She took a deep breath and shifted gears. No need to jump to conclusions. “Was Noah getting pushed today an accident?”
Hunt grabbed the back of his neck without meeting her eyes. “Not exactly,” he said, at the same time Noah shook his head.
Abby saw red. Kids sometimes played rough. That didn’t mean they acted in malice. But apparently, this kid had intentionally hurt her child.
This was her son, and she paid a pretty penny—one she couldn’t afford—for him to attend Club Kids. She expected a hell of a lot better than her child being shoved off a dock. Her son could have hit his head and drowned.
She sent a harsh look at Hunt then glanced at her son. “What happened?”
Noah’s eyes darted away. “Sometimes the bigger kids pick on the little ones, and I’m the smallest. Except for the babies. But they don’t play with us.”
That was it. She didn’t care how good of a reputation Club Tahoe had; it wasn’t the place for her child. “Come on. Let’s grab your things. We’re leaving.”
After announcing they were leaving, Abby looked at Hunt and shot darts from her eyes. Or would have, if darts could shoot from eyes.
Hunt couldn’t blame her for being upset about the kid pushing Noah. Hunt was upset. But why would this woman show up late if she cared so much about her kid? No matter how heartwarming the greeting, anyone who didn’t pick up their child on time after a traumatizing event was suspect, in Hunt’s book.
Brin had talked to all the kids that afternoon and gave them the whole “gentle bodies” speech, as Kaylee called it when she went into child psychologist mode. Meaning, keep your hands to yourself and don’t hurt others. But Hunt was upset it had happened at all. He never wanted to see Noah hurt, or any kid for that matter. Which was ironic.
Hunt and his brothers grew up picking on each other and getting into daily physical fights. It was how he’d been raised. Basically, like animals in polo shirts and khakis without a mother or attentive father to teach them right from wrong. They’d eventually grown out of the physical fighting—for the most part—but Hunt didn’t want that for Noah. Noah was a gentle soul, and kids picking on him could crush the little guy.
Before the boy ran off, he smiled at Hunt. “That’s my mom,” he said proudly, and darted toward Club Kids.
Clearly, Noah loved his mom. And regardless of whether or not she showed up on time—which still irked Hunt—she appeared to love her boy too.
Hunt sent her the same smile that hadn’t worked on her the other night, eager to smooth things over.
Except Abby’s scowl deepened.
What the hell? His smile hadn’t worked on this woman. Twice now. That was a record, and not one he wished to triplicate.
“How could you allow some bully to push Noah into the water?” she said. “What kind of place are you running?”
Hunt glanced around. “A pretty nice one, considering the reviews.” His comment hadn’t helped. Her plush lips pursed. Still kissable, though. “Rest assured,” he said, “we’ve talked to the child who pushed Noah. Nothing’s more important than water safety around here.”
“Hunt took me on a walk after it happened,” Noah said, darting in front of Hunt and wrapping his arms around his mother’s waist, apparently catching the tail end of their conversation.
“I didn’t know you had a son,” Hunt said, finally pointing out the elephant in the room. “You didn’t mention it the other night.”
“You saw me here yesterday. I’m sure you didn’t forget my car breaking down.”
He remembered. He just hadn’t believed she, of all women, could be his favorite kid’s mother. “Did Jeffery’s fix the car?”
Her shoulders sank in a deep sigh. “They did. Thank you for helping me. But this?” She waved her hands at the lake and Noah. “It’s not okay. I’m sorry, but this won’t work out anymore for Noah.”
“Mom,” Noah said, staring at his mother in horror.
She glanced at her son as though conflicted, resting her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. I know you like it here, but I need you to be safe.” She turned to Hunt. “I paid the exorbitant fees for Club Kids because I thought it was the best for Noah. But if he’s getting bullied—”
“It is the best,” Noah argued. “I learn lots of stuff. Hunt teaches me about boats, and I get to help him work on them.”
Hunt cleared his throat. “Noah helps me buff the sides of the boats. Always within my view. And he’s a big help.” Hunt made sure to send an approving nod to Noah.
“That’s…nice,” she said. “I’m sure it’s been fun for him. But I can’t take a chance on anything else happening to my son.”
“I agree,” Hunt said.
“I—You do?” Abby looked flustered, as though she hadn’t expected those words.
“I don’t want anything to happen to Noah or any of the children, which is why we’re hiring more attendants to keep an eye on each child.” Okay, so that had been Kaylee’s idea, but she’d been right. Club Kids had boomed and they needed more help. “I can assure you that your son is in the best hands while here.”
For some reason, the idea of Noah leaving Club Kids brought a sour taste to Hunt’s mouth. He didn’t want to see the boy go. He just needed to convince Noah’s mother that he’d be safe.
“And I believe you’re sincere,” she said, “but the program is expensive. I can find the same ratio of workers to children somewhere else. Someplace where my son won’t be in danger of drowning.”
First Abby turned him down when he hit on her the other night at the bar. Then his powerhouse smile hadn’t worked today when he tried to reassure her, and his smile was foolproof. He ignored the blip with Kaylee earlier because she married Wes, and clearly his brother had taught Kaylee to be skeptical. Now, Abby was rejecting Hunt’s smooth-talking assurances? What the hell?
Hunt was the smooth brother. Okay, fine, that was his opinion. But obviously he had a way with ladies even his brothers couldn’t deny. Only today was proving to be particularly harsh. Or maybe it was Abby. She’d been the one constant these last few days.
There was nothing higher on Hunt’s priority list than making a woman feel safe. Had the world turned upside down? Was Mercury in retrograde? What was happening this week?
Women didn’t reject him. Not once he put his mind on winning them over.
Wait, had he planned to win Abby over? He hadn’t when they met at the club. But now that he knew she was Noah’s mother, he wanted…something. Maybe it was simply more time to convince her that Noah was safe at Club Kids. Noah was a part of the gang. There had to be a way to make things right.
Hunt and his brothers had been taught water safety early on. Their father had hired a damned ex-Navy SEAL to teach them boating, and the man had hammered safety into their thick skulls. He could keep the kids safe. Abby just needed to give him a chance.
Noah pressed his face into his mother’s stomach and appeared to be crying.
“Abby,” Hunt said. He wasn’t trying to woo her this time. He wanted to make things right. So he spoke from the heart, something he wasn’t used to. “I understand your concern, but kids aren’t perfect. They get into fights and they make mistakes. It’s our job at the club to not only show them a good time and introduce them to new experiences, but also to socialize them and be a guiding hand.” Jesus, he really needed to stop hanging around Kaylee. He sounded like a kindergarten teacher. “Why don’t I walk you to the Club Kids playroom? We can talk about it some more there.”
She paused, then shook her head.
“I’m sorry, I just can’t risk it. Today is Noah’s last day.”
Chapter 6
No one understood the pressure Abby was under with Trevor’s parents. It would take hours to explain what had happened since her boyfriend died, so she didn’t bother trying.
Hunt waved over a woman in a Club Kids polo shirt. “Brin, can you take Noah to the diner for a root beer float?”
“Mom?” Noah said hopef
ully.
Hunt knew her son. Noah was crazy for root beer floats. He’d be bouncing off the walls afterward, but he’d had a rough day and she couldn’t deny him. She stroked the top of his head. “Sure, honey.”
This was clearly Hunt’s way of getting her alone. She didn’t mind, because she had a few choice words to get off her chest as well. Namely, why someone hadn’t stopped the child today from picking on her son. She didn’t believe for one moment that it was an isolated incident, as Hunt had suggested.
As soon as Noah was out of earshot, Abby spoke first, before Hunt had a chance to convince her to keep Noah in the program. “Putting aside the fact that you have a bullying situation here, I can’t afford the Club Kids cost any longer.” She wrapped her arms around her waist. “It’s too expensive, and now Noah has been physically harmed. He said the kids pick on him. How could you let this happen?”
Hunt’s jaw clenched. “As I said, sometimes kids get rough, but we don’t condone that behavior. The incident today was addressed with the child right after it occurred. In the future, we’ll take every measure necessary to make sure situations like this don’t happen again. I can’t promise that children will always be nice to one another, but I can promise to address it whenever it occurs.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. Noah won’t be here.”
More tightening of the jaw. “Because of the cost?” he asked.
Admitting her financial constraints was humiliating. “Yes, in part. I also can’t risk anyone so much as harming a hair on Noah’s head while under my care.”
Hunt’s eyes narrowed. “You’re going to have a tough time with that one. Noah is a kind kid, but even he’s been known to throw sand at other children. As for the cost of monthly enrollment, we’ve just established a scaled payment plan. Whatever your income, we can accommodate it.”
“I—You can?” This was the first she’d heard of a scaled payment plan at Club Tahoe. Was he feeling sorry for her? Making accommodations because she clearly couldn’t handle things?
That was all she needed, for her incompetence to be broadcast to everyone. If the community agreed with Vivian—that Abby wasn’t fit to parent her son—she’d have no hope.
Abby squeezed her eyes shut, the familiar burn of tears forming behind her eyelids. She wouldn’t cry. Not in front of Hunt, the handsome man who, had she been carefree and younger, she would have given in to at the club. Just as she’d given in to sweet, charming Trevor.
She had her son. She’d never regret the short time she’d spent with Trevor, or the consequences she paid for daily in the form of his parents.
She looked up and blinked, clearing her eyes. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but I’m a single mother, and I’m currently working double shifts to support us. I can’t sustain that much longer.” Noah needed her. Somehow, she had to work less and still pay the bills. “Even with a reduced fee, I couldn’t swing it.” It was even more humiliating to admit she couldn’t afford the reduced cost.
Without even pausing, Hunt said, “If you can’t afford it, we’ll accommodate.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief. “No one gives away free daycare.”
“Noah is a part of the Club Kids crew. If he and his family need our support, we’re here for him.”
Here for her son, or…? No, of course this wasn’t about her. Why would Hunt be interested in her—a single mom with perpetual dark circles under eyes?
Super hot. She mentally laughed at where her thoughts had gone. Stress and raising her child alone had given her telltale signs of exhaustion no amount of napping fixed. She’d need an entire month of sleep to catch up.
So she was his charity case. Perfect. But there were other things to consider. “Thank you. It’s very kind, but I can’t.”
What if news got back to Noah’s grandparents that she couldn’t afford daycare? Could they somehow use that against her? Vivian had threatened to take Noah from her so many times, and in so many ways, that anything seemed possible.
Hunt huffed out a breath. “I’ve eliminated the cost issue. And we’ve discussed the fact that our team is hiring more hands to make sure the kids are safe as the program grows. What else could there be?”
So much more.
She dropped her hands to her sides, and a sneaky tear fell. Great, just great. Now she looked financially desperate and weak. She swiped her cheek quickly and plastered on a smile.
Hunt gently gripped her elbow. She allowed him to lead her to a quiet corner in the lobby. “What is going on, Abby?”
The way he spoke to her, as if he knew her, it was…disarming. She wanted to unload all on him, but she couldn’t. If he didn’t seem so determined to keep Noah in the program, and if Noah didn’t really love the guy, she wouldn’t have shared what she had.
“Noah is a good kid. I’d like to help,” Hunt said.
She sent him a side-glance. “You’ve done more than you needed to. The car. Offering to remove the cost of the program. But I can’t accept any more help. It might hurt me and Noah in the long run.” At his confused expression, she added, “It’s a long story.”
He leaned forward in the chair across from her, resting his elbows on his knees. “I’ve got time.”
She should feel self-conscious. He’d seen that stupid tear streak down her face, for heaven’s sake, but Hunt wasn’t the charming playboy he’d been at the bar the other night. With those beautiful turquoise eyes looking at her so intently, he appeared genuinely concerned.
Those eyes were a menace.
Even without the eyes, Hunt was extremely persuasive. It was his words, his confident manner, and the way her body leaned toward him when he was near, as though it recognized something it liked. It was a good thing Abby had put a lockdown on her hormones and barely noticed the opposite sex.
Noah’s father had been tall and not as muscular as Hunt, but he’d been handsome and charming too. And gentle, like her son.
Hunt didn’t look gentle. He was muscular, with a strong jawline and those insane blue eyes. But whatever spark she felt around him, it was eviscerated as soon as she visualized middle-of-the-night wake-up calls from Noah when he’d had a bad dream or vomited on her clothes while sick. No man in his prime would want anything to do with Abby. Not when he could just as easily find a fun, attractive woman without her problems.
“My boyfriend’s mother wants to take my son away from me,” she said. There, that should frighten him off. He thought she only had money troubles? He didn’t know the half of it.
“What does your boyfriend have to say about that?”
“He’s dead.”
Hunt blinked and looked away. “I’m sorry. That must be hard on you and Noah.”
“It is. Though Noah doesn’t remember his father. He died when Noah was a year old. A rock-climbing accident.” It had been life-shattering at the time. She hadn’t known how to survive without Trevor. Four years later, she knew how she’d survive: by scraping and clawing her way through life and praying she’d keep it all together.
She missed Trevor, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t feel a tinge of resentment that he’d dragged things out and not married her as soon as she told him she was pregnant. “We’ll get married after the baby is born,” Trevor had said when she was four months along. “That way you won’t have to worry about wedding planning while you’re pregnant.”
Months passed and Trevor never brought it up again. When Abby mentioned setting a date for the wedding six months after Noah’s birth, Trevor had told her he had to figure out the financials with his parents. He wanted her to sign a prenup, and she’d been fine with it. But Trevor never got around to setting anything up. He died soon after that conversation, leaving her and their son destitute.
Trevor’s passing was an accident. But he’d always liked a good adrenaline rush, and rock climbing without a harness or safety lines had been the ultimate rush. Now he was gone, and his son had paid the price. The last thing Trevor’s parents would do wa
s help Abby out. They wanted her to crash and burn so they could gain custody of their only son’s child.
Hunt rubbed his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he said again.
“We’re okay.” Abby was so used to chanting it mentally that the words came out automatically.
Hunt looked up. “I wouldn’t want that for any child—to lose a parent so young.”
She nodded, holding back more emotion from leaking out. She’d been stressed this week. That had to explain the tear that had escaped without her permission.
Noah burst into the lobby, followed by Brin, a big smile on his face. “Mom!” He ran over and flung himself across her lap, his legs going up dramatically in a crash landing.
Abby held on to her son, ducking from long limbs precariously close to her head. “How was the root beer float?”
“Best ever!” he said. He twisted his head toward Hunt. “Did you convince my mom to let me stay?”
“Noah,” she said warningly.
“I’m working on it,” Hunt said, and winked at him.
Working on it? She’d made it clear this would never work. Hunt was a stubborn man. If he wasn’t so good with her son, she might be annoyed.
She glanced at the time. It was late and she still needed to make dinner. “We’d better get going.” She stood and grabbed Noah’s backpack.
Brin hugged Noah goodbye, and he squeezed her in return.
He is loved here. If things weren’t so bad, she’d give Club Tahoe another chance.
Hunt rose from the chair. “Will you consider my offer? We’d love to continue having Noah in the program. Give me a day or two, and I’ll send you paperwork so that the financial aspect is off the table. You can make your decision from there.”
She sent him a half-smile, but there was nothing to think about.
Abby walked out the door with Noah at her side.
Reforming Hunt Page 4
