Read Online About the Boy by Sharon De Vita - Free Book Online

mentioned it this morning when you were at the house, it didn’t occur to me that my mother would have signed Rusty up.” She shrugged. “But I’m glad she did.” Her gaze searched the crowd for her son. She spotted him, then relaxed. “I think it will be good for Rusty.”
    “I do, too,” Lucas said, following the train of her gaze to Rusty.
    “Lucas?”
    He turned his head and met her eyes. “Yes?”
    “Tell me something,” she said, propping her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands. “I can understand why my mom signed up Rusty for this program, but why did you sign up?” She chuckled. “I mean, I’m sure you have tons more important things to do than spend your free time with a boy you don’t even know.”
    She was trying not to be touched by the fact that he’d done just that, had agreed to so freely give of himself and his time to a fatherless boy. It was an incredibly unselfish thing to do and told her a lot about the man.
    “Why not?” He shrugged, feeling a sliver of alarm at the personal bent the conversation had suddenly taken. He couldn’t ever tell her that the loss of his son—missing his boy every single day—was like a giant, empty hole inside of him that nothing, absolutely nothing, seemed to fill.
    He’d thought long and hard and very seriously before he’d even considered volunteering for the Buddy for a Boy program, then realized that perhaps, just perhaps it might do him and his aching heart some good.
    He loved children, adored them, and had always wanted a big family just like he’d grown up in. Unfortunately, his wife had refused to even consider more children as long as he was a cop.
    Now, after everything that had happened, he didn’t know if he should be relieved or grateful.
    And Rusty was such a pistol of a kid loaded with boundless optimism, curiosity and energy, Lucas was certain spending time with the boy would be just the soothing balm his ailing heart needed.
    He looked at Katie as he continued to try to explain. “As the new police chief, the mayor thinks it’s important for me to get involved in the community. And so do I. I must admit I’ve never lived in a small town before. Amos Mayfield had been a fixture as police chief for years, and I know sometimes change is hard for people to accept. I thought it was important to become as involved in the community as possible so that folks get to know me, and accept me which is why I’ve volunteered for several of the town’s programs, not just the Buddy program.” He glanced around the pizza parlor, returning the wave of Artie Roberts, the mechanic at the town’s garage. He really was beginning to like the small town feel of Cooper’s Cove, getting to know everyone, knowing everyone knew him. It was quite a change from the big city of Chicago where he was lucky if he knew his next door neighbor.
    “Sounds reasonable,” Katie admitted with a smile. “So I take it you don’t have any children of your own?”
    “No.” The answer was clipped and flat, making Katie’s eyes widen. Uh-oh. She’d stepped into something—what, she wasn’t sure, but his voice and face had changed and she could feel the chill all the way across the booth.
    Clearly, she’d crossed into the realm of his personal life and apparently Lucas wasn’t keen on talking to her about his personal life. Was it because she was a woman? she wondered. Or because she was a reporter?
    At the moment, she wasn’t certain. But one thing she did know was that it was rare for a man to have such an innate ability with children when he didn’t have any of his own. Her curiosity as a mother and a reporter were aroused.
    “Well, I think it’s wonderful of you to donate your time to kids who wouldn’t otherwise have an opportunity to do things with an adult male.”
    “It can’t be easy being a single parent,” he said softly, and Katie smiled.
    “I don’t think it’s ever easy being a parent,” she admitted. “Single or otherwise.