Child Wanted. Renee Andrews

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СКАЧАТЬ tough time over the past few years. I don’t have a family, or a job, or even a place to live.” Her stomach pitched at the truth. “I don’t have anything to offer a child.”

      The couple on the other side of the fountain had started walking toward them and must have overheard her statement, because the woman moved toward Lindy’s bench and sat down. “That can’t be true,” she said softly. “Because the main thing kids need in their lives is love.”

      Throughout her years at the prison, Lindy had taught herself not to cry. Crying was a weakness, and she couldn’t let the other inmates see her as the weakest. Consequently, she’d believed she no longer possessed the ability to release her tears. But they slipped free now, thick, wet drops edging down her cheeks.

      Lindy wiped them away. “I don’t know what has me so upset.” The lie stung. She knew exactly what had her upset. Her son was here, right in front of her, and she had no idea what to do to get him back.

      Forgive me, Lord. And help me now. Show me how to have Jerry in my life again. She was still trying to work her way back toward trusting God. Though she’d learned in the prison ministry that He’d never leave her, she still wondered where He had been the night the police had torn Jerry from her arms and charged her with her husband’s murder.

      “Here.” Ethan moved toward her, a white handkerchief extended from his hand.

      To ignore the offering might make the others wonder what she had against the man, so she took the soft white fabric and swiped at her cheeks. A crisp scent, earthy and masculine, filled her senses. She fought against inhaling deeper. She didn’t want to like this man, or the way he smelled, or the fact that, unlike any man she’d ever known, he still carried a handkerchief. “Thank you.”

      The woman next to her, who now had an arm draped around Lindy’s shoulders, echoed her thoughts. “You carry a handkerchief?”

      Ethan smiled. “I teach eighth graders. You know, the age when every girl gets her feelings hurt by another girl at some point in the school year. It never hurts to have a handkerchief handy.”

      He taught school. And seemed nice. How would Lindy ever convince a court that she should have Jerry instead of this man?

      Because she knew from past experience how a man could sway her opinion with his gorgeous good looks, or his swoonworthy charm. Gil had fooled the public—and Lindy—into believing he was a great catch and a good guy...and then had been the exact opposite behind closed doors.

      “Here.” She attempted to return the handkerchief, but Ethan shook his head.

      “You keep it. Like I said, I go through them rather quickly, and I have plenty more.” Another charming smile, showing off straight white teeth amid a tan face, threatened to knock her senses off balance. “Seriously, keep it,” he said.

      Lindy didn’t have the wherewithal to argue, so she nodded. “Thanks.” Then she caught sight of Jerry, easing toward the fountain with the last bits of his bread.

      “Look at that one with the bread on his back,” one of the twins said, giggling and pointing.

      Jerry followed the direction of her finger and nodded. Lindy felt a sliver of hope. He was interacting with other children and, for a moment, didn’t look quite so sad.

      She so wanted to see him smile.

      “You said you need a job and a place to stay, right?” the lady beside her asked.

      “Yes.” She’d stayed in cheap—very cheap—hotels over the past week, but after buying the little used car that she’d needed to get to Claremont and purchasing a limited supply of clothing, she’d depleted almost all of the money she’d saved when she’d been married to Gil. Lindy was glad she’d been trying to save for a vehicle back then, or she wouldn’t have had anything beyond the ten dollars of “gate money” she’d been given when she was released.

      “Well, I happen to know that my grandparents are looking for help at their sporting goods store.” She pointed behind Lindy. “I’m Savvy Evans, but my maiden name is Bowers, and my grandparents’ store is over there. Bowers’s Sporting Goods. I actually worked there before we started the children’s home, and let me tell you, you won’t find any better people to work for.”

      “Of course, she’s a little prejudiced, but it’s the truth.” The man beside her grinned. “I’m Savvy’s husband, Brodie Evans.”

      Lindy couldn’t believe this turn of events. “You think they might hire me?” She’d already considered the difficulty of finding employment. If there were any sort of application process, or even a request for references, she didn’t have a prayer.

      Savvy nodded assuredly. “Of course I do.”

      God, I’m trying to learn to trust You, but how are You going to pull this off?

      Savvy continued to smile, and Lindy was struck by how much the offer meant to her. “We were planning to go over there and talk to my grandparents about our new fishing program after we leave the fountain. That’s what this position would involve, primarily working with the new Fishers of Men program that we’re starting for the kids at Willow’s Haven. Why don’t you come with us and talk to them about the job?”

      Lindy couldn’t remember the last time anyone had offered to help her, if ever. Then she thought about the man who’d just given her a handkerchief when she cried. The same one who wanted to adopt her son—and take Jerry away from her permanently.

      He looked at her now, and an instant awareness inched through her, the sensation that she’d been noticed by an extremely handsome man. Which was quickly followed by the memory of the last time an attractive man had noticed her. Then married her. And hurt her. Repeatedly.

      “Why don’t you go with us?” he asked, as though he thought she might want encouragement from him.

      She didn’t. In fact, she wanted him to leave, to get away from her and, more important, from her son.

      “I wanted to go there anyway, to see what Jerry and I will need for the time we’re going to spend together this summer. As much as I’ll admit I have no clue about fishing, I’m still excited about learning to fish with him.” He displayed another smile that punched her in the heart. He would be spending time with Jerry this summer.

      But so would she.

      She turned to Savvy. “I’d like to talk to them about the job.”

      “Awesome! Let’s go.” Savvy smiled broadly. So did Ethan.

      But Lindy could only pray. Pray that God would give her this chance to be around her little boy on a regular basis. She needed to get to know him again and show him that she loved him while the attorney figured out the best way for her to regain custody.

      And if that meant spending time with Ethan Green, so be it.

       Chapter Two

      Ethan walked with the group toward the sporting goods store and considered how he’d arrived in Claremont this morning with one goal: to begin the process of adopting Jerry and showing this little guy that someone would care about him, someone would love him unconditionally, never СКАЧАТЬ