A Roof Over Their Heads by M. K. Stelmack

Author:M. K. Stelmack [Stelmack, M. K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-11-17T14:08:17+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE SECOND SETH entered the drive-through lane of Tim Hortons coffee shop with Mel, he spotted Matt crouched beside the speaker box. The truck clock read 6:21 a.m. Great start to a Monday morning.

“Isn’t that Alexi’s oldest?” Mel said. Matt must’ve recognized them, too, because he rose and came straight for them. His hair was every which way, and he wore a T-shirt, shorts and sandals. Okay for noon but at this time of morning, it had to be cool. As the boy drew close, Seth lowered his truck window.

“Seth Greene.” The boy’s eyes looked bruised, the eyelids heavy. He looked as if he hadn’t slept all night. Had he run off? Alexi would be in full panic mode.

“Matt.”

“We need to talk.”

No kidding. Seth eyed the gap ahead of him, and the line piling up behind them.

Before Seth had a chance to respond, Mel said, “Sure, open up the back door there.” Matt didn’t need to be told twice before he was in the passenger seat of the crew cab.

Mel turned to look at him. “What do you want for breakfast?”

“I don’t have any money,” Matt said.

“My treat.”

“Okay. Thanks, Mel.”

Seth felt more than his chronic low-grade irritation with Mel. The boy had come to see him and Mel was taking over.

What’s more, why did Matt call Mel by his first name while he got the full name treatment?

“In that case,” Matt said and drew a deep breath, “I’ll have five hot breakfast sandwiches on an English muffin, five hash browns, a side order of bacon, four orange juices and a medium coffee.” He paused and added unnecessarily, “To go.”

“Got it,” Seth said fast before Mel could get in another word.

At the take-out window, Seth put in their regular order, Matt’s order, added six muffins, three grilled wraps, up-sized the coffee to a large with a double shot of cream, and threw in an extra box of Timbits.

No doubt Alexi would thank him, even though it wasn’t her gratitude he wanted.

Not that he could ask for what he really wanted from her.

As bags and boxes and cups were passed into the vehicle, Matt tucked his family’s share around himself, all the while his stomach squeaking and groaning like an eager puppy.

“Dig in,” Mel said.

Matt looked longingly at the bag of hash browns but said, “No. I’ll wait to eat with the others.”

Mel, with a Timbit on the way to his mouth, stopped. “Good idea. I’ll do the same.”

Still sideways in his seat, he chatted with Matt about what grade he was in (grade six in September), what sports he liked (baseball and soccer and snowshoeing), if he’d been to the Calgary Zoo (of course), and since he had, which was his favorite animal (the penguins, same as Mel).

All well and good, but that got Seth no closer to finding out why Matt had tracked them—him—down. How had he even known to go to Tim Hortons? Had he just surmised from Mel’s donut box and the fact that that was

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