Whatever It Takes (Second Chances #2) Read Online Free PDF

I recognized the look of both hopelessness and sheer determination in her eyes. Seth had the same look when he got out of prison and couldn’t help his sister, Sara.
    He could have gone either way in the weeks that followed. He almost had despite the fact that both Avery and I tried to help him. When he went after his stepfather, I thought that was it. I thought I’d have to visit my best friend behind bars for the next ten to twenty.
    But Seth finally got a break from the shitfest that had been his life and now Sara was out of rehab and on her way to a real life, and Seth didn’t have those shadows in his eyes anymore. Because Avery gave enough of a shit to make him see he was worth it.
    Which has nothing to do with this situation, I reminded myself.
    “So where to?” I asked when she closed the door and pulled on her seat belt.
    Tess gave me directions to her home, and I was surprised to hear that it was only about a half mile from Granite Estates. Neither was in the best part of town. I wanted to ask, but it wasn’t really my business. I glanced over at Noah, who was sitting in the middle of the bench seat, singing the ABCs. Tess had her head resting on the glass, staring out the window. I turned the heat up as soon as the truck was warm enough.
    “Let me know if it gets too hot, ’kay?” I told her.
    She gave me a short nod in reply but didn’t turn her head away from the window. If Noah wasn’t sitting there, I’d be tempted to ask her what happened to her life. I assumed it had something to do with Noah. There wasn’t a ring on her finger, and the amount of groceries she’d bought would barely feed her and Noah, let alone someone else.
    It struck me that she hadn’t called anyone, or asked to borrow my cell. Because there wasn’t anyone at home to call?
    So she was doing this alone, as far as I could tell.
    Why did that make my heart rate speed up?
    “What’s that?” Noah asked, pointing to the toolbox I had wedged in front of the bench seat.
    “My tools. I build things.”
    “I build things too,” Noah said proudly. “I have a lot of blocks, and I make tall castles that my cars can go through. Do you have a lot of blocks too?”
    I chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I do. But I use nails and hammers and a saw to build houses.”
    His eyes got round. “Wow. I need a hammer and a saw too.”
    Tess chuckled. The sound raised goose bumps on my arms. Damn it. “Yeah, I don’t think so,” she said. Her gaze met mine for a second, then dropped.
    “But I could build us a real house, like in the picture we have,” Noah said.
    Tess’s face crumpled and she looked away. Her fingers curled into fists in her lap and I could see her shoulders rising and falling as she sucked in deep breaths.
    Shit. That haunted look was back. The one that made me want to pull her close and not let go. Tess had always had this confidence, this light around her that drew people like moths to a flame. It’s what caught my attention all those years ago.
    Even back then, I just knew she was going places. Not only because she was crazy smart but also because her determination didn’t leave room for anyone to doubt her ability.
    But I didn’t see any of that in the girl sitting in my truck.
    “Hey, buddy, maybe you can be my helper when I come back and fix your mom’s car tomorrow?” I asked, trying to distract him and Tess. From what I had no idea, but it was clear as day, something about a picture made her draw far inside herself.
    “Her name is Tess,” Noah said, puffing out his little chest. “And I can do that,” he said excitedly.
    I saw Tess relax her shoulders, and her fingers loosened in her lap. I wanted to tell him I already knew her name, had known it for a while, but it didn’t seem like the time.
    “Cool.” I reached over and ruffled his hair, then wondered why the hell I just did that. What the hell was I doing ? Playing with fire , a voice in my head said. I ignored it.
    “This it?” I asked as we got