“Tank, I wanted to say thank you. It shouldn’t have been your job, but I’m glad you were there. He seemed so angry, I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t intervened.”
“It was nothing. I wasn’t even really aware I was doing it.”
“I don’t know why Beau hid behind me like that,” he confessed. He’d been wondering about it. “He’s much closer to Buck. He could’ve run upstairs too.”
“Beau is an excellent judge of character. He knows you.”
He stared at her in wonder. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a good person, Tank. Beau knew you wouldn’t let someone hurt him. And you didn’t. You weren’t even aware, you said so yourself.”
“I’m not a good person,” he admitted. “I’m mean to Ripp, and to Buck. I’m not nice. I’m not good.”
She rose. “You’re wrong about that. You could stand to be a little kinder to people perhaps, but you are a good person. I think so, and so does Beau. You’re his hero now, you know.”
“It’s true, whether you want to or not. I’m not going to leave you all behind, Tank, I promise. It shouldn’t have been your job to protect my son, it’s mine. And I’m going to.”