“Damn,” she said, tossing herself back onto the couch.

She scanned the room, listened. Something didn’t feel right. Empty. Richard was gone. His almost kiss only a dream. One she hadn’t wanted to wake up from.

She turned her head to the side to catch the time, then shot off the sofa with a muffled moan.

“I’m late. Oh my God, I’m late.” Kate rushed around the room searching for her keys and purse. Running to her bedroom, she franticly searched on her dresser and bedside table.

Nothing.

Where is my purse?

She shook her foggy head and remembered she’d left it at work. Back in the livingroom, she grabbed the phone and started to dial Joey’s school. A breeze from the ceiling fan flipped the colorful note on the table and caught her eye. Kate picked it up and read: You slept like Sleeping Beauty. It would have been a shame to wake you. I’m picking up Joey.

Richard had signed his name and placed a phone number under it.

Closing her eyes, Kate sat back down. She tossed the phone beside her.

Two things hit her at the same time. First, she never allowed anyone to pick up her son from school before. Second, she knew without a shadow of doubt, that she trusted Richard’s intentions. Strange, she’d only known him a few hours, yet she trusted him entirely.

Why was that? She’d never placed her son in anyone’s trust except Manuela’s―ever!

Still groggy from the drugs she’d taken to ward off the pain, she relaxed into the sofa and contemplated the mess that had become her life.

****

By the time they left the store, Richard understood why every mother complained about taking their kids shopping. Joey asked if he could have everything. Richard’s “quick trip” turned into a shopping spree. Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops were the least of the problem. The kid had taste. He pointed out two different types of block cheeses and four different types of crackers. He liked every fruit in the produce department, and even had a preference for the cut of steak he ate. “Rib eyes have more flavor,” he told him.

Richard rolled his eyes and crammed the cart full. Kate’s poor car hardly managed the weight of fifteen bags of goods by the time they finished.

Once they parked the car in front of the apartment, his phone started to ring.

“Hello?”

“Where are you?” Kate’s voice was frantic.

“By the front door.”

“Joey?”

“He’s right here. Did you think I took him?” Lifting bags from the car, he attempted to shut

the door with his foot. “Buzz us in, my hands are full,” he said before ending the call.

Joey carried his weight and bounded up the stairs with the speed of a rabbit.

Kate stood in the hall with the door to her apartment open wide.

“Hey, Mom, Richard and I went shopping. You won’t believe all the stuff he got.” Kate bent down and kissed her son’s cheek before he went inside.

She stood and glanced his way but didn’t meet his eyes. “Don’t I get one?” Richard joked.

Her nervous laugh made him wonder about her thoughts.

“I, ah…”

“Just kidding.” Not really, he thought, passing her and placing the bags on the kitchen counter.

“Come on, buddy,” he called to Joey who had dropped his bags and started to pick up his Lego’s.

“You’re the one who wanted all that stuff. You’ve got to help me bring it all in.”

“There’s more?” Kate’s eyes widened in surprise, as she moved aside when Joey started back to the hall. “Yeah, apparently Joey likes to shop.” It took three more trips to get all the bags. Kate was already putting stuff away when he settled the last one on the counter.

“Did you leave anything behind?”

“Duh,” Joey giggled. “The store has more food than we do.”

Richard watched her remove groceries out of the bags one-handed. Joey moved alongside her, opening and closing doors. They worked as a team, one knowing what the other one needed without words.

“Look at what I got ya.” Joey thrust a jar of garlic stuffed green olives in her face with pride.

“You mean what Richard bought us.”

“It was my idea.”

Kate glanced up, caught his eye. He gave a little shake of the head and said, “Joey had a lot of ideas.”

“I can see that. You didn’t have to buy all this.”

“I wanted to. Besides, I ate all the Lucky Charms.”

Joey giggled again, this time Kate joined him.

Insisting on making them all sandwiches, Kate set about preparing lunch. Joey pulled out his Lego’s and started showing Richard how to build a small space village, complete with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

“Hand me some of those gray blocks,” Joey demanded, his fingers flexing in the give me manner.

Scooping up a few and handing them over, Richard sensed the weight of Kate’s stare. She swiftly averted her gaze when Richard glanced her way.

“I will destroy you.” Joey spoke through the palms of his hands over his mouth. Darth Vader jumped on the building and down on Luke. All the while, Joey vocalized clashes and bangs.

“I thought Luke was supposed to win.”

“Not always, that would be boring.”

“Oh.”

“Let’s eat, space boy.”

Joey chatted throughout lunch about his archrival from school. Apparently, Cody was the big kid on campus. His mom was head of the PTA and helped in the classroom once a week. Cody, from what Richard could tell, was the class bully.

“He took my ball at recess,” Joey said between bites.

“Why didn’t you grab it back?” he asked.

Kate shot him a glare, making Richard wish he could take the words back.

“I’ll get in trouble.”

“Did you tell the teacher?” Kate asked.

Oh, yeah. That’s a good idea. Richard gave a sarcastic grin, class tattletales always got their asses

kicked.

“Cody’s mom was there, and Mrs. Ford wouldn’t listen.”

“Was Mrs. Ford the woman who walked you out?”

“Yeah, she’s my teacher.”

Richard stored the information away. The teacher sounded like a real piece of work.

When his cell started to ring, he excused himself and walked away while Kate and Joey finished their lunch.

Kate once again found herself listening to only part of a conversation. Several times, she caught Richard glancing in her direction with brows arched and eyes squinted in thought. Her mouth ran dry wondering just what she had gotten herself into.