Page 52 of Halo

“Hey.” A sweet, lazy grin spreads across her face.

“Thank you for …” I nervously chuckle, my cheeks heating. I don't know where to even start. “Just everything.”

“We had a good day.” She pats Grady's back, and he promptly warms to her touch, nodding eagerly. “Do you want to show Nick what you got at the gift shop?”

“The gift shop?” I raise an eyebrow.

Grady lights up. After setting him down, he runs over and grabs the dinosaur book they were reading—or rather singing—together. “It's called Look! There's a Dinosaur!”

I flip through the pages, enamored by it, quickly seeing the fifteen-dollar price tag on the bag. “This is neat, partner! Why don't you pack up your bag while I talk with Ms. Harrison.”

He nods, and dutifully follows my direction.

Leah smiles watching him. “That book actually has several perfect sight words for beginning readers, so I thought—”

“You didn't have to do this.”

“Do what?” She shrugs, feigning innocence. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Leah …” I murmur.

Our smiles linger for a few moments … only to be interrupted by Grady's hand slipping into mine.

I smile down at him. “Did you get all your things?’

Grady nods, pulling me toward the door. “Bye, Ms. Harrison!” he chirps.

“See you tomorrow, buddy.”

I tip my chin. “Thanks again.”

“You bet.” She waves, watching as we leave.

Before we make it to the hallway, something else catches my eyes, something out of place for a classroom.

A crystal vase with an arrangement of at least two dozen red roses sits on her desk. Each bloom is flawless, artfully splayed with fresh eucalyptus and rich greenery.

My stomach sinks.

Who the fuck sent her those?

Chapter 14

Nick

Why does my house suddenly feel like a medieval torture chamber? Grady has been here all of two minutes, and somehow, the hardwood floors seem—well, very, very hard. The marble countertops are pointy and sharp and sit perfectly at his eye-level. My houseplants … are they toxic? Have I always had this many knives? What actually stops electricity from pulsing through power outlets? How the hell am I still alive?

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge, giving the appliance a cautious shove to ensure its stability. I hand it to Grady before sitting him down in the living room, placing a few throw pillows on the ground. Just in case.

Unable to reach Tiffany all day, I made the decision—the easiest decision—to bring Grady home with me. Over the past month, I've worked hard to earn her trust and Grady's trust. She could get mad at me, but she has to know by now that I'd never do anything that wasn't in our son's best interest.

“Nick, this tastes funny.”

“What does? The water?”

He nods, holding up the bottle. “It tastes like—like pennies.”

“Pennies? Now how do you know what pennies taste like?” I joke, taking the bottle from him.