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

But yeah, being a single mom does present some additional problems.” She met his intense gaze, then had to wipe her damp hands down her jeans, wishing her heart wasn’t beating so fast. “Sometimes it’s hard being the one who always has to make and enforce the rules,” she admitted with a sigh. “And sometimes it would be nice to just have someone else, another adult to bounce things off of, and sometimes it would be nice to just have twenty-four hours off.” Her gaze found her son again and she was flooded with love. “But no matter how rough it gets, how tired I get, or how much I hate being the bad guy, Rusty makes it all worth it. He’s an incredible kid and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
    “Yeah, he is an incredible kid, Katie,” Lucas agreed softly, touched by the depth of her feelings for her child and the way she seemingly juggled all the responsibilities she had to make sure she gave everyone their due. Absently, he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. He’d been itching to touch her from the moment she’d opened the door to him tonight. “And you’re doing a fabulous job with him.”
    She chuckled, but didn’t remove her hand. His touch was warm, and comforting, and just for a moment she was going to allow herself to enjoy it. Maybe it was just because she was so tired, and her defenses were down. It had been an incredibly hectic day, exciting but hectic, and she was exhausted. “Thanks. That’s always nice to hear.”
    “Well, well, well, what have we here?” Patience Pettibone stood next to their booth, a wide grin of mischief on her ruby lips.
    Katie glanced up with a weak smile and almost groaned. She had to admit, she adored Patience—even if she was Cooper’s Cove’s version of the town crier.
    Sweet, giggly, and totally immune to what others thought about her, Patience had more natural confidence than any woman Katie had ever met. Her complexion was the color of cloves and her eyes were a deeper, dancing brown. Her silver Brillo pad of hair was buzz cut to better decorate the top of her head, with temporary hair dye reflecting whatever holiday was in season.
    “Patience,” Katie said, managing at the last minute not to groan the woman’s name when she realized Lucas was still covering her hand with his. And Patience was all but hovering over their booth, taking everything in. “Nice to see you. You know Lucas Porter, the new police chief, don’t you?”
    “My, my, my, I surely do,” Patience said, giving her colorful hair a pat. “I’m not so old, sugar, that I’d let such a fine, handsome specimen of a man get by me.” She batted her fake eyelashes at Lucas. “Evening, chief. Now tell me, what brings you and Katie together this fine fall evening?”
    “Business,” Katie gasped out before Lucas could open his mouth. “Strictly business,” Katie assured the woman with a weak smile. She was such a terrible liar. Patience was going to call her on it any minute, she was sure of it. And then tell her mother she’d caught Katie lying.
    Good Lord, that was the last thing she wanted, second only to Patience gossiping about her and Lucas, and telling the whole town they were holding hands at the pizza parlor.
    Patience’s brows moved up and down like nervous little worms. “Business, huh?”
    She chuckled loudly, causing almost everyone in the pizza parlor to turn in their direction. Katie wanted to crawl under the table.
    “What kind of business requires hand-holding?” Patience winked at Lucas as her gaze zeroed in on their linked hands. “Monkey business, I think. Yes, siree, monkey business.” She chuckled. “Looks like we got ourselves a budding romance here.”
    “No, actually, Patience,” Lucas said calmly, “this really is business,” he said. “Yes, see, I’m Katie’s son’s buddy.” He smiled. “You know, the Buddy for a Boy program the town council recently started?”
    “Yeah,” Patience replied, cocking her head a bit.