Black Water Creek by Robert Brumm Page A

Hopefully someday we might be able to figure out how to make it happen.” He gave her a half smile and went back out on the floor.
    Sue and Keegan walked through the front door. Keegan’s face lit up and he made a run for the sales counter.
    “Hey sweetie, what are you doing here?”
    “We just came back from McDonald’s,” Sue said. “He had a case of the wiggles so I let h im crawl around in the tubes and ball pit for an hour.”
    “I got a sundae!” Keegan said.
    “I can see that.” She licked her finger and dabbed the dried hot fudge stuck to the corner of his mouth.
    “Hey, Aunt Sue.” Paul gave his aunt a kiss on the cheek before bending over to Keegan’s level. “Hi, Sport! How’s it going?” He held out his palm and Keegan slapped it without hesitation. He looked up at his mom and laughed.
    Paul lifted Keegan up and sat him on the counter. “What do you think of my store? Pretty cool, huh?”
    “Yeah!”
    “Hey, I think I have something for you that you might like.” He turned to Kelly. “Do you mind?”
    “Not at all.”
    Paul went over to one of the shelves and brought back an old Simon memory game from the 80s.
    “Paulie, he’s too young for that,” Sue said.
    “Nah, look at him. He loves it.”
    Keegan mashed at the colored buttons, instantly losing the game but laughing at the noise it made.
    “What do you say, Keegers?” Kelly said.
    “ Thaaank yoooou.”
    Kelly was surprised at how quickly Keegan warmed up to Paul. Even before the gift, she could tell he grew comfortable around him more quickly than usual. Maybe he was growing out of his shyness or maybe it was the sudden change of moving. Or being away from his father.
    “Don’t mention it.” Paul tousled Keegan’s hair. “Take care of that thing, it’s a very old toy. Plus, it’ll help you get extra smart like your mom.”
    Or it could just be Paul. He really lit up around Keegan and seemed truly fond of him. Hard to believe a guy that spent so much time of his life training to be a soldier could be so good with kids.
    “We’re long past due for a nap,” Sue announced. “And I’m not just talking about him.” They said their goodbyes and left the store, Keegan beaming at his Simon game the whole way.
    “That was nice of you,” Kelly said to Paul. “I appreciate it.”
    “Tell you what, you can pay me back by figuring out a way to get your used book business off the ground.”
    “Really?”
    “Hey, if you can make it work, I’ll not only give you a big raise but I’ll make you a partner,” Paul laughed. He went around the counter and back out to the sales floor.
    “I’m holding you to that!”
    He turned around and winked at her before approaching a customer looking at one of his display computers.

Chapter 13
     
    Kelly made the turn onto her street and the truck started to skid again, this time with a parked car directly in her path. She held her breath and slammed on the breaks out of habit even though she knew that was exactly what you’re not supposed to do. The truck slid to a stop a few feet from the car.
    She exhaled and looked over at Keegan, dozing in his booster seat and unaware of his mother’s struggle against nature. Just a few inches of snow had fallen so far but her rear wheel drive pickup was an entirely different animal in the snow compared to her old Toyota.
    She slowly pulled out and headed for home, relieved to be almost there . Despite the stressful drive from the grocery store, she was in high spirits, excited for their first night in the cottage. Earlier that afternoon she officially moved out of the Sheridan’s guest bedroom.
    Kelly reached the driveway and pulled in , glad to be home as the snow picked up more steam. When she’d left for the store just an hour earlier, there was barely a dusting on the ground.
    The truck rolled past Ed and Sue’s house and she felt a flicker of sadness as light spilling from the kitchen window briefly illuminated the cab of her truck. Sue was