Page 28 of Healing Hope
Paul looked down at his bruised hand. He wasn’t normally one for recriminations, but this one was a special circumstance. His daughter had almost been kidnapped.
For that minute, he gave himself permission to be angry.
It also made him angry that he had to be so vulnerable in front of Jess. That thought drew him up short. Why was he feeling vulnerable in front of her? Because she was competent and hadn’t been hurt? Or because she now had to take care of him, because he was hurt. Or because she was a beautiful woman and it was infuriating to appear to be less than a man.
She was beguiling. And he thought about her way too much. Even last night, when he’d been restless with pain, he’d thought about what she’d said the day before, about going to bed with him. In the midst of that pain, he’d had to deal with an erection he couldn’t do anything about.
What a fucking nightmare.
Deliberately, he moved his hand, straightening his fingers, then making a fist. It wasn’t comfortable, but he could do it. In another day, he’d be fine.
Then he might follow up with what Jess said. If she’d been serious…
* * *
Jess watchedPaul struggle that day, and it made her so appreciative of her health and ability to move. It was something she took for granted.
Paul was too stubborn to ask for help, but she could tell he appreciated the plate of crackers, cheese and meat that she put before him on the desk while he talked on the phone. And the glass of ice water.
He gave her a crooked smile and a nod, and she walked back to the kitchen. Hope was eating grapes at the table. “Is he done yet?”
Jess smiled. “Not yet. I think he will be soon, though. Are you doing okay?”
Hope nodded. “I’m fine. I’m mad, though.”
“I don’t blame you for that. What makes you the most mad?”
“Because he hurt my daddy.”
Jess looked at Hope, and the mulish expression on her face. For some reason she thought Hope would say because Sophie had been hurt. It surprised her, and pleased her, that she valued her father even over the dog. That would also make Paul happy.
“Yes, he did. But your daddy hurt him, too, though, so I don’t think he’ll come back.”
Hope looked down at her hands in her lap. She played a grape through her fingers, obviously thinking. “But what if he does, Ms. Jess?” Her bright blue-grey eyes lifted to Jess. “What if there’s a reason…”
Did the child know something? If it was a man that she’d known, why would he be coming for Hope? “You know, I wouldn’t be mad, and I don’t think your dad would be mad, if there’s something you thought you needed to tell us. I know you think it’s this guy, Viktor. Right? Why would Viktor be looking for you?”
Tears filled Hope’s eyes, but she looked away, out the window, and she shrugged.
“Hope, look at me.”
The little girl turned to her, slowly.
“You know you can trust me. Have I done anything to make you not trust me?”
Hope shook her head. “You’re not going to be here, though. You’re gonna leave soon.”
Jess’s heart ached for the little girl. She’d been strong for a long time, and now she was searching for stability. And she didn’t want to put her trust in someone that was just going to leave in a week or two. Jess could understand that.
“Let me tell you something, baby. Actually, let me show you something.”
Jess grabbed her cell-phone and started swiping through screens. “See this?”
She showed Hope a list of names in her contacts. “These are the kids I’ve helped over the past couple of years. We still text and call each other, and if I’m in the area, I stop and see them. Or they come see me.”
She paged to a text screen. “This is Dawn. She’s a little older than you. I told her about you and sent her a picture, and she thinks you’re a beautiful girl. She lives up North, a bit, but she’s coming for a visit to see her grandmother next week, and we’re making plans to see each other. Just because I’m not physically in your house it doesn’t mean we’ll lose contact.”
Hope seemed to digest that. “Do you have a picture of her?”