Page 52 of Shadowed Witness (The Secrets of Kincaid #2)

Six months later

Eric tossed a baseball across his backyard. It plopped into Lucky’s outstretched glove and promptly rolled out. He hid a smile as the boy dove after it like he thought it would disappear. Although it had taken Lucky weeks to let his guard down, he’d finally begun emerging from his shell.

“Gotta use your hand to keep it in—like you’re putting a lid on,” Dion called from another corner of the yard. “Like this.” He mimed catching a fly ball.

“I did!” Lucky tossed the ball back to Eric. It landed several feet away and rolled toward him. He scooped it up and launched it toward Dion.

The teen had made a full recovery from the bullet he’d taken to the shoulder, though he’d have a lifelong scar to remind him of his injury.

He’d had to appear in court for his part in the drug deals, but because of his age and circumstances, along with Eric’s testimony of his assistance in bringing down the higher-ups, the judge had been lenient.

There would be a lot of community service hours in his near future, but he wouldn’t serve any time, and his record would be sealed once he turned eighteen.

In the meantime, he was finally getting the chance to be a kid for a while.

There were still occasional reminders of the trauma they’d experienced, but both brothers were flourishing under Eric’s care—with the help of the community that had rallied around them.

After the events of last fall, Eric had realized he had a lot of reevaluating to do.

He spent some serious time in prayer and felt a peace about stepping into the world of fostering.

And while he still knew he couldn’t do it alone, he’d decided to see what kind of help God would provide if he was willing to ask for it. The response had been overwhelming.

Chief McHenry had helped him reevaluate his work schedule and priorities.

Bryce and Corina, Allye, and even Mrs. Jessup had insisted on going through the background checks and training required to offer respite care.

And as soon as he expressed a renewed interest in fostering, Tracy Ann had thrown her arms around his neck in a quick hug, then immediately started connecting him with all sorts of resources he hadn’t had any idea existed.

“Knock, knock.” The backyard gate swung inward, and Allye stepped through, bags and pizza boxes in hand.

Lucky raced toward her, the game forgotten. Before Allye had a chance to set her load on Eric’s patio table, he’d thrown his arms around her legs.

Grinning, Eric joined them and relieved her of the boxes so she could return Lucky’s embrace—which she did wholeheartedly.

Then just as quickly as he’d come, the boy released her and dashed back to his position.

Allye’s eyes sparkled as she watched him wave his glove at Dion, signaling he was ready for another pitch.

“I think someone likes you.” Eric snatched a quick kiss before tugging her to a seat at the table. “How are you feeling today?”

She shrugged. “Tired, but not too bad.”

After her neighbor’s home testing kit had indicated a strong mold presence in their duplex, Allye had undergone lab testing for mold toxicity.

The results were overwhelmingly positive.

She’d moved in with her mom until she could find a safer place of her own and was currently working with a practitioner to detox her body.

Besides the direct symptoms related to her body’s reaction to the mycotoxins, there was a strong possibility the exposure had triggered other long-term issues that might or might not subside.

But she was taking everything in stride with a grace Eric admired. And while the experience hadn’t been pleasant, she was improving. And she’d kept her word to ask for help when she needed it.

Dion lobbed the ball to his brother, and Lucky finally managed to catch it.

Dion pumped his fist. “Yeah, man!”

Lucky turned to see if they were watching. Eric gave him a thumbs-up and shouted, “Good one!” The kid’s face broke into the widest grin he’d seen from him yet.

“Looks like they’re having the time of their lives here,” Allye murmured.

“Them and me both.”

“I’m so glad you were able to take them.”

“Me too.” They needed to start in on the food before it got cold, but he had something he wanted to discuss with Allye in private first. Keeping his eyes on the boys, he lowered his voice. “I’d like to make things permanent.”

She turned to face him, her eyes glowing. “You’re considering adoption?” She matched his tone, but there was no mistaking the excitement there.

“What do you think?”

“It’s a wonderful idea! Have you mentioned it to them yet?”

He shook his head. “I wanted to get your take on it first.”

“I think you should go for it if they’re okay with the idea.”

“You wouldn’t mind dating a guy with two kids?”

She lightly socked his shoulder. “I thought I already was. Seriously, Eric, I love those boys. And they need a good dad like you.”

“That’s one of the reasons I love you.”

She blushed, but before she could respond, the boys were running toward them.

Dion dropped his glove on the table and plopped into a chair. “Time to eat yet? I’m starving.”

“I’m starving too!” Lucky echoed.

“Why don’t the three of you go wash your hands, and I’ll get everything set up,” Allye suggested. Eric cocked an eyebrow at her, and she gave him an impish grin. “Yes, you too.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He rose and winked at the boys. “You heard the lady.” They groaned but followed him inside without protest.

When they returned, Allye had pulled paper plates, napkins, and a small container from one of her bags. She offered them each a plate, and the boys dove into the pizza.

“No pizza for you?” Eric asked as she opened the other container and lifted a fork.

“I have to avoid cheese as part of the detox diet. Mold.” She wrinkled her nose.

He lowered his slice of pizza. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” When Allye had called with the offer to bring dinner, he’d just chosen what he thought would be easiest for her.

She waved her fork at him. “Don’t you dare stop enjoying your pizza because I can’t have it right now.

My leftovers are more than fine, and picking up pizza for you guys was a lot easier than preparing a meal.

” She redirected the conversation and soon had Lucky giggling at knock-knock jokes while Dion and Eric groaned appropriately.

As the sun sank lower in the sky, the temperature began to drop. Soon it was uncomfortably cool, and they relocated inside to watch a movie.

Lucky insisted Allye take the middle of the couch so he and Eric could both sit by her, and less than halfway through the film, he’d fallen asleep with his head on her lap. Eric exchanged a grin with her. He loved that the boys were becoming so comfortable here.

When the movie ended, Dion scooped up his brother and carried him to bed, but Allye lingered.

Eric stroked her hair. She fit so well nestled next to him. “You know what we were talking about earlier?”

“Mm-hmm?”

“I had another idea I wanted to run past you.”

“Hmm?”

She sounded drowsy. Should he wait for a better time? But it had already taken him a week to get up his nerve.

He took a deep breath and dug in his pocket. “What if, instead of me adopting the boys, we adopted them?”

Her head spun toward him so fast, he would have laughed if he hadn’t been so nervous. When she caught sight of the ring box in his hand, her eyes rounded.

He slipped off the couch and knelt in front of her.

“I can’t promise you a perfect life or even an easy one, but I can promise to love you with all my heart, to be faithful in sickness and in health, to admit when I’m wrong, and to stand by your side through life’s trials if you’ll let me. Will you marry me, Allye?”

Tears shimmered in her eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s an emphatic, one-thousand-times-over-every-day-for-the-rest-of-our-lives yes.”

He placed the ring on her finger and sealed their engagement with a kiss. He held her close, her cheek against his. “I love you, Allye Jessup,” he murmured.

“I love you too. So very much.” She turned her face for another kiss, and he gladly obliged.