with a generous nature. He really hoped one day she would find a man deserving of her.
Now he had a decent bike, he decided against flying out to Miami. Instead he would travel east from chapter to chapter, picking up jobs here and there. He wouldn't rush. Amy was doing okay, full of talk about her new pony and baby brother, and he needed to earn. Even if he took his time, he could be with her by the end of the month.
Amy pulled the saddle from her pony's back and hung it over the fence, before removing his bridle and turning him loose in the paddock. She waved to her mom, who was leaning on the hood of the jeep with baby Jack in her arms.
Life in Miami hadn't turned out to be so bad—although, despite his generous gift of Sparky, the little dapple gray pony, she still didn't like Rob. Most of the time she managed to stay out of his way. His job was quite important and he was often busy, and she always found ways to avoid being alone with him. Although recently he was becoming more insistent that they spent time together. Amy really wasn't happy about this. He always made her feel uncomfortable.
Maybe when Joe came, she would talk to him. Even though he wasn't as perfect as she first thought he was, and despite their long separation, she still trusted him more than anyone. He might not always be able to be with her. But he was always honest, and she knew he would do whatever he could to keep her safe. She sighed. She missed him so much.
It was only a short drive from the livery yard back to their house. Amy sat in the back seat and played with Jack. She loved her little brother very much, even though he seemed to take all her mom's time. Her mom had never had much time for her anyway. As they turned into their street her mom turned. "Looks like you have a visitor, sweetheart."
Amy looked out of the window. There, sitting astride a big black Harley, was the person she was so desperate to see. "Joe!"
She jumped from the car and ran towards him as fast as her legs could carry her. He dismounted and she launched herself at him, laughing with delight as he spun her round and kissed her hard on her cheek. "Hey, sugar. You smell like a horse."
"Hey, Joe." She buried her face in his neck. "You smell like you."
He set her on the ground and examined her closely. "Shit, sugar, whatever they been feeding you? If you grow any more, you gonna be taller than me."
He grinned and stroked her hair. Apart from shooting up like a weed, she hadn't changed that much. Her hair was still white blonde and she still had that cute lopsided grin. "Still as beautiful as ever." He kissed her forehead and looked up as Maria approached holding a tousle haired toddler on her hip. "Hey."
She smiled. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah. Can I take Amy on the bike? I've bought her a helmet and I swear I'll be careful."
"Sure. I know you'll take good care of her." She reached out and touched his cheek. "I'm glad you're out."
She turned to Amy, who was already climbing onto the back of his bike. "You hold on tight and do whatever Joe says."
Amy rolled her eyes and took the helmet from Joe. "Yes, Mom."
It was just a short ride to the nearest beach. Joe didn't want to ride with her for too long. Her feet only just reached the pegs, and he hated riding slowly. They dismounted and headed for a stand selling candy and soda. He bought them each a Coke and led her to a quiet spot on the beach, where they sat down and looked out over the sea. Amy rested her head against his arm. "I really missed you."
"I missed you too, sugar. I'm sorry I let you down."
"I'm okay. I don't mind living here now. I miss you and Nana Sophie, and Beth. But I've made friends and I start junior high next year."
"I'm glad it's turned out okay for you ,sugar."
They both fell silent for a while, just enjoying being in each other's presence. Amy shifted. "Joe?"
"Yes, sugar."
"Can I come stay with you?"
"I thought you said you were okay here now."
"I am. But in the summer
Now he had a decent bike, he decided against flying out to Miami. Instead he would travel east from chapter to chapter, picking up jobs here and there. He wouldn't rush. Amy was doing okay, full of talk about her new pony and baby brother, and he needed to earn. Even if he took his time, he could be with her by the end of the month.
Amy pulled the saddle from her pony's back and hung it over the fence, before removing his bridle and turning him loose in the paddock. She waved to her mom, who was leaning on the hood of the jeep with baby Jack in her arms.
Life in Miami hadn't turned out to be so bad—although, despite his generous gift of Sparky, the little dapple gray pony, she still didn't like Rob. Most of the time she managed to stay out of his way. His job was quite important and he was often busy, and she always found ways to avoid being alone with him. Although recently he was becoming more insistent that they spent time together. Amy really wasn't happy about this. He always made her feel uncomfortable.
Maybe when Joe came, she would talk to him. Even though he wasn't as perfect as she first thought he was, and despite their long separation, she still trusted him more than anyone. He might not always be able to be with her. But he was always honest, and she knew he would do whatever he could to keep her safe. She sighed. She missed him so much.
It was only a short drive from the livery yard back to their house. Amy sat in the back seat and played with Jack. She loved her little brother very much, even though he seemed to take all her mom's time. Her mom had never had much time for her anyway. As they turned into their street her mom turned. "Looks like you have a visitor, sweetheart."
Amy looked out of the window. There, sitting astride a big black Harley, was the person she was so desperate to see. "Joe!"
She jumped from the car and ran towards him as fast as her legs could carry her. He dismounted and she launched herself at him, laughing with delight as he spun her round and kissed her hard on her cheek. "Hey, sugar. You smell like a horse."
"Hey, Joe." She buried her face in his neck. "You smell like you."
He set her on the ground and examined her closely. "Shit, sugar, whatever they been feeding you? If you grow any more, you gonna be taller than me."
He grinned and stroked her hair. Apart from shooting up like a weed, she hadn't changed that much. Her hair was still white blonde and she still had that cute lopsided grin. "Still as beautiful as ever." He kissed her forehead and looked up as Maria approached holding a tousle haired toddler on her hip. "Hey."
She smiled. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah. Can I take Amy on the bike? I've bought her a helmet and I swear I'll be careful."
"Sure. I know you'll take good care of her." She reached out and touched his cheek. "I'm glad you're out."
She turned to Amy, who was already climbing onto the back of his bike. "You hold on tight and do whatever Joe says."
Amy rolled her eyes and took the helmet from Joe. "Yes, Mom."
It was just a short ride to the nearest beach. Joe didn't want to ride with her for too long. Her feet only just reached the pegs, and he hated riding slowly. They dismounted and headed for a stand selling candy and soda. He bought them each a Coke and led her to a quiet spot on the beach, where they sat down and looked out over the sea. Amy rested her head against his arm. "I really missed you."
"I missed you too, sugar. I'm sorry I let you down."
"I'm okay. I don't mind living here now. I miss you and Nana Sophie, and Beth. But I've made friends and I start junior high next year."
"I'm glad it's turned out okay for you ,sugar."
They both fell silent for a while, just enjoying being in each other's presence. Amy shifted. "Joe?"
"Yes, sugar."
"Can I come stay with you?"
"I thought you said you were okay here now."
"I am. But in the summer
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