Heart of the Family by Margaret Daley

Don’t frighten her away.”
    “Who, me?” He thumped his chest. “I’m wounded. I want it to work out for Andy. I just don’t think it will.” He held up a hand to ward off her protest. “But I’m willing to go along so long as Andy isn’t hurt. The second he is—”
    Hannah walked toward the entrance, cutting off his words with a wave. “I have the child’s best interest at heart, so you don’t have to threaten me.”
    “Excuse me?”
    She wheeled around at the door. “What are you going to do? Come riding in on your white steed and save the day?”
    “Why, Ms. Smith, I do believe that’s sarcasm I hear in your voice.”
    She put her hand on her waist. “I think we can agree on disagreeing about how to handle Lisa and Andy.”
    “Hey, I’m willing to give it a try. I behaved at dinner.”
    Her other hand went to her waist. “If you call behaving, giving the poor woman the third degree, then, yes, you behaved like a perfect gentleman.”
    “Ouch! I do believe your barb found its mark.” He flattened his palm over his heart. “I wanted to know how she was going to support Andy.”
    “I could have told you she doesn’t have a job. I intend to find her one.”
    “You do?”
    “Well, yes, when she’s completed the drug-rehab program. Do you know of anyone who might hire her?”
    “Not off the top of my head. But let’s wait and see what happens in a few weeks before you go out pounding the pavement looking for a job for Andy’s mom.” He strode to her, gave her a wink and headed down the hallway. “You may not have to worry about it.”
    Jacob heard Hannah’s gasp and chuckled. He enjoyed ruffling her feathers, so to speak. He expected Hannah to follow him to Andy’s room, but when he stopped at the boy’s door, she still hadn’t come down the corridor. Disappointment fluttered through him.
    Cradled against his mother, Andy sat on his bed in his pajamas, listening to her read a story. When she closed the book, Andy said, “Again.”
    Lisa glanced toward Jacob. “I have to go, but I’ll be back.”
    “Promise.”
    “If it was just me, I would, but the judge makes the decisions now. I hope so.” Emotions thickened her voice.
    “I love you, Mommy.” Andy threw his arms around her.
    She kissed the top of his head, then stood. “I’m gonna get help, Andy. This time it’ll work.”
    This time? As Jacob had thought, Lisa had gone through rehab before and it hadn’t been successful. He backed away, not wanting Andy to see anything in his expression. But in his mind Lisa represented his mother and his concern skyrocketed.
    Jacob waited in the front foyer for the woman to emerge from the back. She said goodbye to Hannah then approached him. He wrenched open the door and stepped to the side to allow Andy’s mother to go first. When he glanced toward Hannah, her look communicated a plea for understanding, as though she could read the war going on inside of him.
    After asking for Lisa’s address, Jacob fell silent on the drive into town. Memories of his own mother assailed him. He’d known he would be reminded of his childhood when he chose to work with children in the foster-care system. He’d thought he was prepared and usually he was. But not this time. His grip on the steering wheel tightened.
    Jacob pulled to the curb in an area of town that had seen better days. Trash littered the streets and even with the windows rolled up, a decaying smell seeped into the car. “You live around here?”
    Lisa grasped the door handle. “No, but I can catch a bus on the corner.”
    He scanned the area and wondered who or what lurked in the darkness between the buildings. “I said I’d drive you home, and I meant all the way.”
    “But—”
    His gaze fixed on a broken-out storefront window. A movement inside the abandoned building made him press his foot on the accelerator. “I can’t leave you here. It’s too dangerous. Where are you staying?”
    Silence.
    Jacob slid a glance toward Lisa