Reuniting His Family. Jean Gordon C.

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СКАЧАТЬ can contact your references for more information?” Neal asked, tapping the letter from the electrician who’d supervised Rhys’s work in Albany.

      “About my work, yes.” The electrician had assured Rhys he’d have no problem discussing with potential employers the progress he’d made in the apprenticeship program.

      “And Connor Donnelly? You participated in his ministry at Dannemora?”

      “I—”

      “Wait, you don’t have to answer. I shouldn’t have asked.”

      “No, I put it in the references. I have no problem talking about it.” If Neal was going to hold his faith against him in any way, he wasn’t a person Rhys wanted to work for, despite how badly he needed work. “I’m indebted to Pastor Connor for leading me to Christ and for helping Gwen, my wife, relocate here so I could see her and the boys more.” Rhys leaned forward. “And Owen and Dylan are registered for The Kids Place summer and after-school child-care program at Connor’s church when CPS gives the go-ahead for them to live with me.”

      Neal raised his hand in a sign of surrender and Rhys’s heart dropped. Him and his big mouth. Gwen had always said he didn’t talk much, but when he had something to say, he had no filter.

      “Hey, I know where you’re coming from. I was a single father for nineteen years.”

      Rhys leaned back.

      “My oldest daughter, Autumn, was born when I was seventeen, and she was practically my whole life until she graduated high school. She and Pastor Connor were classmates. Autumn’s a midwife at the birthing center in Ticonderoga. I raised her myself. Granted, I had help from my mom and dad, but she was my responsibility.”

      “So you understand.” Rhys accepted the kinship Neal offered. That’s what he planned to do: make Owen and Dylan the center of his life. He couldn’t imagine marrying again, as Neal had, or having more kids. He owed his boys too much to have anything left over for anyone else.

      “But you’re probably more interested in knowing about the job than my kids,” Neal said.

      Rhys kept a rein on his excitement as Neal outlined the responsibilities of the position, but almost lost it when he heard the generous starting salary.

      “Any questions?” Neal asked when he’d finished.

      Rhys hesitated. “Health insurance?” He didn’t care so much for himself, but he needed it for the boys. It would be another positive he could report to CPS.

      “Good insurance. Better than most small employers can offer. It’s through GreenSpaces’ multi-company plan. And we have a retirement savings plan, too.”

      He tried to look appreciative. For now, all he wanted was to be able to make a secure home for his family.

      “Anything else?” Neal asked.

      “Not that I can think of.”

      “All right, then.” Neal rose.

      Rhys followed suit. “Thank you for the opportunity to interview.”

      “I’ll give you a call within the next couple of days. If your references check out, you have the job.” Neal smiled. “Anyone else in the area with your training and experience already works for me.”

      “I look forward to hearing from you.” Rhys walked out of the office at a controlled pace, rather than bounding to the door in leaps of joy, as he wanted to. He couldn’t imagine either his former supervisor or Pastor Connor telling Neal anything derogatory about him. He whistled his way to his truck, which started with the first turn of the key. Nothing could dampen his spirits.

      His cell phone vibrated in his pocket and Rhys pulled it out and saw the CPS number.

      Well, almost nothing.

      * * *

      “Is that him?” Owen asked Renee for the third time in the past five minutes.

      She went to the front window, pushed back the curtain and spotted Rhys’s truck slowing to turn into the Hills’ driveway. She brushed her moist palms against the skirt of her black-and-white crinkle-cotton summer dress.

      “Yes, your dad is pulling in the driveway.”

      Owen reached the door at the same time Rhys knocked.

      “You’re supposed to ask before you open the door, Owen,” Dylan said. “Mrs. Hill said so. It could be a stranger.”

      “It’s Dad. Ms. Delacroix said so.” Owen looked over his shoulder at Renee.

      “Go ahead.”

      Owen swung the door open. “You’re here.”

      A broad smile spread across Rhys’s face, softening the angular, almost harsh edges of his features.

      “Of course I’m here. I told you at church this morning I would be.”

      “I know, but I’m just so glad.”

      “Me, too.” Rhys moved his gaze from Owen to Dylan, who stood next to Renee but edged closer. Rhys’s smile faltered a bit. “Hi, Dylan.”

      “Hi, Daddy,” Dylan said before turning his face into the side of her leg.

      “Ms. Delacroix.”

      “Hi. The boys have been checking every few minutes to see if you were here yet.” She was only slightly exaggerating. Owen had been checking enough for both of them.

      “Yeah, we have a bunch of stuff to show you,” Owen said.

      “And I want to see it all. Give me a minute with Ms. Delacroix and to check in with the Hills.” He glanced around the living room as if he’d just noticed they weren’t there.

      “Boys,” she said. “Why don’t you go into the kitchen and get those cookies you made for your dad, and the milk and paper cups?”

      Owen looked from her to his father. “So you can tell Dad about the Hills?”

      Something flickered in his father’s eyes. If it was anyone else, she would call it fear, but she couldn’t imagine him being afraid of anything or anyone.

      “Can I carry the milk?” Dylan asked into her skirt.

      She said yes and Dylan loosened his clutch. The boys ran off into the next room.

      “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Rhys said. “I mean, the other day when you called, you said dinner at the Hills with the boys.” He straightened, looming over her. “Where are the Hills?”

      “It’s nothing bad.”

      He knitted his eyebrows.

      Great. Now she had him on edge. Not what she wanted. Her job should have been simple enough—be there in the background with him and the boys until Jack got back.

      “On СКАЧАТЬ