Keep You From Harm Read Free Page B

broader than his friends are. It’s too dark to see him clearly, but rather than glance at us and turn back around, he seems to be staring right at me.
    “You’ll meet them when you start school,” Kyle continues, taking both bags and heading up the walkway.
    His shadowed silhouette pulls at me as I stand rooted there, and my heart starts to pump faster. From his outline, I notice wide shoulders that taper down to a trim waist and long, lean legs. His hair is thick with unruly waves that curl down just past his collar. As he watches me, unmoving, I can’t help but wonder if his eyes are traveling over me in the same assessing way. I can feel my cheeks heat, and I’m thankful for the cover of night. I’m not boy crazy. I never have been. So, my reaction to this stranger takes me by surprise, and I purposely snap myself out of it. I tear my eyes away from him, and I catch up with Kyle.
    The front door swings open, spilling light out onto the walkway. I hesitate as Kyle moves more quickly and embraces the woman who steps out to meet him. She has a round face framed by long, brown hair, parted in the middle and swept back behind her ears. Her chin rests on Kyle’s shoulder. Her dark eyes widen when they find me standing behind him. I hear her gasp. She pulls out of his embrace and continues to stare at me.
    “Raielle, this is my wife, Chloe,” Kyle says.
    “She looks so much like you,” Chloe whispers, her gaze moving over me in shock.
    He acknowledges her observation with a tired grin. “Let’s go inside.”
    Chloe seems to realize she’s staring at me and rearranges her face into a tight smile. As her surprise settles, her assessing eyes find mine. “It’s nice to meet you, Raielle,” she says before turning to go into the house.
    Warning bells start to go off in my head. The look on Chloe’s face, I’ve seen it before, too many times in too many foster homes. She’s wary of having me here, but her reluctance is loosely packaged within a façade of good manners.
    I follow them through the front door into a small sitting area with floral couches and bright yellow walls. “I’m very sorry about your mother,” she says quietly, looking up at me. Chloe is about average height which means, in my clunky shoes, I tower over her. She’s curvy and attractive with round eyes that shimmer in the dimly lit room.
    I feel awkward and out of place as I glance around their home wondering if I’ve just stepped into an alternate reality. This is the kind of overly decorated middle class house you see on sitcoms. “Thank you for letting me stay here,” I say politely.
    “No need to thank us,” Chloe says. “I’m afraid you’ll have to sleep on the couch tonight. Our friends have an extra bed they’re giving us. But it won’t be here until tomorrow.”
    “That’s fine,” I tell her, not bothering to mention that I’m used to sleeping on the couch.
    “Are you hungry?” She asks like she’ll actually make me a meal if I say yes.
    I shake my head.
    “We got dinner at the airport,” Kyle explains.
    Chloe clasps her hands in front of her. “Well, you’re probably tired.” She points behind her. “The bathroom is right down the hall, and the kitchen is in there. Penelope is sleeping. So, you’ll meet her in the morning before I take her to preschool.”
    “We’ll get your school records taken care of tomorrow,” Kyle reassures me before I can remind him.
    “You can start school whenever you’re ready,” Chloe says brightly. “You’re all registered. The high school is just about a mile that way. Most of the kids in this neighborhood walk, but I can drive you if you like, especially on the cold mornings.”
    “Could I start this week?” I ask. I’m anxious to make the unfamiliar familiar, to begin a reliable routine.
    “Why don’t you wait until next week?” Kyle suggests.
    I’m about to plead my case when Chloe speaks up. “Let Raielle rest tomorrow and then start on Friday if she