Free The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer Page A

attention.
    Tell him the house is already too quiet. Too empty.
    â€œI think . . . Diva will be fine if you’re there, Cody. She really missed you.”
    Relief snuffed out the worry in Cody’s eyes. “You won’t have to vacuum as often or take her for walks. You’ll have tons of free time.”
    â€œTons.” Evie smiled even though the word burned the back of her throat. “I’ll meet you and Raine outside in a sec. You’re going to need her leash.”

C HAPTER 12
    E vie had just finished e-mailing a copy of next year’s projected budget to Pauline when a piercing shriek shattered the comfortable silence of a Wednesday afternoon.
    She stepped through the doorway of her office as another one erupted.
    A thin young woman in a tank top and denim shorts was trying to coax a golden-haired toddler to come out from behind the coffee center and relinquish the small basket of sugar packets clutched in her hands.
    A few feet away were two more children so close in age it was difficult to tell which one was older, the boy or the girl. The boy was sifting through the canned goods in a donation box marked for a local food drive while the little girl, barefoot and wearing a crooked pair of butterfly wings over her sundress, spun pirouettes.
    Gloria, who played keyboard for the worship team, hovered at the perimeter of the chaos. Evie could tell she wasn’t sure if she should wade into the fray or maintain a safe distance.
    One of the cans hit the floor and rolled underneath the counter.
    The young mother twisted around and shot a frazzled look at the older children. “Ava and Luke! Put those back right now. They don’t belong to you.”
    â€œNicki?”
    The woman glanced over her shoulder, and the sheer relief that flooded her eyes propelled Evie forward. By the time she reached Nicki’s side, the little girl had scrambled out from behind the counter and attached herself to her mother’s leg.
    â€œShe’s looking for someone named Jack.” Gloria’s wide-eyed gaze slid to Nicki’s son, who was stuffing a can of chicken noodle soup into the pocket of his cargo shorts. “I told her that we don’t have anyone here by that name.”
    â€œAs a matter of fact, we do.” Evie gave Nicki a reassuring smile. “Come with me. We’ll track him down.”
    Tears shimmered in Nicki’s eyes. “Thanks, Mrs. Bennett.”
    Evie suddenly felt a hundred years old. “It’s Evie, remember?”
    The boy and girl, sweet-faced copies of their mother, trailed behind Evie as she led them down the hall.
    Jack wasn’t in his office or the sanctuary. She finally found him washing one of the walls in the youth wing, where the teens had gathered for a pizza party the night before.
    Before Evie had a chance to say anything, Nicki’s children released a loud whoop and charged toward him. Jack barely had a moment to drop the sponge in the bucket and brace himself for the impact. Even the toddler propped on the ledge of Nicki’s hip squealed and stretched her arms toward him.
    The little family knew him. Well.
    Jack’s gaze met Evie’s for a moment before shifting back to Nicki. “What’s going on?”
    â€œI’ll tell you what’s going on.” Nicki’s voice stretched thin. “Cheryl promised to babysit while I picked up an extra shift at the diner, but she took off somewhere and her phone goes right to voicemail.”
    â€œWhat about Trav?”
    â€œHe wasn’t home when I stopped over either. I called Mom, but she won’t watch the kids.” Nicki’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “Carl is taking her to the casino tonight.”
    Something dark flashed across Jack’s face. “Where’s Lily?”
    Lily. The name on the bottom of Jack’s coffee mug.
    Evie knew she should leave—give them some privacy—but her feet seemed to be stuck to the