He probably wanted his mother back. In his heart, Corbin knew it was better that she’d bailed on the kid.
Justin wanted to keep his friends, too, but they were in his old neighborhood near southern Ohio. Not an area Corbin would settle in.
Justin definitely wanted his familiar life back, but Corbin hoped, with time, he would grow to love his new life more. Kids were adaptable, right?
Like he had a freaking clue.
Hands in his pockets, Corbin leaned in the doorway to his son’s room and cleared his throat. “Knock, knock.”
Justin didn’t look up.
“The rain’s stopped. I have someone coming by to look at the rental property in a few minutes. You need to go with me when I show it to her.”
“Why?” Still without eye contact.
The words because I said so tried to break free, but Corbin remembered how he disliked that answer as a kid, so he swallowed it and tried for something more reasonable. “Because you’re ten, and I’ll feel better having you with me.”
He got the eye contact finally, and it seared him. “Why?”
Sighing, Corbin came in to stand closer. “You don’t like that we moved. I get that. Change is tough.”
Justin snorted.
“Does that mean you agree or disagree?”
He shrugged.
“So you think I’m too stupid to understand?”
Wariness flattened Justin’s mouth. “Didn’t say that.”
“Good. Because I’m far from dumb. And you’re far from dumb, too, so I know you understand. Neither of us had much choice with the move, but we’re here now and I for one am looking forward to our future.”
Justin mumbled something he couldn’t catch. And maybe he didn’t want to know anyway. “I figured there were a few things we could do to try to make this adjustment easier. First, before I get back to work, I figured we’d buy some bikes.”
Glancing up, Justin asked, “Bikes?”
“One for me, one for you. Here in Sunset, there are plenty of winding roads for us to ride on. I like staying fit and you’re obviously a strong kid. We could ride around and explore things. What do you think?”
“I don’t know how to ride a bike.”
Corbin’s heart broke just a little, but hopefully he hid it. “So we’ll practice here on the property first, where no one will see us. Hell… I mean, heck.” Cursing was a problem now, and Corbin struggled with it daily. “I haven’t ridden in years, so we can both get the hang of it again, then we’ll tackle the town.”
Banking his enthusiasm, Justin asked, “Okay?”
“We’ll buy some floats, too, and get you a life preserver so we can do some swimming. I’m told the lake water is still a little cold, but we can take it, don’t you think?”
Interest sparked in his eyes. “Yeah.”
“I need a promise from you first though. No going near the lake unless I’m with you.”
That got his chin up. “Why?”
The kid did love that word. “Because I just got you and I damn well don’t want to lose you, that’s why.” The urge to reach out and ruffle his hair was strong, but Corbin had al ready learned not to. Justin pulled away every single time. “In fact, any time you’re in the lake, you’ll wear a life vest.”
“Whose rule is that?”
Taking the question as interest instead of resistance, Corbin went to the end of the bed and sat. It was a new twin bed, for a small new addition to his family.
“My brother and I were raised near a lake. My mother was crazy strict about us never swimming alone or without a life preserver. She swore there was a nasty undertow, and if we got hit in the head we’d be pulled under, and it would be tough to ever find us again.” Now that he considered it, Corbin decided that he, too, would wear a lifebelt. What if he was swimming with Justin and he got hurt? No, he’d never put the kid through that, so they’d both be extra cautious.
Justin’s eyes rounded and it dawned on Corbin that he might be needlessly scaring him, dredging up nightmare images better left to Jason Vorhees in Camp Crystal Lake, from the Friday the 13th horror series. He’d already learned that his son had a fascination with all things horror-related. He didn’t need Corbin encouraging that grisly interest.
But then again, this might be one of those lessons where a healthy respect for danger would be a good thing. “It can happen,” Corbin insisted, “So no going to the lake without letting me know. But hey, we’ll pick up some fishing gear, too, all right? In fact, after we show the guesthouse, we can walk down to the lake and check out the dock.” They’d only moved in three days ago, and the time had been filled with setting up furniture and unpacking. “We’ll grab a flashlight and look for frogs. What do you think?”
One narrow shoulder shifted with grudging curiosity. “If you want.”
“I do.” Standing again, Corbin gave in to the need to gently squeeze that proud shoulder, pretending he didn’t notice how the kid froze. “Grab your shoes, okay? We need to go meet her now.”
After he left the room, Corbin freed his smile.
Little by little, he’d win over Justin. It had only been a few weeks, so no doubt he was still adjusting to the shock, especially since he’d been dumped on Corbin like he didn’t matter, with no looking back. He pitied Darcie, though. She’d gifted him with a son, and in the process she’d also given up something pretty phenomenal.
Or at least it would be phenomenal once Corbin got the whole parenting thing figured out.
Don’t miss The Summer of No Attachments
From HQN Books
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Copyright © 2021 by Lori Foster
ISBN-13: 9780369704979
What Happens in Suburbia…
First published as Slightly Suburban in 2008. This edition published in 2021.
Copyright © 2008 by Wendy Corsi Staub
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What Happens in Suburbia… (Red Dress Ink Novels) Page 25
