Page 60 of Night Moves
His gut cramped at the thought of the kids’ future and especially of them being split up. They would have a tough road ahead, and he wanted to hug this little munchkin. But the investigator in him took hold. Were the videos a lead they needed to follow? He would have Erik look into it.
Natalie came down the stairs and went to Logan, smiling at Erik, who flashed her one of his cute grins that had girls falling all over him. He had such an easygoing personality and could talk to anyone, anywhere. With that smile and his outgoing personality and Drake’s more introverted tendencies in high school, Erik often won over girls who Drake wanted to date. Until Kennedy Walker moved to town when they were seniors. The love of Erik’s life, he’d said, but then they’d broken up in college. To this day, he’d never said why, but he came out with a broken heart, and Erik hadn’t had a serious relationship since then.
Holding Logan’s hand, Natalie walked toward him.
“Okay, Willow,” Natalie said. “Time for you and Logan to join Sadie for bed.”
“I wanna go home,” Willow said, her right eyebrow arched just like in a photo Drake had seen of her father.
“I’m sorry, you can’t.” Natalie’s sympathetic tone didn’t have any impact on Willow’s expression. “Your dad’s not there.”
Willow jutted out her chin. “But you could stay with us at our house, right?”
Natalie looked like she didn’t know how to respond.
“You don’t like my cabin?” Drake asked, exaggerating an offended look.
Willow crossed her arms. “There’s nothing fun to do around here.”
“Sure there is. I do plenty of fun things. Like hunting and fishing.”
Willow wrinkled her cute button nose. “Yuk.”
Drake knew she would like fishing if she gave it a chance. At least most kids did. “Have you ever been fishing?”
“You havta use worms.” She shuddered. “Gross.”
“I rarely use worms.” Drake stood. “Tell you what. When my brothers and I get done with our current job, I’ll take you fishing, and I promise you’ll love it so much you’ll want to go again.”
“Really?” Her eyes brightened. “You’ll take me?”
“Sure thing.” He held out his hand. “But now it’s time for bed.”
She slid her small hand into his. For a moment he just stared at the two of them together. Was there anything more important than helping a young child become a fully functioning and successful adult? To make sure they knew Jesus? To teach them to be God’s ambassadors on earth?
Drake tugged Willow to her feet and she held on tightly to his hand. “Can you tuck me in tonight?”
He tried not to look shocked at her request. “Sure. Run up and get your pjs on, and I’ll be right up.”
“But be quiet,” Natalie said. “You don’t want to wake Sadie. Can you go with her too, Logan?”
“I’ll help him.” Willow took his hand and raced up the stairs, his pudgy little legs working hard to keep up.
Drake turned to look at Natalie. She gave him a broad smile. He had no idea why, but he would bask in it for as long as he could.
“You’ve made a friend in Willow,” she said.
“The kid has wormed her way into my heart,” he replied.
And so have you.
But that was something he wasn’t going to say. Ever. Right?
16
Natalie didn’t know what Drake was thinking, but his jaw was clenched and his eyes pensive. Confused maybe. Surely, he understood what was happening with Willow.
But maybe not, and Natalie needed to tell him. “Willow’s really searching for love and attention that her parents didn’t give her. And it seems as if Ulani didn’t either.”
