Delivered Through the Storm by Nicole Garcia

Author:Nicole Garcia [Garcia, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-01-03T16:00:00+00:00

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Ryder

When I open the door to Madison’s room I’m met by a pair of sleepy blue eyes. I push Madison in back of me because she barely has any clothes on; just the t-shirt she fell asleep in. Shit, this is exactly what Madison was afraid of. I don’t want to make a difficult situation worse, and now I feel like total crap that I’m putting her in an awkward position.

Aiden rubs his eyes, giving me a confused look. “Ryder?”

“Hey little man.”

“What are you doing here?”

Now that is a question I cannot answer truthfully. I hate to lie to him, but I can’t exactly tell him the truth. “I..uh...why don’t we go to the kitchen and get some breakfast okay?” I usher him down the hall to give Madison a chance to get dressed and maybe she can help me out with what I should say to him. Aiden sits at the table and I frantically look around the kitchen for a box of cereal or something to busy him until his mother gets out here. I open and close every damn cabinet and find no remnants of anything I can give him. No cereal, no toaster pastries, not even a damn cracker. Fuck. Every time I see Madison getting ready to leave the house she’s always stuffing some kind of snack in her purse for the boys; and now that I’m desperate, I can’t find a single solitary thing.

Thankfully, Madison rounds the corner with Caleb in tow and puts him in his booster seat next to Aiden and I can take a breath because I have no idea what to tell the boy. I look over at Madison with pleading eyes, begging her to take over. When her befuddled gaze meets mine, I know she’s not going to be any help; she’s just as flustered as I am.

“Ryder, can you make pancakes for breakfast?” Aiden asks on a yawn.

Madison and I stare at each other for a long moment. My shoulders relax and I’m relieved he isn’t asking more pressing questions about why I’m here. I would love to cook breakfast for them, but Madison still seems uncomfortable. “I don’t know Aiden. I think your mom wants to make you something to eat this morning. I just stopped by to deliver a package.” Yeah, that’s it. That’s a great idea. I mentally congratulate myself on being able to come up with an excuse on the fly, that is until Aiden calls me out.

“Where’s the package?”

“In my room.” Madison nervously interjects.

“Why aren’t you wearing your uniform?”

Boy, there is no pulling the wool over this kid’s eyes. Now I’m searching my brain for another fib I can tell this kid so he stops giving me the third degree. I open my mouth to speak, but I’m a blubbering mess. I don’t want to say the wrong thing and have Madison furious with me. “I...uh…”

Luckily, I’m saved by Madison’s interruption again. “He doesn’t work today. He forgot it in his truck so he brought it over.

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