The Shop on Main(10)

Izzy’s boys and their friends looked like they were just having a good time. A couple of times the game devolved into a wrestling match, but they were all laughing. He wondered if she ever felt like she should step in and stop the roughhousing. It was all so foreign to him, kids playing and rolling in the grassy dirt.

He watched while the two boys came running up to their mother. The younger one had a hole in the knee of his jeans, and his shirt was untucked. The older boy sprinted ahead of his brother. They both raced up to Izzy, breathless.

“Mom, do we have time to go get ice cream?” The older boy came to a stop in front of his mother. The younger boy ran right into his back. The older boy turned to his brother. “Dork.”

“Jeremy, no name calling.” Izzy pinned a no-nonsense look on her son. “Can you show some manners and say hi to Mr. Campbell?”

The boy reached out his dirty hand. “Hello.”

Owen paused, unsure what to do or say. He didn’t generally have conversations with the younger of the human species. “Hello.” Owen took the dirty hand in his own. The small hand clasped his for just a moment then disappeared into the pocket of the boy’s jeans.

The younger boy came up but didn’t offer a handshake. The boy eyed him a bit suspiciously, but did as his mother had told him. “Hi, I’m Timmy.”

“Hello, Tim. Nice to meet you.”

They were cute kids, as kids go, with brown hair and big brown eyes. Timmy had a slash of dirt or grease across his forehead. Looking at the boys, he figured it would take Izzy at least twice through a washer to get their clothes clean.

“Mom, can we go for ice cream?” Jeremy asked again.

“No, I’m sorry. We don’t have time. I need to get you boys home and cleaned up before I take you to your father’s.”

“Please?”

“Not today.”

Izzy stood up, her red hair blowing in her face. She flipped it back away from her eyes. She turned to look directly at him and he caught his breath. He sat there looking at her green eyes. Mesmerized by them. Like someone under a spell.

“Well, it was nice talking to you Owen.”

“Nice talking to you, too.” Oh good, the words came out and made sense. He wasn’t sure his brain was working quite right now. He’d been caught off guard by those enchanting green eyes. And why was he thinking things like enchanting eyes?

“Okay, come on boys. Let’s go get y’all cleaned up.”

Timmy grabbed his mom’s hand and pulled her away, flipping a small wave in Owen’s direction. Jeremy gave Owen a long look then turned away. The mother and sons walked down the pathway and out of the park.

He was surprised by the feeling of jealousy, or maybe it was longing, that slid over him. He’d never had that. A mother who took her sons to the park and let them play with their friends and get dirty. He was envious of Izzy’s boys, and to be honest, envious of Izzy, too, for having that kind of family time with her boys. He could only imagine what their lives must be like. A life of hugs, handholding, days in the park. Maybe he was glamorizing it. What did he know about family life such as that?

Izzy’s boys seemed like good kids. He guessed anyway. Owen freely admitted he wasn’t used to kids. He hadn’t been around them much. He was an only child himself, so no favorite uncle thing going on for him with nieces or nephews. Kids always made him feel out of place, like a stranger peeking into a forbidden world. A world he hadn’t had as a boy. A world he probably would never have as an adult. A world that drew him in, taunted him as always—just out of reach.

He tucked away one other little detail. The boys were going to their dad’s tonight. He hadn’t seen a ring on Izzy’s fingers, though why he even noted that detail was beyond him. He didn’t have time to date anyone. Plus, he didn’t really plan on being here very long. Probably just a few more days if Jake turned him down.

He pulled out his small notebook from his pocket and jotted down the names Timmy—the younger one, and Jeremy—the older boy. For some reason he wanted to make sure he remembered Izzy’s boys’ names. He was pretty sure she wouldn’t be pleased if he messed their names up.

~ * ~

“You don’t owe me anything.” Jake put down his fork and shoved his plate away.

“I didn’t say I did. This is something I want to do.” Owen met Jake’s angry stare.

“I don’t need anything from you. I don’t need your father’s charity. I’ve done just fine without it.”

“This isn’t charity. This is yours, pure and simple. Just because Father didn’t acknowledge you, doesn’t mean you aren’t due an inheritance.”