“Dakota told me your funding was cut. I’m sorry about that.”
He shrugged. His years in that ministry had been good, blessed. But there wasn’t a place he would rather be right now than where he was standing. “Was time to move on, I guess.”
She spun her keys around one finger. “Where are you staying?”
“Reece has given Justus and I a room at a discount out at Serenity Shores Bed and Breakfast, for now. But we’re looking for a place to rent.”
“I see. Well, I can tell you I’m very pleased that you’ll be Rem’s soccer coach.”
She tilted her head and smiled fondly at him, but it was a smile that suddenly had him second-guessing his plan to make his feelings known to her, because the gesture was sisterly. Cordial. Platonic.
She tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear. “I’d better get going. It’s nice to see you again, Jalen.” She looked past him. “Rem, Mom asked me to pick you up. Let’s go, please.”
“Just a sec!” Remington called back, continuing to dribble the ball toward the soccer goal at the far end of the field.
Riley opened her mouth to call him again, but her phone rang and she paused to dig it out of her purse. She glanced at the caller ID, a small frown forming on her brow.
He should go and leave her to her call in private, but after seeing her for the first time in two years, he found he wasn’t quite ready to deprive himself again so soon. Especially since this might be the most interaction he’d ever get with her.
She pressed the green dot on her screen. “Hi, Kylen. What’s up?” Her frown increased as she listened. “I’m at the school picking up Rem from soccer practice. Why?” Her hand went to her forehead. “She what?” Her eyes dropped closed. “Was anyone hurt?” A breath left her in a long slow exhale. “Well, thank God for that. I’ll get Rem and…we’ll be down in a few minutes, I guess.” She blinked hard. Then blinked again. “No, don’t be sorry. This is not your fault. We’ll be there as soon as we can.” She hung up and stood staring at her phone for a long moment as though she wished she could go back a few minutes in time and not answer it.
He shouldn’t intrude, but he went against his better judgment and asked, “Everything alright?”
She looked up as though coming back from someplace far away. “Uh…no, but thanks for asking.” Her lips stretched but it didn’t look like much of a smile.
He reached out and squeezed her shoulder before he thought better of it. Then snatched his hand away. He tipped his head toward the boy still practicing shots into the net. “I’ll get him for you.” Turning he jogged toward Remington wondering what news Kylen would have been calling her about. Jalen knew her father had left the family to move in with his secretary in another city a couple years ago and her mother hadn’t been doing well even before that. Lord, whatever it is, give her the strength to make it through. Let me help her through it, if I can.
Song of the Surf (Pacific Shores Book 3) Page 17