River's Return (River's End Series, #3) Read Free

mouth tightened and relaxed. “Yes, I’m actually saying that. Do I have your attention now? Do you think you could grant me fifteen minutes to listen to my concerns for your nephew? This conversation is about him, and has no room for your disdain towards public education.”
    Shane twisted his butt back and forth in the chair, properly chagrinned at being chastised. She was right; they were only scheduled to talk for a few minutes, and he came in there, intending to not even give her that. He always erred on the side of being selfish. He didn’t mean to do that with Charlie, however. Jack? Perhaps. But Charlie? Never. He sat up straight and nodded. “I can give you fifteen minutes.” His tone sounded different and was now quiet and serious. Something he rarely ever was.
    Her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline in surprise. She did a small, nearly invisible nod. “Okay, then, let me show you some of his tests and what’s going on…”
    He leaned forward and listened to Mrs. Gray more carefully this time, taking in each word she said so he could repeat it to Jack and Erin when they returned. He had a feeling Jack would contact the teacher ASAP once he learned about it, but at least, Shane would have shown due diligence. Charlie reappeared and sat back at the desk, obviously surprised Shane was taking the conference so seriously then. Finally, Allison rose and Shane followed suit, clutching the folder she so kindly put together. It was all neat and organized and even labeled.
    Holding her hand out with those fire engine-red nails, she said, “Thank you, Shane.”
    He held her hand in his for a moment longer than necessary. His huge hands matched the rest of his bulk and her small, white hand was engulfed by his. She had ultra-white skin, the kind of pale that would have made her nickname “Casper” in grade school. She had freckles that dotted every millimeter of exposed skin. There was something about her freckles that Shane found endearing. They were so innocent, youthful, fresh, and wholesome feeling. Yet, when she spoke, she was far more sophisticated and articulate than he could ever dream of being. There was nothing young or girlish in the way she spoke. And those red-red nails. Something bumped in his chest. What? The image of her small, feminine, freckled hands in his big tanned ones? The brief collision of innocence and the not so innocent? Maybe. He wasn’t sure, but he held her hand too long. Her eyes met his when she realized it and her throat vibrated as she swallowed. He finally released her hand and flashed a crooked smile. She stiffened as she withdrew her hand with a discreet tug. Nervously glancing down at her desk, she began to muss up the papers on it that were already tidy and stacked in perfect order.
    “Be seeing you, teacher,” Shane said while smiling as he saluted her. She scowled hard at him and he grinned wider. He liked her. That was something new he found out today at school. He could damn well like a teacher. First time for everything.
    ****
    Allison Gray sighed as she crossed the threshold of her little house. Sunlight streamed in and filled the small interior. The inside was neat and clean as it was only she who lived there, so no one else could mess it up. She slipped her low heels off and stretched on her tiptoes to loosen her feet up. She found a glass and pulled the opened bottle of wine from her fridge, which she poured into the glass. She well deserved it after five straight days of parent conferences. Some were really lovely parents, whose family dynamics were healthy and positive, and she had no trouble fostering the things she attempted to accomplish with each student. Others were the kind of parents who didn’t show up, or argued with her about her grading system, and blamed her for how their child was doing. To them, anything that went wrong with the child was all her fault and she was the only one to blame. She often had to bite her tongue to resist shouting the truth