Free Hometown Holiday Reunion by Mia Ross Page B

herself.”
    â€œWhich could be years from now.”
    Erin shrugged. “That’s the law.”
    â€œThat’s stupid.”
    â€œI know,” she allowed with a slight grin, “but it’s still the law. Even Parker insists she never hurt him. I take that to mean she just didn’t keep the abuse from happening.”
    What kind of mother stands by and lets her kid suffer like that? Cam seethed silently. His own background wasn’t the best, but he knew that if he and Natalie had been put in the line of fire that way, Mom would’ve taken them each by the hand and marched over to Granddad’s house where they’d all be safe.
    Grudgingly, he admitted that maybe Dad had done them all a favor by leaving before it came to that. It had torn their family apart, but at least no one had been physically harmed.
    â€œAnyone who’s spent five minutes with Parker can see that this is the best home he’s ever had. If you need me to make some kind of statement or testify in court or something, let me know. I’ll be there.”
    â€œReally?” A flicker of hope glimmered in her eyes, and she beamed at him like he was some kind of hero. “My family’s offered to do that, and I love them for it. But it would carry more weight if it came from someone I’m not related to. Are you sure you want to get involved like that?”
    â€œAbsolutely.” Seeking to lighten the intense moment, he grinned. “What are old enemies for?”
    â€œWe weren’t enemies,” she corrected him with a laugh. “We just didn’t like each other.”
    â€œY’know, I’m having a tough time remembering why.”
    He expected her to rattle off a list of his many faults or throw his most objectionable pranks in his face. To his amazement, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.
    â€œThat’s funny. So am I.”
    * * *
    Erin pulled back when she heard Parker’s sneakers pounding down the creaky wooden steps. “He sounds like a baby elephant when he does that. Is it okay if I carpet those treads?”
    â€œSure,” Cam replied easily, standing as Parker joined them by the window. Resting a hand on the boy’s shoulder, he looked him in the eye as if he was an adult on his crew. “I think I’ve got an old remnant floating around in the cellar that we can use. Wanna learn how to lay carpet?”
    â€œYeah!”
    Grabbing Cam’s hand, he tugged their landlord toward the basement door while Erin called out, “No power tools!”
    Cam waved his agreement, then snapped on the lights before they disappeared down the narrow staircase.
    Odd girl out, Erin thought. The story of her life. Eager to take a break from the chaos in their apartment, she put her hands on her hips and slowly spun, taking in the wide-open potential of the space that would soon house her store.
    â€œMy store,” she murmured, savoring the way that sounded. She’d enjoyed working for the judge the past several years, and learning the ins and outs of family law had definitely served her well in navigating her challenging situation with Parker. But owning a business, being the one in charge, was something she’d always wanted.
    Glancing up, she sent a little smile to her father. “I’m taking my shot, Dad. I hope you’re proud of me.”
    A warm current swirled around her, and she couldn’t help feeling as if he’d reached down from heaven to give her one of his famous bear hugs. He’d been gone four years now, ripped away from them in a car accident that had killed him instantly. Erin would give anything to see him one more time and have the chance to say goodbye.
    But life didn’t work that way, she reminded herself sternly, shrugging off the past as she decided what to do first. Since there wasn’t much point in sweeping a floor that would soon be covered in ceiling tiles and sawdust, she opted for cleaning the