Free Mended by J. L. Drake Page A

Ryder.”
    Frank takes Ryder’s hand and walks him to the truck, with Cole trailing behind. I wipe away a few stray tears, feeling that maternal need to protect the little fella. I know he’ll be fine. I just know he’ll be scared from all this, and that’s something you can never shake.
    “I hate when we get kids,” Abigail says from behind me. I nod. She puts her hand on mine. “I know, dear, it sucks .”
    “It does.” I laugh at her choice of words. “I’ve known this little boy all of six hours, but it still hurts seeing him leave.”
    Dinner is great and just what I needed, an Abigail-cooked meal. Keith stuffs his mouth with my cookies while everyone else eats cheesecake. Soon we retire into the living while John and Paul set up the poker table downstairs. I take my favorite spot in front of the fire, where Scoot finds me, meowing dramatically and making sure I see how put out he has been since I’ve been gone. I work hard to make it up to him as his eyes roll back and his legs flop open. He really has no shame.
     
    ***
     
    Cole
     
    Cole watches as Savannah gives Scoot a good rubdown, and smiles at how he basks in her presence. Everyone is in good spirits, and in no time most are downstairs playing poker while Abigail and June head to bed.
    “Savi,” Cole whispers. He flicks his head toward the stairs. “Come take a walk with me.”
    “Where?” she asks, rising to her feet.
    “Just downstairs.”
    He sits her down at the piano, a place where she’s comfortable, and moves to stand by the window to watch the snow fall. It always seems to be snowing. He lets out a puff of air, reluctant to have this conversation with her. They were having a good day.
    “Ryder seemed to like you.”
    “He’s sweet.”
    “Are you all right?”
    “About Ryder leaving?”
    “Yeah.”
    Her eyes soften. “I’ve known the kid for six hours. It’s sad what happened to him, but we didn’t form a bond. Were you worried that I was upset because I lost our baby?”
    He nods, wanting to be honest. “Yeah, I was.”
    “Thank you for caring, but I’m fine.”
    Cole shakes his head with a smile. He needs to stop underestimating her strength. He heads to the mini bar and fixes himself a drink, making her a martini just the way Mark does. He sits it on top of the piano and slides in next to her, lifting the lid to expose the keys. “Will you play me something?”
    She reaches for the drink and takes a long sip. He wonders if she’ll do this for him. It doesn’t go unnoticed that she rubs her hands over her lap. She’s nervous. “What would you like to hear?”
    He brushes her hair away from her face and leans over to give her a kiss behind the ear. “Anything you want.”
    “Can you sit behind me?” She glances up. “I haven’t played in front of anyone in a long time.”
    “As you wish.” He takes his drink and sinks into the large leather seat behind her, angling it so he can study her profile. His stomach is in a knot for both of them. He pulls an ankle to rest over his leg and settles in for a glimpse into this part of her heart.
    She closes her eyes and whispers, “Mom.” He can almost picture her mother sitting there, encouraging her to play. Telling her how much she loves her. Slowly, a faint smile tugs at her cheeks before she extends her hands and presses down.
    Her fingers dance along the keys, making it look effortless. He doesn’t recognize the song. It’s different at first, but then a note triggers his memory, and he soon realizes she’s playing Yesterday by The Beatles. She’s twisting the melody, adding a little bluesy touch. He likes it, likes it a lot, actually. But what stops his heart mid-beat is when she starts to sing the chorus. Her voice is low but strong. His brandy gets stuck in his throat around the knot lodged there. Setting his drink down, he leans forward and rests his forearms on his thighs, drinking in the intoxicating feeling. It’s such a raw and powerful moment.
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