“Can I have a puppy, too?”
“A puppy?”
Asher turned those thick-lashed blue eyes on him. “I really think I need a puppy. It can keep me company and make me feel like laughing again.”
Mrs. Smith gasped and Riley saw tears in her eyes before she looked away.
His heart clenched and he found it hard to draw in breath around the grief that filled him. He cleared his throat. “We’ll have to see. I’m not making any promises, but we’ll talk about it when you get out of the hospital. Deal?”
“Deal.”
And Riley was going to do whatever it took to make sure Asher felt like laughing again.
“Hey, you know what?” he said.
“What?”
“I met someone who has a dog. You want me to ask her to bring it up here?”
Asher’s eyes widened. “Today?”
“Probably not today, but maybe soon?”
“Yes, please, Uncle Riley. That would be double awesome!”
“Okay, then.”
“What kind of dog?” he asked.
“She’s a police dog. She helps sniff out the bad guys.”
“Wow,” Asher breathed.
“A police dog?” Mrs. Smith asked.
Riley nodded. “Yes.”
“I have a group of summer campers who are thinking about going into law enforcement. Their favorite topic has been K-9s and their work with the different areas of law enforcement.”
“Where are you doing the camp?”
“Out at the national park. We’re in the part where they have cabins and decent restroom facilities.”
“Roughing it, huh?”
She laughed. “Not too bad.”
“I wish I could go to camp,” Asher said softly.
Riley squeezed the boy’s shoulder. “Let’s aim for next summer, okay?”
Asher nodded. “Where I can go and learn about being a police officer so I can catch the bad guys?”
“Sure.”
Mrs. Smith kissed Asher’s cheek and rose. “Well, I suppose I need to say my goodbyes.” She gathered her purse and walked toward the door. “I only managed to slip away from the camp for a short time and need to get back. Asher, I’ll check back in on you soon.”
Asher waved. “Bye, Mrs. Smith. Thank you for coming to see me.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” She smiled and Asher’s lids drooped. The visit had tired him out. Riley said one more goodbye to Mrs. Smith then sat with Asher and held him until he dozed off. It didn’t take long. He slid off the bed and turned to his mother who still worked with the needle and yarn. “Another blanket?”
“Yes.” She looked up and gave him a weary smile. “It keeps me busy and helps me think. And besides, they’re selling pretty well at the little consignment store Sheila runs. She keeps asking for more.”
Sheila, his mother’s best friend, worked at a consignment store in downtown Denver. She’d encouraged his mother to let her sell some of her items and to everyone’s surprise, it had turned into a full-time job keeping up with the demand.
“Now that we’re alone, is there any change? Any updates?” His gaze went back to Asher, who was dwarfed by the large bed. The boy appeared to be sleeping comfortably.
His mother laid her knitting aside and rubbed her eyes. “No, son, you know nothing’s going to change without the surgery. The doctor said he’s strong enough for it now—he’s recovered nicely from the bullet in his shoulder and now they just need to get in and get the other one out.”
He nodded. Of course he knew that, but each day that went by, he hoped. Hoped his nephew’s spine would heal on its own, that he would sit up in the bed, whole and happy again. Riley vaguely wondered how long it took for hope to finally dry up. “I wish Dad was here.”
Tears sprang to his mother’s eyes and Riley wished he’d kept his mouth shut. His father had passed away two years ago after a short battle with brain cancer.
She swiped a stray tear. “I do, too, son. Are you any closer to catching Van?” she asked.
He rubbed his eyes. “Yes. I think so. I have a good idea where to look for him now.” He fell silent for a moment. “That was nice of Mrs. Smith to drop by.”
“Very nice. Asher looked forward to it all morning.”
Riley reached for her hand and held it, noticing the texture of her still-smooth skin, feeling the warmth of her fingers. A hand that had wiped his tears and cleaned his little boy knees and elbows, had cradled him in her arms when his prom date had stood him up. He was a man who still wanted—if not needed—his mother and her comfort. He wondered if he should be ashamed to admit that. “How are you feeling? Are you taking your medicine?”
“I am.” She had a heart condition that required daily medication. One reason she felt she couldn’t handle full custody of Asher and why Riley had agreed to be the one to take him should anything happen to his sister. He’d never thought he would be in the position he now found himself. He swallowed and stepped next to the child to run a hand over Asher’s sweet face. The boy opened his eyes.
And smiled. “You’re still here.”
Riley’s heart tripped over itself at the love and trust reflected there. He leaned closer and pressed a kiss to Asher’s forehead. “Sure I am. How are you doing, Champ?”
“I want to go outside and play.”
Riley’s throat tightened on the tears that wanted to flow on behalf of the little boy he loved so much. “Soon, Asher. I sure hope you can do that soon.”
“Me, too.”
“Maybe we can get a wheelchair and roll you outside in a little while.”
“Okay.” Asher closed his eyes again then opened them when the door opened and the doctor walked in. The boy reached for Riley’s hand and held on but there was no fear in his blue eyes. For that Riley was grateful. He’d promised Asher that everyone in the hospital was there to help him walk again and Asher believed him. For now.
The doctor started to speak and Riley fingered one of the tubes running out of the little guy’s body. Fresh fury rocked him. He drew in a deep breath. God, where are You? Where were You? Why didn’t You protect them?
Harper frowned as she waited on Riley to come back out of the room he’d entered.
They were on the pediatric floor and Harper would admit, once she realized he was heading for the hospital, she’d thought he might be meeting a woman who worked there. A girlfriend nurse or doctor. Then she wondered why that was her first thought. She finally admitted it was because she wanted to know if there was someone special in his life. She grimaced. Why did it matter? It was not like she wanted him to act on his subtle hint about going to the restaurant on a date. Not with her, anyway. Did she?
She did.
And she didn’t.
She loved her job and knew she was good at it, but deep down, in a place she would only admit to herself, she wanted more. But she was afraid she just wasn’t meant to have a family of her own. And right now wasn’t the time to think about it. Conflicted, she pushed the