LITMIR.BIZ

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slowly stood and discreetly brushed the side of her hand along the path the tear had taken. “He wants to be strong, but he’s scared.”

      Ethan thought the same thing, because he knew from experience. But how was she so sure? What had happened in her world? He released his hold on the door and allowed it to close, not wanting Jerry to overhear his words. “I have to wonder how I—or how any adult—will ever gain his trust.”

      She chewed her lower lip and then swallowed. “It’ll take time, but I have to show him he can trust again.”

      “You have to show him?” Ethan asked. Why would she think that was her responsibility?

      “We,” she corrected herself. “We—adults—have to show him that he can trust again.”

      The door opened, and Savvy peeked out. “Hey, my grandparents are eager to meet y’all.”

      Daisy stuck her head out near Savvy’s hip and peered up at her. “Mom, come look at the new pink and purple life jackets they’ve got.” She tugged on the hem of Savvy’s shirt. “They’re girl colors, and one even has flowers on it.”

      Savvy grinned. “I should go check those out.” She looked at Lindy and raised a finger. “Something to note, sporting goods stores aren’t just for guys anymore.” Then she smiled, and left them alone again.

      “You may want to bring that up when you’re interviewing for the job,” he said, trying to lighten things and put her more at ease before she talked to the owners.

      Lindy blinked, her long lashes still damp as she nodded. “Thanks, I will.”

      Ethan suddenly recalled the last time he’d wanted to help a beautiful, troubled female. He’d only meant to give Jenny comfort and be a friend to her after she’d lost her parents. But he’d ended up falling for his friend. They’d grown closer, and both proclaimed love. Planned to be together forever. Gotten engaged. And then he’d lost his fiancée and his best man, when she’d left Ethan for Sean.

      No doubt Lindy Burnett needed someone to care about her, someone to help her, maybe even someone to love her. But Ethan could only go so far. He could be kind. He could attempt to help. But he couldn’t let himself fall in love.

      He could also pray for her and ask God to give her the job she needed, the child she wanted, the life she desired. That was what he could do, what he should do.

      What he would do.

      And he’d maintain the reins on his heart, the way he’d vowed to do after Jenny had left him two days before their wedding and married Sean six months later.

      He opened the door again. “Ready to go get that job?”

      She stepped through the entrance, Ethan trying not to notice the way her freckles looked more copper up close, or how her strawberry waves swayed against her shoulder when she moved, or that she smelled like sweet honey.

      God, help her get this job. Help her adopt a child. Help her have a family again. Help her find love. And, God, help me keep my mind on Jerry...and off her.

      He entered and turned away from Lindy, who was already speaking to Savvy about the potential job, and looked for the boy who would hopefully be his son soon.

      Ethan perused the immaculate store, impressed with the amount of inventory. The floor space wasn’t large, yet Savvy’s grandparents had organization down to an art, with each section identified by sport. Football, basketball, soccer and baseball composed the front left side. Supplies for outdoor activities, such as kayaks, tents and fishing gear, filled the front right. The back of the store held items for golfing, tennis, track and so on.

      “Look at this, Jerry. What do you think?” He selected a tiny leather T-ball glove from one of the wire baskets hanging along the left wall. Growing up, Ethan had enjoyed baseball. In Alabama, they kept the sport going year-round, which had worked for him, since he was always moving from one foster home to another. He didn’t have to learn a new activity, and by high school, he was known for having a pretty good arm. Pretty good swing, too, truth be told.

      “Want to try it on? I can show you how it fits over your hand, and maybe we could go to a field around here and learn to catch some baseballs.” Ethan’s blood pumped fiercely, excitement palpable as he imagined this summer and all the days he and Jerry would spend at the local park. “Doesn’t that sound great?”

      The little boy looked glumly at the glove and said nothing.

      Candace knelt beside him and offered him a smile. “Jerry, would you like to play baseball sometime with Mr. Green? You can tell us if you don’t want to, or you can tell us if you do.”

      Ethan could almost see himself in the scene before him, a tiny little boy listening to his social worker trying to sort out what was going on in his mind. They’d all been so nice, but he’d never had the courage to tell them the truth. What did he want? A real home. To stop moving every year. Or every month. He’d wanted a dad who loved him and cared for him. And a mom who wouldn’t stand by while his father beat him until, at merely six years old, Ethan could no longer stand.

      “I don’t want to play baseball.” Jerry’s soft words weren’t delivered to Candace, but to Ethan.

      He didn’t want to play baseball. That ruined Ethan’s vision, but still...he’d answered Ethan. Not Candace, but Ethan.

      “Okay, then, we’ll do something else,” he said, regrouping his plans for father/son time. No baseball, no problem. He already knew they would be fishing together, since the Fishers of Men program was planned for every child at Willow’s Haven. Ethan had hoped, though, that they might find something in common that he had some sort of experience with. But in any case, he indicated the fishing items on the opposite side of the store. “We can go look at the fishing gear with Rose and Daisy if you want.”

      Jerry didn’t answer, but he nodded. Another step in the right direction.

      Ethan and Candace led him toward Brodie and the girls, who were checking out kid-sized fishing rods displayed in a bright yellow bucket. Savvy had taken Lindy to the back of the store to talk to her grandparents about the potential job. He watched as Savvy made introductions, and Lindy’s hand moved back to her throat as she gave them a watery smile.

      How could someone so stunning have so little confidence?

      “We’re excited about the Fishers of Men program,” Brodie said. “We weren’t sure we’d be able to get enough mentors from the community, but one announcement at church and a few flyers placed at the businesses around the square led to plenty.”

      Ethan turned his attention from Lindy’s interview to Brodie. “Yeah, it seems like a great way for folks to spend time with the kids.” And Jerry was looking at the fishing gear with interest, which was better than the baseball glove fail.

      Brodie examined the white price tag on a fishing rod. “Learning to fish and enjoying God’s creation—a terrific way to bond with the kids. It was Savvy’s idea, of course.” He picked up the rod, weighed it in his hand and grinned. “She’s always coming up with ways to involve the community in the kids’ lives.”

      “Sounds like so much fun,” Candace said, tilting her head toward Jerry and pulling a red fishing rod from the yellow bucket.

      Ethan didn’t know the first thing about fishing. Nothing. He’d never had anyone take him to a lake or teach him to put one of those reels on the rod or even show him how to bait a hook.

      But Jerry, holding the red fishing rod, looked at him now as though waiting for someone to offer to do something with him...the same way Ethan had always prayed for someone to spend time with him.

      Seriously, God? Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen. But me? I haven’t got a clue. You know that. Why not baseball?

      Yet Ethan found himself asking, “You want to be my fishing buddy for the summer, Jerry?”

      Jerry looked at the rod, and then at Ethan. “Yes, sir.”

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