“It’s important the school and the family work together,” Becky said, bringing Erin back to the current conversation with a jolt, “to keep the boy’s life as stable as possible during this time.”
She looked at Rhett, who had fallen asleep in David’s arms. “Let me put him to bed,” she whispered, “while you two finish talking.”
David relaxed his grip, allowing her to lift the boy into her arms. She made sure to take the stuffed dog, too. Rhett remained asleep as she tucked him back into bed, sighing when his head hit the pillow. Erin sat on the mattress for several minutes, rubbing the boy’s back to make sure he didn’t wake again. She couldn’t imagine how scared he must have been earlier, unable to find his mother and with the wild party in full swing.
She made a silent vow. She would keep him safe, no matter how far out of her comfort zone—and tangled up with David McCay—that led her.
* * *
It was almost two in the morning before David let himself into the apartment, exhausted and emotionally drained. Erin had agreed to stay while he went to see Jenna. Cole was keeping her overnight on possession charges but had agreed to drop them if she entered a rehab program.
David had helped his sister get clean once before, and it was a rough road. She swore that tonight’s tumble off the wagon was a onetime occurrence. David wanted to believe her, yet he’d heard so many excuses over the years. All he knew was he had to protect his nephew. There could be no repeats of what Rhett had gone through tonight.
It never should have happened in the first place, and he couldn’t stop blaming himself.
The apartment was quiet when he entered, and he found Erin asleep on the couch, curled on her side as if she didn’t want to take up too much space. It blew his mind that the buttoned-up schoolteacher had so willingly pitched in to help with his hot mess of a life. He understood that Rhett was her student. But David had never encountered a teacher like her.
Hell, he would have paid a lot more attention in school if he’d had someone like Erin MacDonald in his corner.
If possible, she looked more luminously beautiful asleep than she did awake. She was like a damn fairy-tale princess with her creamy skin, straight nose, rosy cheeks and the long, dark hair that fell over her face. It was easier to study her now than when those too-knowing bourbon-colored eyes were staring back at him.
He covered her with a blanket and went to check on Rhett. Unlike Erin, the boy was sprawled across the bed, arms and legs reaching out like a starfish. Jenna claimed she’d meant to have only her new boyfriend and a few of his buddies to the house to watch the Broncos play, but things had gotten out of hand. According to Cole, the boyfriend was serious bad news, having had more than a few run-ins with law enforcement over the years.
How the hell did Jenna manage to attract the biggest scumbags on the planet every time she found a new man? He would have asked her, wanted to rail and shout, but she’d looked so defeated sitting alone in the holding cell. She understood she’d messed up and he knew from experience that heaping on more condemnation would only put her on the defensive.
Fear and guilt had warred in his sister’s pale blue eyes, along with the remnants of a long-ago pain that she could hide from most of the world, but not from him. She’d agreed to check into a treatment program, so finding a place for her would be the first thing on his to-do list after getting Rhett to school in a few hours.
He lowered himself into the recliner next to the couch. Erin had cleaned the messy apartment, another debt of thanks he owed her. David hated owing people anything, had learned the hard way to only depend on himself. Yet he couldn’t help but be grateful for the chance to simply sit and rest for a few minutes.
His eyes drifted shut, although he didn’t intend to fall asleep. The next thing he knew, someone was shaking him awake. He blinked and found himself staring into Erin’s huge brown eyes.
“I have to go,” she whispered. “I need to shower and change before school.”
David blinked and tried to look more with-it than he felt. “What time is it?”
“Almost six in the morning.” She moved away and he had the ridiculous urge to pull her down against him. These past few hours had been the soundest he’d slept in years. Something about having this woman close soothed the demons that waited for him in the dark.
“I’ll give you a ride,” he told her, rising from the chair. His lower back ached, and as he looked around the small apartment, reality came crashing over him like a tidal wave. Today was going to be awful. “I’ll need to wake Rhett and—”
“One of my girlfriends is on her way.” Erin shoved a thick lock of hair behind one ear. “Rhett needs all the sleep he can get. He’s coming to school today, right?”
“Yes,” David answered, mentally listing all the things he had to get done. “He needs a routine now more than ever.”
“How’s your sister?”
“She feels terrible and says she’s committed to straightening out her life once and for all. I need to pick her up this morning and then make arrangements to get her to a treatment facility.”
“So Rhett will be staying with you while she’s in rehab?”
“Yes. Not here. I live in a loft above the brewery.”
“How long is the program?”
He sighed. “A month. Rhett doesn’t know she’ll be gone. I’ll tell him when he wakes up, but she won’t leave until tomorrow afternoon. I want him to spend time with her—to know that she’s okay.”
“It could be traumatic,” Erin said with a nod. “But we’ll get him through.”
He didn’t want to admit how much her words resonated with him. When had he suddenly become afraid of dealing with things on his own? David prided himself on never being dependent on anyone, let alone a woman who’d been a stranger only twelve hours ago.
She worried her bottom lip between her teeth, a nervous habit he’d seen her do several times since they’d left the bar. That moment when he’d caught her staring at his ass felt like a lifetime ago.
He ran a finger across the seam of her lips. “You need to give that lip a break. It’s too pretty to take so much abuse.”
“Oh,” she breathed, pink rushing into her cheeks. He wasn’t sure what had surprised her more—his touch or the fact that he thought her mouth was pretty. Pretty and far too kissable to be good for either of them.
“I appreciate your help,” he said, the words rusty and unfamiliar on his tongue. “I’m going to make sure Rhett has a stable home life, but having a teacher who understands what he’s going through will be important.”
She inclined her head to study him. After everything she’d witnessed and what she’d clearly inferred about the dysfunctional McCay family, it must seem odd for him to suddenly be speaking so formally.
“Of course.” Her brows knit together, causing a small crease to appear on her forehead. He resisted the urge to smooth it away...barely. “I should go. Melody doesn’t live far from here. She’ll be waiting.”
She moved across the small space, and he didn’t say anything until the door to the apartment had almost closed.
“Erin.”
She turned, one hand on the doorknob. “Yes?”
“I’d like to repay you for last night.” The thought of remaining in debt to her—to anyone—chafed his skin like an itch he couldn’t quite reach.
“There’s no need—”
“There is a need.” The need pounding through him to claim her. He tried to convince himself the longing would be quenched if he could do a favor to repay her for—in large part—rescuing