that don’t look remotely comfortable, but I think he’s used to his sisters being all up in his space. His hand trails down Mellie’s back absently, and he looks down at her fondly, his smile soft. I go and sit down next to him.

“How’s it going, Seth?” I ask.

He shrugs and looks everywhere but at me. “Fine,” he says.

I nod and wait a moment. I’m pretty sure no one is paying us any mind, so I say what’s in my heart. “I remember when my mom died. People kept asking me if I was okay, and I told them I was, but I really wasn’t. Not even close.”

His gaze jerks to meet mine. “Your mom died?”

I nod. I hate talking about Mom because then I have to talk about Dad, too. “My mom died. I was a little younger than you. Then not long after that, our dad left, too.” I sweep my hand toward my brothers. “Then it was just the five of us.”

Seth heaves a sigh. “Sucks,” he grunts out. Then he lets his head fall back, and I finally see it. I see some of the exhaustion.

“Sucks ass,” I reply. “But all you can do is play the cards you’re dealt.” I point toward Skylar where she’s talking with Reagan, Emily, and Friday. She’s so damn pretty when she smiles that she takes my breath away. But if there was ever a woman who was out of my league, it’s Skylar Morgan. “How are things going with your aunt?” I ask.

“Fine,” he clips out. He looks at her, but there’s more curiosity than fondness.

“You getting to know her?”

He shrugs.

“You should let her help you some,” I suggest. “She mentioned that she’s feeling a little left out.”

His gaze shoots up to mine again. “She did?”

I nod. “Do you hope she’ll just hang around until you don’t need her anymore?”

“I don’t need her now.”

“You can’t do it all by yourself, Seth. No one can.”

He points to his chest. “I can.”

“You’re sixteen years old.”

His face clouds, and it’s honestly the most emotion I have ever seen on the kid’s face. “I know how old I am. I also know that I promised my mom I’d take care of them.”

“Would it hurt to accept some help?” I ask. I nudge his shoulder. “When does wrestling start?”

“Next week, but I’m not going out.” His brow furrows. “I don’t have time.”

“How much time do you need?”

He sighs heavily. “It’s two hours every day after school. Matches on the weekends and one night a week. Mellie and Joey are already in day care all day. I can’t put them with a babysitter, too.”

“You don’t have to put them with a babysitter. Leave them with their aunt.” I point toward Skylar, and she catches me, her eyes narrowing. I shake my head at her. She gets it, but she’s still curious. “She’s their legal guardian, Seth. Not you.”

His voice is quiet when he speaks, so quiet that I can barely hear him, but I make out the words. “I’m afraid if I ask her for too much, she’s going to leave. Then we’ll all go to foster homes and be split up. No one else wants us.” His jaw ticks as he clenches his teeth. “Do you know they asked my dad to take all of us?”

I didn’t know that. “And?”

“And he said he’d take me, but he wouldn’t take Mellie and Joey.” He looks down at them, his gaze softening but he’s still angry. “Can you believe that? He’d give them to someone else. Anyone else. My mom would shit a brick if she knew.” He shakes his head. “Sucks.”

“Sucks ass,” I say again.

Seth grins. “Sucks ass,” he repeats.

Pete walks in front of me, and I reach out and shove his hip. He looks down at me. “Are you guys talking about my ass?” he asks. He looks down at his butt, making a big deal of it. “I mean, damn, I know it’s pretty, but still.”

I place my shoe on his butt and kick him to the side. He walks and hides behind Reagan. “Look what he did, princess,” he says. “He kicked me.” He wraps his arms around her and says, “Go kick his ass for me, will you?” He shoves her in my direction. Everyone knows that Reagan is a martial arts expert and she’s flipped me over her shoulder more than once in practice situations.

I hold up my hands in surrender. “Please don’t,” I say. “I had cancer,” I remind the crowd. I still get brownie points.

Reagan laughs. “You can’t pull the cancer card anymore,” she says. “Two years with a clean bill of health.” She holds up two fingers. “Remember, we had a party to celebrate?” She flops down beside me, and I put my arm around her and pull her over to kiss her forehead. There was a time when she couldn’t have been in a crowded room without being anxious and nervous, but she’s not like that now. Not since her attacker was caught and put in jail. He died there, so she didn’t have to face him in court. Reagan is much more self-assured now that the mess is behind her. Sure, some things still get to her, but most of the time, she’s just Reagan. She’s Pete’s girl and part of the family.