About the Boy Read Online Free PDF

Rusty’s eyes widened. “You still talk to your dad?”
    “Yeah, honey,” she said with a wistful sigh. “Sometimes I still do. I still miss my father every day of my life,” she admitted, blinking back sudden tears. “When you love someone you never stop missing them, especially a parent. And a parent never stops missing their child. Never. That’s why I know Daddy is always with you, watching over you.”
    “’Cuz he loved me and stuff?” Rusty asked, and Katie nodded.
    “More than anything in the world.”
    She hesitated, wanting to assure him that however he needed to deal with his feelings about his dad, it was all right. There was no right way or wrong way. Only the way that gave him comfort.
    “Rusty, honey, there’s a very special bond between kids and their moms and dads, a bond that nothing can ever break, no matter how old either of them gets. Not even death. That unbreakable bond is always there. So don’t ever forget that. Daddy’s always with you. In your heart, safe and protected and connected to you on every level. And you can talk to him anytime you want.”
    Rusty grinned. “Yeah, but think how cool it would be if he could talk back,” he said, wiggling his brows and finally squirming away from her.
    “Oh yeah,” she agreed with a roll of her eyes, mimicking him. “That would be way cool.” He sniffled, swiping his nose on his fist. “Come on, brat,” Katie said, draping an arm affectionately around his neck. “Let’s get you some allergy medicine before you leave for school and then I’ve got to write a note to your teacher so she can give you your medicine this afternoon.”
    He came to a dead stop and looked at her in horror. “Ah, Ma, come on,” he whined. “You’re not going to make me bring a note to the teacher so I can take medicine at school like I’m some wussy girl or some sick weakling, are you?”
    At eleven, the most important thing in the world was to avoid at all costs any embarrassment in front of the guys, and taking medicine at school or having your mother write notes to the teacher qualified as definite embarrassments.
    “Hey,” she said with a laugh, giving him another bump with her hip. “Watch that negative girl talk. I’m a wussy girl, remember?”
    He thought about it for a minute, then grinned. “Nah,” he said, hip-bumping her in return then dancing away from her. “You’re a ma, that’s different.”
    “Yeah, come back and talk to me about wussy girls in about four years, kid.” Laughing, Katie swooped, wrapping her arms around him, pulling him close and pasting his face with loud, smacking kisses, her heart flooded with love.
    “Stop!” he giggled, trying to squirm away from her. “Ma, stop! Stop kissing me. I’ll take my medicine at school,” he cried, laughing and breathing hard. “Promise. I promise,” he shrieked. Giving him one last, loud, smacking kiss, Katie reluctantly released him.
    “Yuck,” Rusty complained with a grin, swiping his hand down his cheek.
    “Score another for the mother!” Katie said with a triumphant fist pump as she sailed out of the kitchen with her beloved son right behind her to start the first day of their new life.

Chapter Three
    T he offices of the Cooper’s Cove Carrier were located right on Main Street, across from the public library and right next door to the only bank in town.
    Since the Main Street business section only ran a scant two blocks—right through the heart of town—almost everything was in walking distance to the newspaper offices.
    The paper’s storefront office boasted one full-time reporter, who was currently on maternity leave, one full-time copy editor, one ad salesman and a part-timer who’d been at the paper since Katie was a child.
    Lindsey had started out as an intern while still in high school, and merely stayed, learning and managing the office with the efficiency of a drill sergeant. Katie had no idea what she—or the paper—would do without Lindsey.
    While