Chapter 31

Thomas opens the door for me and we stare at each other for a few seconds before he opens it wider, a signal for me to come inside.

Once I’m in, he closes the door.

“I don’t know what to say,” I tell him. “I’ve never seen him act like that.”

“It’s okay,” he says. “No, really. It is. He’s a kid and I understand that he doesn’t like me. Trust me, I felt the same way about my mother whenever guys talked to her. I know what it’s like.”

I recall the way he told me that he thinks Thomas is trying to be his dad. Where’s he getting that from?

“I can’t stay long,” I remind him.

He nods. “I know. I just thought you’d want to talk about this.”

I sigh and cover my face with both hands. This is a nightmare.

Thomas clears his throat, and I figure that he has more to say. He slides his hands in the pockets of his jeans and says, “I also thought that we could talk about us for a bit.”

This makes me nervous. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know what’s brought you here,” he admits. “People move for al