Except that he lived next door.
She nibbled on an apple slice and worked on Nathan’s list. Maybe she could hand him the list and send him on his way.
Her thoughts were mean. When she’d arrived in Savannah, so many people had helped her. It was time to pay it forward.
“Why do we have to go with Mr. Nathan and Isabella?” Josh finished off the last apple slice and took the plate to the dishwasher.
“Because Mr. Nathan doesn’t know much about kids. He asked for our help.” She needed to remember this herself.
“But she’s four. How come he needs help?”
“I don’t know.” What mother wouldn’t tell the father of her child that she was pregnant? Maybe Nathan had done something that had stopped her from telling him? He drank a lot, like Levi.
There was a knock. Josh had the door open before she could ask him to wait.
Nathan held Isabella in his arms. His muscles were rigid. Isabella’s shoulders were stiff, too.
She picked up her purse. “Josh, let’s go.”
“Why do I have to come?” Her son pouted. “I’m not getting anything.”
“You’re getting dinner,” she reminded him.
They headed to her car. Josh climbed into his booster seat.
“Oh, shoot.” There was only one seat.
Nathan ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t think.”
Based on the gossip about Nathan around the B and B, that wasn’t unusual. He’d sold drugs in high school; always in trouble but not enough to end up in juvie. He’d even been kicked out of the family business. Dolley, the youngest Fitzgerald sister, laughed about the number of women he’d dated.
“I can ride without a booster.” Josh puffed out his chest. “I don’t use a booster on the bus.”
“This isn’t a bus.” But her son had a point.
They weren’t going far. She chewed her lip. “This is the only time.”
She held out her hand for the keys. “If my son isn’t in a booster, I’ll drive.”
Nathan handed the keys over without arguing. They were warm from his pocket.
She buckled Josh in and moved to the driver’s seat. Nathan fought with Isabella’s buckles.
“You have to snap here.” Josh pulled on the seat belt and locked Isabella into the seat.
“Yeah.” Nathan sat in the front seat. “Where to first?”
Cheryl handed him the list she’d created.
He glanced at it then shoved it into his pocket. “Thanks.”
He hadn’t bothered to read the list. Maybe he was illiterate.
“There’s a secondhand store nearby.”
“I don’t mind buying new.” Nathan rolled down the window.
“Let’s try this store first.”
She triple-checked that every intersection was clear before turning. Nathan tapped his fingers on the outside of the car, but she wasn’t going to rush.
“Did you finish the staircase?” she asked, tired of the silence.
“We have a couple more layers to go.” Nathan described how distressed oak would be glued as the last layer. “We ordered iron spindles. They’ll match the hinges still in the space.”
Josh asked questions. And he and Nathan had a real conversation. Isabella didn’t say a word, just cuddled her ratty blanket.
At the strip mall, Cheryl pulled up in front of the store. “Everyone out.”
Josh didn’t need help with his buckle and he unlocked Isabella’s chair, too. “Come on.”
The little girl crawled out Josh’s side of the car and took his hand. Nathan stood with the car door open, confusion filling his face.
Cheryl stopped on the sidewalk. “Has she said anything?”
“No.” He rubbed his neck. “Is that normal?”
“I don’t know.” After Levi, Josh had been pretty quiet, too. “Maybe.”
“What should I do?”
He looked so lost, she patted his arm. “Give her stability. Give her love.”
“I guess.” He wiped a hand over his face. “Where do we start?”
“Where’s the list?”
He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her. He pointed down two doors from the store. “I’ve been to that bar and never knew there were stores here.”
“I’ve been in this store and never knew there was a bar here.” And didn’t that highlight their differences?
“Let’s go.” She wanted this evening over, but the two kids were kneeling next to a shrub.
“I found a really cool bug.” Josh pointed at a branch.
“Wow.” Nathan crouched next to the kids. “It’s a praying mantis.”
Josh reached out to pick up the bug.
“You should leave it alone.” Nathan told him. “They eat the bad insects.”
“How come we haven’t seen any at my camp?” Josh’s eyebrows were pinched together.
“They aren’t that common,” Nathan said. “They’re cool-looking, aren’t they?”
“I guess.” Josh shrugged.
“I haven’t seen a praying mantis in years.” Nathan smiled.
Something loosened in Cheryl’s chest as she ushered them into the store. She’d been around Nathan’s identical twin a lot. She should be used to looking at his handsome face. But there was something different about Nathan. His face was...weathered. Like he’d seen too much, done too much, felt too much.
She straightened her shoulders. It was a mistake to romanticize Nathan. He’d lived a tough life—on purpose.
Nathan set a hand on her shoulder. “I forgot to thank you for helping me.”
She slipped away from his disturbing touch. “No problem.”
She headed for the booster seats while Josh zeroed in on the play equipment. She kept an eye on him as Nathan settled Isabella into each booster seat, testing the size.
Cheryl read the weight restrictions. “Do you know how much she weighs?”
He shook his head. Picking the girl up, he threw her over his head. She gave a bright chirp of a giggle. “Can’t be more than thirty pounds.”
“This one should last you a while.” Cheryl pointed.
“What do you think?” Nathan crouched next to his daughter, who shrugged.
“I guess that’s a yes.” He looked around the store. “What else?”
“She’s small, so she could use a booster seat at the table.”
“I’ll need to buy a kitchen table.” Nathan picked up two booster seats. “One for my folks’ house.”
She checked on Josh. He was coloring on an easel. She took in a breath. Her son loved drawing and coloring. How much would an easel cost?
Guiding Nathan to the strollers, she asked, “Do you want a stroller?”
Panic flared in his eyes. “Do I need one?”