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stored at his parent’s house.” Tim smiled brightly. Her heart warmed when John chuckled at Tim.
    Tim was starved for male attention. She could see it in how he responded to following Luke around, and now how he beamed at John. John leaned down to Tim’s level. “You like the house huh?”
    Tim nodded repeatedly. “I love it! And my new room. I have to go tell Luke about it.”
    With that, Tim turned and ran off down the stairs. John stood up to leave.
    Cassie stepped toward him. Okay time to say something. “I know how you feel about me, and that makes you letting me in here with my son that much more decent of you. I know how much I’m asking of you. Even if no one else does. But I have no other choice. I’d do anything for Tim.”
    “Including live with me.”
    “Yes, including live with you. I’m desperate.”
    “I’m getting that. Sometime you’re going to have to tell me the rest of the story.”
    She shook her head. “You don’t really want to know.”
    He stared at her, his eyes as black as soot. She held his gaze, willing her spine to stay straight in response to his fierce scowl. Finally he turned his back to her. “You’re right, I don’t want to know. I’m willing to have you here because of Tim. He doesn’t deserve any of this. That’s it. That’s the only reason I would ever let you back into my life.”

Chapter Four
    John entered his kitchen the next morning and stopped in the doorway. Tim sat at the table, his legs swinging back and forth, his face tight in concentration while he colored furiously. Cassie’s kid sat at his kitchen table. Her son. A son that could have been—
    John jerked to attention. He was not going there. Not today. Not ever. Tim looked up and smiled a wide, easy grin. He didn’t feel like talking to a six-year-old, somewhat traumatized kid he barely knew. But…Tim was just a kid, and therefore, obviously he had to be nice to him, no matter who his mother was. He finally smiled back at Tim, whose smile ignited again.
    “Where’s your mom?”
    “Still sleeping. You have any Lucky Charms?”
    “Never. I don’t eat crap like that for breakfast. And neither should you. How about some oatmeal? Toast maybe?”
    Tim scowled. “How about Frosted Flakes?”
    “How about Frosted Mini-Wheat’s?”
    Tim narrowed his eyes. “Okay I’ll eat those. But no oatmeal.”
    John grinned when Tim made gagging noises. “Okay deal.” He grabbed bowls, spoons, cereal, and milk. He set it between them. They poured their cereal. Tim eyed him as he took a big spoon full. Tim finally opened his mouth for a big, soggy square of cereal. John nodded his head in approval.
    After several moments of Tim’s loud, slurping bites John asked, “Do you ever go by Timmy?”
    Tim shuddered. “Not anymore! I’m not a baby. I’m supposed to be in first grade you know.”
    “No. I didn’t know.”
    “But I can’t go to school. Not right now anyways. You know because of my dad. I can’t go back to school until they find him. Just in case. Know what I mean?”
    John nodded. He didn’t like that Tim couldn’t go to school, happy and safe like every other first grader. He ground his teeth. Cassie should have done a better job of taking care of her son’s safety.
    “Do you like school?”
    “I love school! I have Mrs. Burkon. Do you know her?” Tim looked up in earnest.
    He suppressed a grin. “No. Sorry. I don’t know her.”
    “She’s the best! She lets us use her books in her classroom, and make a special project every Friday afternoon. I can show you sometime.” His face fell, and confusion filled his eyes. “I guess I can’t show you for a while though.”
    John put a hand on Tim’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I can wait to see them. Maybe you could draw me something else.”
    Tim’s eyes lit up. “I can! I’ll finish this drawing and you can take it to work while you fix sick people.”
    There was no way to avoid liking the boy. He was sweet, and ran through his