A Daddy for Jacoby. Christyne Butler

pocket just as Jacoby and the dog came back in the room.

      “What ya doing?” Jacoby asked.

      “Nothing.”

      Justin’s one-word answer matched hers.

      “Don’t look like nothing.”

      Jacoby moved to stand in front of her, the dog still at his side. He planted his little feet and crossed his arms over his chest, his bear caught in between. Gina’s heart softened as she looked down at her pint-size protector.

      She raised her gaze to Justin, praying he understood. The blank look on his face told her he didn’t.

      “Jacoby, I didn’t hear any water running while you were in the bathroom,” she asked. “Did you forget to wash your hands?”

      He looked at her over his shoulder. “Huh?”

      “It’s important to wash your hands every time you go to the bathroom.”

      “It is?”

      Gina nodded. “Why don’t you go—Or better yet, how about a bath before you head to bed?”

      Jacoby shook his head. “He doesn’t have a bathtub.”

      She looked back at Justin. “You don’t?”

      “It’s a stand-up shower.”

      “But it does have two places where the water comes out,” Jacoby added. “And one is just my size.”

      “I put in a regular shower head and a handheld,” Justin leveled one hand at his waist. “You know, at hip level?”

      She locked down the image of Justin standing naked in his shower, water hitting his skin from both angles, before it even had a chance to spring to life.

      Gina turned her attention back to the boy. “Ah, okay. A shower, then?”

      “I guess so, if I hafta.”

      “Yes, you have to,” Justin said, reaching for the battered pillowcase near the chair. “You got clean clothes in here?”

      Jacoby got to it first and grabbed the bag, holding it close to his chest. “I got pajamas.”

      Justin backed away, hands held high in surrender. He looked at her and she nodded for him to continue, hoping he saw it as encouragement.

      “Why don’t you head into the bathroom and get undressed and I’ll get the water set for you?”

      “Okay.” Jacoby headed back toward the doorway.

      Jack started for the boy, but Gina grabbed his collar. “You stay here. I think that room is going to be crowded enough.”

      “You gonna be here when I’m done?” Jacoby turned back to ask.

      She didn’t dare look at Justin or her watch. “If you’d like me to be.”

      The boy nodded vigorously.

      “Then I’ll—” she patted Jack’s head “—we’ll be here.”

      Jacoby headed for the bathroom again.

      Justin followed, then stopped and faced her. “What was all that? Him standing between us?”

      Gina moved closer and looked around Justin to make sure the boy wasn’t listening. “I think he was protecting me. Maybe something he’s done in the past? For his mom?”

      Justin nodded, but remained silent for a long moment. “You don’t have to stay.”

      “I told him I would.”

      A sharp pain pierced her chest when Justin didn’t reply but walked away. She ignored it, refusing to decide if it was a result of Justin’s or Jacoby’s actions. She turned away, heard a door open, then close, and a few minutes later the rush of running water.

      A low whimper from Jack had her reaching out to scratch his head. “Don’t worry, pal. We’ll stick around, at least for a little while.”

      She looked around the room. Not the best layout for a little boy who obviously needed a good night’s sleep. Hanging her jean jacket carefully on a hook by the door, she pushed up her sleeves and went to work.

      Any bedrooms the cabin had must be down the same hallway that led to the bathroom, but she figured they had to be uninhabitable if Justin was sleeping out here. It took only a few minutes for her to shake out the sleeping bags, thick quilts and pillows on the floor and with the stuff she’d brought, make up twin sleeping pallets in front of the fire.

      She moved the power tools to the far wall and stacked leftover pieces of cut wood into an empty box. A broom she found helped clean up the scarred wood floors. The night-light was plugged in and the kitchen lights and floor lamp turned off. Jack circled three times before curling up at the end of one of the pallets, putting his head on his paws.

      “Don’t get too comfortable,” she huffed, pointing a finger at the mutt. “I need to get you back to your mama soon.”

      He just closed his eyes and started snoring.

      “What have you done?”

      She whirled around. Justin stood behind her, his T-shirt, jeans and hair all varying levels of wet. “What happened to you?”

      “Jacoby kept opening the shower curtain. I think he was afraid I was going to go through his pillowcase.” He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it off his face, except for one piece that fell back onto his forehead. “You haven’t answered my question. What happened out here?”

      She clenched her hands together, determined not to fix that wayward lock. “I just—He’s exhausted. You must be, as well. I figured if things were ready when you two got back out here it would be easier for him to fall asleep.”

      “I can handle laying out a few blankets.”

      “I’m not saying you can’t. I was only trying—Hey, Jacoby.”

      Face pink and shiny clean from the hot shower, the little boy’s features clearly showed his exhaustion as he walked into the room, dragging his pillowcase behind him.

      “Why don’t you crawl between the blankets over here with Jack?” she said, ignoring Justin’s pointed look. “Would you like to read a book before you go to sleep?”

      The boy stilled for a moment, before he shook his head. He stumbled past Justin, tucked the pillowcase under the top corner of the sleeping bag and crawled inside, hugging his stuffed bear. Jack scooted up to stretch out next to him and Jacoby wrapped one arm across the dog’s shaggy belly.

      “I think Jack wants to spend the night.” Bending over, Gina gave the dog a quick pat. “Is that okay with you, Jacoby?”

      Jacoby nodded, but Gina noticed his half-closed eyes were trained on her hair. He reached out and traced a tiny finger along a strand of curls. “Pink. I like it.”

      Her heart squeezed in her chest. She opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of a throat clearing stopped her.

      Jacoby’s eyes widened and he looked past Gina’s shoulder. “Can he…can Jack…stay?”

      Gina straightened and turned in time to see Justin’s quick nod. He then centered his gaze on her, his eyes hooded, as well, but not from fatigue. No, she guessed he wanted her out of here and the quicker the better. “I guess it’s settled, then. I’ll call Racy to tell her about Jack.”

      “I’ll do that. He comes over all the time from their place.”

      “Well, I’ll see myself out. Bye, Jacoby.”

      The boy was already fast asleep. She headed for the front door, grabbed her jacket and wrenched open the handle, stepping outside.

      “Gina, wait, you dropped…”

      She paused and turned around. Justin stood in the open doorway, a scrap