The Rescue - Nicholas Sparks [57]
After four and a half years Kyle had finally made a friend.
She heard a thud and felt the truck tilt slightly as Taylor climbed into the bed. She composed herself before opening her door and jumping down.
Taylor lowered the bikes to the ground, then hopped out of the bed in one easy, fluid movement. Still feeling less than steady, Denise glanced toward Kyle and saw him standing by the front door. With the sun peeking over the trees behind him, Taylor’s face seemed hidden by shadows.
“Thanks for driving us home,” she said.
“I was glad to do it,” he replied quietly.
Standing close to him, she couldn’t escape the images of Taylor playing catch with her son or letting Kyle steer the truck, and she knew then that she wanted to know more about Taylor McAden. She wanted to spend more time with him, she wanted to get to know the person who’d been so kind to her child. Most of all, she wanted him to feel the same way.
She could feel herself beginning to blush as she brought her hand to her forehead, shading the sun from her eyes.
“I’ve still got a little time before I’ve got to start getting ready for work,” she said, following her instincts. “Would you like to come in for a glass of tea?”
Taylor pushed his hat up higher on his head. “That sounds good, if it’s okay.”
They rolled the bikes around to the back of the house, leaving them on the porch, then walked inside, pushing through a door whose paint had cracked and peeled over the years. The house wasn’t much cooler, and Denise left the back door open to help circulate the air. Kyle followed them inside.
“Let me get your tea,” she said, trying to hide the sudden nervousness in her voice.
From the refrigerator she pulled out the jar of tea, then added a few ice cubes to glasses she retrieved from the cupboard. She passed Taylor the glass, leaving her own on the counter, conscious of how close she was to him. She turned to Kyle, hoping that Taylor wouldn’t guess what she was feeling.
“Do you want something to drink?”
Kyle nodded. “He wants some water.” (Eee wonse sum wonner)
Thankful for the interruption of her thoughts, she got that as well and handed it to him.
“You ready for a tub? You’re all sweaty.”
“Yes,” he said. He took a drink from his small plastic cup, spilling part of it down his shirt.
“Can you give me a minute to get his tub ready?” she asked, glancing at Taylor.
“Sure, take your time.”
Denise led Kyle from the kitchen, and a few moments later, beneath the distant murmur of her voice, Taylor heard the water start up. Leaning against the counter, he took in the kitchen with a contractor’s eye. The house, he knew, had been vacant for at least a couple of years before Denise had moved in, and despite her best efforts the kitchen still showed signs of neglect. The floor was warped slightly, and the linoleum had turned yellow with age. Three of the cupboard doors were hanging crooked, and the sink had a slow drip that over the years had left rust marks on the porcelain. The refrigerator, no doubt, had come with the house—it reminded him of the one he’d had as a kid. He hadn’t seen one like it in years.
Still, it was obvious that Denise had done her best to make it as presentable as possible. It was clean and well kept, that much was clear. Every dish was put away, the countertops had been wiped down, a ragged washcloth was folded neatly in the sink. Over by the phone was a stack of mail that looked as if it had already been sorted through.
By the back door he saw a small wooden table with a series of textbooks arranged across the top, held in place by two small flowerpots, each housing a small geranium. Curious, he walked over and scanned the titles. Every one of them had to do with child development. On the shelf below was a thick blue binder, labeled with Kyle’s name.
The water shut off and Denise returned to the kitchen, conscious of how long it had been since she’d been alone with a man. It was a strange feeling for her, one that