Child on His Doorstep

by Lee Tobin McClain

  “She’s in my care. Who are you and why do you think barreling at us is any way to handle a situation like this?”

  His chest puffed like a rooster about to peck. He wouldn’t lay a hand on her, would he? Charlie wasn’t versed in combat—she and her brother, Finn, had never fought physically over anything—but if it came down to it, she wouldn’t let anyone get to Honor Sloan Delaney. Not on her watch.

  Her right hand closed in a just-in-case fist. “You need to back off.” Charlie hadn’t gotten to be a female mechanic in a world full of boys by bowing to whatever hardship or roadblock had risen in her way. “I don’t know who you are, despite what you say, and so, no, you’re not going to get anywhere near Honor right now. You need to calm down.” She kept her voice low and cool though her gut was bubbling with white-hot anger.

  “I don’t know who you are, and I don’t care what you think. Get out of my way. I want to see my niece.” His demand clipped out, and the fury radiating from him shot panic across Charlie’s tense nerves.

  “Is that a threat?” She scanned for backup—for anyone who could step in. If this man wanted Honor, he could snatch her up and run and Charlie would never be able to overpower him—no matter how much she desired to do exactly that. “If you have any actual claim to being a relative of Honor’s, then spouting your mouth off right now isn’t going to help anything. You need to call Angela Turner. She’s in charge of Honor’s case. If you have a beef with the decisions she’s made thus far, then you need to contact her.”

  Honor had gotten down from the swing and now peeked around Charlie’s legs, one sweet arm wrapped around her knees as if she was her protector.

  I’m trying to be, Honor. I promise I’m doing my best.

  “Uncle Ryker?” Honor’s sweet, innocent and rarely used voice broke the tension.

  Two words, all for this man? So, his claims were true...or somewhere close to true. Maybe he was a friend of Honor’s mom that she called an uncle. Charlie didn’t know the details. And nothing made his behavior just now acceptable.

  She fisted her hands to stem their shaking, clenching her teeth to prevent chattering. Adrenaline had taken over her body.

  The man—Ryker—dropped to his knees. “Hi, Honor. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here after your mama—” His voice cracked and quit working.

  Honor took a step toward him, and he tugged her into a hug that the girl didn’t fight.

  He could take off with her. I have to stop this from continuing. The man might be an uncle of sorts, but if Honor wasn’t already in his care, that meant Angela or the system or someone hadn’t deemed him a safe place for the girl.

  “Let her go. Please. I have no idea who you are—”

  “You just heard it straight from her mouth.” His icy-hot stare met hers over Honor’s shoulder.

  He stood but kept hold of Honor’s hand.

  “Do you need some help over there?” A man walking his dog paused on the sidewalk flanking the park.

  “Yes,” Charlie called out. “Can you keep an eye on him while I make a phone call? Make sure he doesn’t leave with her. Thank you.”

  The dog walker nodded, letting his golden Labrador sniff the grass.

  Ryker released a guttural growl. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Let’s hope that’s true.” Charlie had no idea what the man was capable of and if part of the reason Honor was in protective services was because he wasn’t fit to be her caregiver. She dialed Angela. No answer. She sent a panicked text, detailing what was happening. Still no answer.

  When Ryker took a step back while still grasping Honor’s hand, visions of him disappearing with the girl roared to life.

  Charlie began dialing the police, but her phone rang before she could hit Send.

  “Angela. I’m so glad you called me back. There’s a man here who says he’s Honor’s uncle.”

  “I am!” She rolled her eyes at his outburst.

  “We’re at the park, and I’m freaking out that he’s going to take off with Honor.”

  “I said I wouldn’t do that.” Another eruption, and yet his grip on his supposed niece didn’t loosen. Honor’s chin wobbled, and her eyes turned glossy. How many messy problems did she have to handle in a matter of days?

  “Okay.” Why did Angela sound so calm? “Can you let me talk to him?”

  “Yes. Hang on.” Charlie handed over her phone, not sure she’d ever see it again. But she’d much rather sacrifice it than the girl.

  The uncle launched into an explanation about how Honor’s mother was his half sister. How he lived in Texas and had driven straight to Colorado to get Honor when he heard the news. How he was family and should be the one taking care of Honor. He even lobbed his anger toward Angela, telling her it was her fault for not locating him right away.

  Based on the way he cringed after that, Charlie would guess Angela didn’t take well to that accusation.

  Next came a bunch of ah-huhs and okays. The dog walker who’d come to her rescue continued on his way with a wave as Ryker quieted and calmed.

  “Here.” He shoved the phone back at her. “She says we’re supposed to meet her at her office right now.”

  He knelt in front of Honor again. “You ride with—” He glanced up.

  “Charlie,” she filled in. Not that it was a proper introduction by any means.

  “You ride with Charlie, and I’ll meet you over there.”

  Honor nodded solemnly, and Charlie’s chest broke open. Obviously, the man had some influence in her life. She seemed to know him. Perhaps Charlie’s first fostering experience would be over as quickly as it had started. She’d read plenty about the system wanting kids to be with family if at all possible. But while this Ryker might have shared blood running through his veins, that didn’t mean he was the right home for Honor.

  Charlie was consistent and calm and safe...and this Ryker guy had just shown himself to be anything but.

  * * *

  His niece had better not suffer because of his stupid actions.

  Ryker Hayes found a parking spot near the caseworker’s office and inhaled deeply before dumping his tired, haggard body out of the cab of his truck.

  Once he’d heard about Kaia being charged with neglect and Honor being taken from her, he’d driven all night from Texas, only stopping once to grab an hour of sleep. Why hadn’t his sister called him when she’d first started having trouble? Why hadn’t she let him know she needed help?

  According to her neighbor, who had found a way to contact him after Honor had been removed from Kaia’s care, his sister had gone off the deep end in the last few months. Sounded like she’d had a bad breakup and had plummeted downhill after. She’d started getting high on repeat, and Honor had suffered because of her stupid actions.

  Ryker knew all too well about terrible relationships from watching his mother flip through them. And he knew all too well how they’d affected him as a kid.

  Phone calls and texts with his sister had faded to nonexistent since spring, and he hadn’t investigated why. He should have hopped in his truck months ago and driven up here to figure out what was going on. If he had, maybe Honor would be with him right now instead of a stranger.

  Still, Ryker could admit he’d handled the situation at the park terribly. With the lack of sleep and his panic over the whereabouts and safety of his niece, to roll into town and see her at the park, right in front of him...he’d lost his mind. At first he’d thought he was hallucinating or imagining the little girl on the swing was Honor. But once he’d pulled into the lot, he’d known.

  And now he had the sinking impression he was about to pay for blowing his temper.

  Inside the quiet, air-conditioned office, he found a woman—must be the caseworker—sitting across from the redhead behind a massive oak desk.

  “Where’s Honor?”

  “She�
�s in the playroom, putting together a puzzle. I didn’t want her in here for this discussion.” The social worker wore blue glasses and a crisp white button-up shirt. Ryker suddenly felt very in need of a shower. He must look wrecked after driving all night. No wonder the redhead had reacted to him like he was a monster.

  “Sit. Please.” She motioned to the open chair.

  Ryker obeyed. The woman next to him smelled like a strange mix of motor oil and lemons. He shook his head. That couldn’t be right. What was her name again? Claire? Kate? No. That wasn’t it. He might not be able to remember her name, but he’d never forget the fear that had burned into him from her evergreen eyes during their encounter at the park.

  The fact that he’d frightened her ate at Ryker’s core. He wasn’t like the men his mom had brought home. He didn’t lose it like them. Only he’d just gotten way too close to their behavior for his own comfort.

  “Charlie told me a little about what happened at the park.” Angela’s head tilted to the right, eyes morphing to concerned slits. “I’d like to hear your version.”

  Charlie. That was her name. It fit. Ryker resisted glancing her way. He could only imagine the earful she’d given Angela at her arrival. The fact that she’d beaten him here by any amount of time did not bode well for him.

  “I live in Texas, and when I heard what had happened with Honor, I drove straight here. I didn’t know anything about her whereabouts or if she was okay. I drove all night without sleeping, so when I rolled into town, I can admit, I was a mess. And there I am, driving down Main and I see a little girl who looks like Honor. When I realized it was her... I didn’t handle the situation well. I wasn’t going to take her or do anything. I just...had to see her, to make sure she was okay.”

  The arms next to him stayed crossed, but Angela, at least, listened intently.

  “Can I have Honor? Can I take care of her while Kaia is—” Ryker shook his head. “Getting her life back together.” If that was even a possibility. He didn’t know how far gone his sister was. Kaia was always getting into scrapes. Ryker could have easily headed down the same path, but he’d been rescued by a brown-eyed beauty. Kaia had not. When she’d reached high school, their mom had sent her to Colorado to live with her father. She’d ended up in Westbend because of a boyfriend—Honor’s dad—and had stayed after he’d taken off.

  His sweet little niece didn’t deserve any of the mess she’d been born into. Ryker had met Honor a few times when he’d visited his sister, and they’d video called, too. She obviously knew him and remembered him if she’d come right to him at the park. That had to count for something, didn’t it?

  “I’m sure you can understand that your behavior just now has greatly damaged your chances in that regard.” Angela’s brow furrowed. “We do focus on reuniting children with their families, but you have quite a bit to prove.”

  “I will. I can. I promise, I’m not normally a hothead.”

  A snort sounded from next to him. Charlie sat up in her chair when he glanced her way, as if she hadn’t realized she’d made the noise out loud.

  Ryker continued. “I’ll do whatever it takes to prove that I’m capable and dependable for Honor. And I’m sorry for my behavior at the park.” The apology should be directed at Charlie, but Ryker didn’t dare glance in her direction again. She might throw that punch she’d been fisting and considering earlier during their run-in.

  Angela’s sigh wasn’t promising. “You said you live in Texas? What do you do there?”

  “I work at a ranch. The Circle M in Fredericksburg.”

  Angela scribbled a note in what must be Honor’s file. “You live by yourself?”

  He cringed. “No... I live in a house with a few other guys.” There’d been no reason to have his own place before now. Especially since the job was simply that. He wanted to do more. Work with horses, definitely. Maybe even teens. He’d ignored that tug over the years, telling himself to simply be grateful to have a consistent paycheck and a good employer, but it had never fully erased itself. Horses had made such an impact on him, it only made sense that he’d want to work with them on a regular basis, not just in the capacity he did as a ranch hand.

  Angela shifted her glasses to peer over the top. “That doesn’t sound like an ideal situation. Honor needs to have her own bedroom and space. And no other adult roommates who aren’t approved.”

  “Should I go check on Honor?” Charlie asked. “You probably don’t need me here for this discussion.”

  The woman thought her keeping Honor was in the bag...and she was probably right.

  Angela held up a finger. “Hang on, Charlie. I think I’m going to need you.”

  Great. What did that mean? Ryker’s chance to care for Honor was slipping through his fingers faster than a tornado over flat land.

  “I can move to Colorado. I’ll find a job and a place with a bedroom for her. She’s my niece. I’ll do anything for her.”

  Angela made more notes on her paperwork. He waited, that whole pins-and-needles description tormenting him. Ryker couldn’t let his niece go to someone else. This Charlie might be great...or she might be horrible. He didn’t know anything about her. And she wasn’t his concern. Honor was.

  “Based on your behavior earlier, and now the fact that you can’t provide what Honor needs in terms of a place to live, I can’t allow your request to care for her.”

  His chest opened in a gaping wound. He’d appeal. He’d get a lawyer. Find another way. Ryker wasn’t going to just give up on Honor. She needed someone consistent. She needed family. He was both of those things.

  “But,” Angela continued, and both he and Charlie leaned forward in their chairs. “I am going to grant you visitation rights with her while you figure out how to prove that, one, you’re not the guy who just stomped across a playground and had strangers stopping to see if Charlie or Honor needed protection, two, you can provide the type of home she needs, and three, you can complete the paperwork and courses required.”

  The panic stitched back up, slowly, carefully. Hope tasted extra sweet right about now. “Thank you. I promise that I’ll prove I can take care of her. That I’m the right home for her.”

  Ryker was probably offending the woman next to him on repeat. But then again, if she’d agreed to foster Honor—who wasn’t up for adoption—wouldn’t she have known the situation wasn’t permanent?

  “This is where you come in, Charlie.” Angela turned to her. “Usually we’d have a visitation supervisor for a situation like this—and often a house where the visitations could happen—but we’re short staffed and spread through three towns in this county. We’re not set up for anything like that in Westbend. If we wait, it will take longer to make a visit happen, and I do think if Mr. Hayes has an established relationship with Honor like he claims, then any time spent with him would be beneficial for her. I’m wondering if you’d be willing to supervise the visits. You all can come here and use our playroom. You can go to the park or get ice cream. He can come to your apartment. Whatever you feel comfortable with.”

  Charlie’s forest green eyes widened with each bit of information from Angela. “I don’t know that I feel comfortable with any of that. I don’t know him.” She swallowed, not glancing in his direction. “And my first encounter wasn’t pleasant.”

  Ryker beat back a groan. He’d probably resembled a gorilla tearing over to Honor like he had. He hadn’t even noticed Charlie until she’d stepped in front of him and interrupted his path.

  “It’s okay if you make that choice. Mr. Hayes can wait. He’s the one who chose to act as he did.”

  Ryker’s world crumbled. He’d been an idiot. He wasn’t that man. He’d just...lost it. Lost his mind, really. He was good for Honor, he knew that. And at least she’d be with family if she were with him. He was a good uncle. He just needed the chance to show them that. But if Charlie didn’t give him the opportunity—and why shou
ld she?—he’d be stuck.

  “Please.” His voice cracked on the request. He twisted to face Charlie. “I understand how awful the situation at the park was, but I promise I’m not that person. If you had a niece and you didn’t know where she was or if she was okay and then saw her out of the blue like I did...doesn’t that make any sense? I’m not making excuses. I’ll atone for my behavior. Just...please give me a chance to do that.”

  It took her one thousand years to answer. Her exhale was long, her head shaking, her lids shuttered. “Fine.” It came out bitter, but it was the best word he’d ever encountered.

  He could work with fine. And he’d find a way to prove who he really was and that he could provide the kind of home Honor needed.

  His niece deserved that. Actually, she deserved a loving mom and dad who made good choices and didn’t neglect her needs—emotional or physical. But since that option wasn’t on the table, Ryker would do his absolute best to provide for her.

  Right after he was given permission to do exactly that.

  Copyright © 2020 by Jill Buteyn

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  ISBN-13: 9781488060328

  Child on His Doorstep

  Copyright © 2020 by Lee Tobin McClain

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.