Page 12 of Before We Fell

Noah stood in the doorway, arms crossed like he was prepared to rip her out of my encouraging touch. Dang. What was it with him that was so unnerving?

With the folder clutched tightly in my hand, I stepped around him until I was out of Riley’s hearing range if she chose to try.

“I wanted you to see this.” I handed him the folder and stepped back. Away from the force of his presence. It wasn’t surprising that he was a criminal defense attorney. He intimidated the crap out of me. “Yesterday, I asked them to draw something fun they did this summer.”

He was scowling at me like the assignment was the dumbest thing in the world and I kept my eyes on him, trying to read his expression as he flipped open the folder. He glanced at it, closed it, and let it drop to his side.

He arched one thick brow at me and tilted his head to the side. “And?”

Was he not affected in any way by this? His ability to school any expression left me floundering. How could I talk to someone who seemed to care so little?

“Well.” I brushed my hands together, fighting the urge to shrink under him and get to the point. “I’m concerned about her and trying to help her, Mr. Wilkes—”

“Noah.”

I ignored him and pushed on. “She’s smart. She’s testing well above her grade level for reading and she’s bored in math, so I slip her extra work. Riley is exceptionally intelligent, and even talented in art, but… I need to know how to reach her, I guess. How I can help her…socially.”

What did I need to do to make this girl smile? Ease her pain? I was a giver and lover and the first to break down during a laundry detergent commercial. Forget about the animal abuse commercials during the holidays. They sent me into a tailspin.

He leaned toward me and that small movement made me jerk back. Speaking quietly, he hissed his next words at me like Iwasthe enemy. “She witnessed her parents being killed in front of her, Miss Frazier. How exactly are you qualified to help her? And how quickly do you expect her to move on from that? You are her teacher. Teach her. That’s how you help her. You are not her mother or her therapist.” He whipped out the folder, putting it between us and I reached for it with shaking hands. “Leave the personal shit to us because we’re doing everything we can and we don’t need some goody-two-shoes skipping into her life thinking she can save her.”

My body shook. My God. I’d never been spoken to this way in my life, and I had no idea how to handle it, but I wasn’t a wilting flower.

“With all respect intended, Mr. Wilkes,” I said, not giving a single damn what he wanted to be called. “That little girl needs all the help she can get. She won’t speak with kids. Won’t play with them. She barely answers any questions I ask her, and as herteacher,any insight into how she behaves at home can help me with her at school. She’s lonely and miserable and I completely understandwhyshe’s that way, but all I’m asking for is help learning about her so I can help draw her out of her shell a little bit. I would think you’d want as many people as possible right now to rally around her and love her and care for her.”

I ripped the folder out of his hands and before he could reply, continued. “But fine. You want to go it alone? You want to make my job harder? Done. I’ll get through to her without your help.”

I stomped around him, my chest heaving, my limbs a trembling mess. That was not at all how I envisioned that conversation going. What man wouldn’t want help? My brain fizzled, unable to comprehend why my simple question sparked such rage in him.

But whatever.

“Hey Riley,” I said, plastering on a fake smile as I re-entered the classroom and used my best teacher voice. “Your uncle and I are done speaking now. You ready to head home?”

“Okay,” she said and gathered her supplies. She tucked her markers carefully into her pencil case and put everything away neatly in her desk. I helped her with her book bag, the whole time feeling a death glare at my back, seeping into my room from the hallway where Noah stood.

Whatever. I ignored him while I brushed Riley’s hair over her shoulder, tugging it out from beneath her book bag strap and pressed my palm to her cheek. “Have a good weekend, okay? I’ll see you Monday.”

Her lips lifted into a hesitant grin. Not quite a smile. At least it wasn’t a frown. “Bye, Miss Frazier.”

She stepped around me and went to Noah, holding out the drawing I’d asked her to make for him.

“What’s this, Squirt?” he asked, kneeling down so he was at eye level. He took the paper from her, glanced at it and then grinned at her.

His smile was blinding. So wide and beautiful it almost knocked me off my feet. At least he wasn’t an asshole to her. “You want to see the horses this weekend?”

She nodded rapidly, hands curling around her straps.

“Okay then.” He placed his palm to the top of her head. “We’ll go to Grandma’s then. She’ll love to see you.”

He didn’t acknowledge me as he stood and held out his hand. She took it, her tiny hand dwarfed in his massive one and as they took a step away, she turned and looked at me over her shoulder.

And this time, it washersmile that almost sent me to the floor.

“I get to ride my grandma’s horsies this weekend, Miss Frazier!”

Tears sparked in my eyes at her expression. I hadn’t yet seen her smile, or look so filled with joy, and if she was a beautiful child when she was frowning, her happy expression shone brighter than the sun. I lifted my hand and grinned, chin trembling with happy tears for her. “I’m glad, sweetie. Have fun and make sure you tell me all about it on Monday.”

I forced my gaze up, met Noah’s and as I did, he was glancing back and forth between Riley and me, lips twisted like he’d tasted something foul.

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