“Do you have any other family that can come help you?”
She shook her head again. “It’s just us, like I told Ginger. But we’re fine. You’ve done way more than enough. I just need to figure out how to tell them about River.”
“I’ll help you with that if you’d like.”
His kindness brought more tears. She blinked them away. “It’s okay. I can do it.”
His face tensed, like he wanted to push but wasn’t going to. “When you’re ready, arrangements need to be made for River.”
“I know.” She felt like she was going to cry again and tried to swallow past the lump that lodged in her throat. “I did it for my father.”
His brows knitted. “I’m sorry to hear that.” He pulled a cell phone and a business card from his pocket and handed them to her. “You can’t be without a phone. This one should do for now. I put my number in it in case you need anything, and that’s my buddy Lenny Covington’s card. We call him Saint. He’s a fellow Dark Knight, and he owns the best funeral home around. I’ve already spoken to him. All you need to do is make a phone call and he’ll take care of everything. If you’re not up to it, tell me what you’d like and I’ll handle it. If you need anything, at any time, call or text me.”
“Tank…” She looked at the phone and the card. She’d forgotten about her phone, and she’d been dreading the thought of finding a funeral home and having to go in and explain her loss to strangers. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. Just know that you don’t have to shoulder this alone.”
There was a knock at the window, and they both looked over. The girls had their faces pressed against the glass. Rosie was smiling. Junie wasn’t. Rosie waved. Tank lifted his chin in their direction. Rosie kissed the glass, earning an extraordinarily rare grin from Tank, revealing his dimples.
“Is Junie always this serious, or does she understand what happened last night?”
I think she senses things the way I do was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t need for him to think she was crazy on top of everything else. “She’s a thinker. Thank you for taking care of them. I didn’t mean to fall asleep this morning.”
“You needed it, and you’re going to need more. I’m not going anywhere, Leah, and this isn’t the time to prove you deserve an award for being a strong mom. Your girls are a reflection of how incredible of a mother you are.”
She tucked his praise deep inside her. “I couldn’t have raised them without River.” Her eyes dampened again. “Please tell your mom and your family that I appreciate their support. I’d better get back inside.”
“My mother is stopping by tonight with dinner. Is there anything you or the girls are allergic to?”
“No, but she doesn’t have to do that.”
“The minute you started working at our family restaurant, you became one of us. I think whatever drives this world knew that you’d need the strength of family, and that’s why you found us. She’ll bring dinner, so if you and the girls have favorite foods, let me know.” He nodded in the direction of the girls watching them through the window. “Being with them will help. They sure brightened my day, and I appreciate that.”
He took a step away, then turned back. “I don’t claim to know shit about kids, but if you believe in heaven and all that, you might try telling them that River had a really special job to do up there with their grandfather. Maybe think of something he did with them that was meaningful and wrap that into the explanation.” He shrugged. “It might bring them comfort.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. God, this is so hard.
“It’s okay if they see you cry.” The muscles in his jaw bunched. “Parents are allowed to be sad, and it might even help them deal with their own grief.”
“You don’t give yourself enough credit,” she said as tears slid down her cheeks. “I think you know a lot about kids. Thank you.”
With a nod, he headed to his truck, and Leah went inside.
“Mama!” Rosie waved her over to the window. “He watchin’ us.”
Tank was standing with his back against the truck, hands in his pockets, as if he intended to stay right there. Rosie waved, and Tank lifted his chin in what Leah now knew was his standard greeting.
She had no experience with a guy like Tank or a family like the Wickeds, and she didn’t know how she should feel about the big biker parked outside her cottage. But she didn’t feel quite as alone with him standing there, which might make telling the girls about River a little easier. She sat on the couch, her gaze drifting to River’s guitar, and Tank’s advice seemed like a nice way to say what needed to be said.
“Hey, Posey, Juju.” She patted the cushions beside her. When the girls sat down, she put her arms around them and said, “I need to tell you something.”
Chapter Four
LEAH SAT ON the floor organizing the girls’ toys. She’d stayed as busy as she could to keep from crawling into bed and hiding there. The cottage had never been so clean. She dusted, vacuumed, scrubbed, and even forced herself to call the funeral home. That had been difficult, but she’d gotten through it thanks to Tank paving the way for her. She was supposed to pick out an outfit for River to wear and take it to them, but she couldn’t bring herself to go up to his bedroom. She glanced at his guitar on the floor by the couch, unable to put it away. I wouldn’t want you to forget me while I’m out. She vowed to remember every little thing about River, and to make sure the girls did, too.
She listened to them gabbing animatedly as they played, as if she hadn’t told them River was gone just eight hours earlier. Junie wasn’t quite herself, which Leah had expected, but other than Rosie asking Wiver with Gwampa? about once an hour, they were in pretty good shape. She was grateful for that, but it also made her a little sad, because the three of them were the only people who would remember him. It also made her even more determined to keep River’s spirit alive.
The sound of car doors closing sent the girls scrambling to the window. Tank had been out there all day. Leah had tried to convince him to leave, but she was secretly, guiltily thankful that he’d insisted on staying. It helped to know he was there. When she felt like crying, she looked out at him, and it gave her strength. The girls had invited him in to eat lunch with them, but he’d said he preferred to eat outside and invited the girls to eat with him on the porch. She knew he was giving her the space she’d asked for, and she appreciated that as much as she appreciated him letting the girls eat with him. She’d taken advantage of that time and locked herself in the bathroom for a good cry.
“Who dat?” Rosie asked.
Leah went to the window and saw Ginger and Conroy talking with Tank. “That’s Miss Ginger and Mr. Conroy, Tank’s mom and dad. They’re the nice people I work for.”
“I say hi!” Rosie ran out the front door.
“Wosie!” Junie ran after her.
Leah followed them out, and her heart stumbled. The girls ran to Tank, each wrapping their arms around one of his legs, as if he were a security blanket. His giant hands palmed their heads. Rosie chatted animatedly, and Conroy crouched in front of her, his happy expression exposing his dimples. He tickled Junie’s belly, saying something that brought that new twitchy almost smile to her face.