“Because he told me to go home. Besides, what could I do for him?”
He crossed his arms over his little chest. “I don’t like him.”
Neither do I. But she couldn’t say that. “You don’t even know him, Noah.” He got that look in his eye that told her he was going to make an issue of it, so she stepped forward to drag him into a one-armed hug. “Forget Colton and tell me about your day at school with Cody.”
Noah hesitated and, praying he’d let it go, she did her best to give him a carefree smile. Finally, he smiled back and relaxed his arms.
“It was fun. I like Cody’s school, and his teacher is real nice. Public school is a lot different from Wilshire.”
“They go to public school?” Kendra couldn’t hide her surprise. She’d been taught a private education was the best education. And it was obvious Joel and Britt could afford the tuition.
“Yeah, and there’s no uniforms, and the teachers aren’t stuffy or anything.” Noah’s words ran together in his enthusiasm.
She headed into the kitchen with a frown. “Well, that’s good, I guess.”
“Maybe I could switch to public school?”
He’d followed her and she automatically shook her head at the tentative request.
“Why not?” he demanded.
Her eyebrows shot up at his sudden petulance. “Because you get a better education in private. Besides, you’ve never complained about Wilshire before.”
“I didn’t know before,” he argued. He looked down at his hands, then back up. “Plus, I don’t want to go away from you again.”
The quiver in his voice told her what the school issue was really about. He was thinking of Robert. The bastard. She walked over to place a hand on each of his shoulders. “Noah, it’s all going to work out, I promise. Once I’m twenty-five, I’ll be your legal guardian. When you go back to Wilshire in the fall, we won’t have to worry about Robert anymore.”
“I know, but—”
She gently squeezed his shoulders. “Let’s just get through the next month. Then we can talk about school. Okay?”
He sighed, but nodded. At the sound of a loud motor outside, they both looked out the window to see a bus pull to a stop by the barns. Cody and Dustin ran from the main house, straight for the kids exiting the bus.
“Can I go out?” Noah asked.
She squinted at the new arrivals. They looked normal enough. A few boys with longer hair, one or two girls with borderline questionable clothes, but not a single one looked like a delinquent. And Joel’s boys seemed right at home giving high-fives throughout the diversified group. “Sure—but stick with Cody or Dustin, okay?”
“I will.” Noah hurried to the door, only to pause with the screen half open. “Ken? Are you sure everything is okay with Colton?”
Kendra gave a firm nod. “Of course. Now go—have fun.”
She breathed a sigh of relief when he shut the door. He was entirely too astute, and she had the feeling she didn’t fool him at all. Watching through the window as Noah joined Cody and the older kids, she marveled at the difference in him in only a day. He’d completely come out of his shell in a way she’d never seen before. Being here was good for him, even if not so enjoyable for her.
Her gaze strayed to Colton. He spoke to a couple of the teens, his smile so different from the condescending smirk he’d directed at her all day.
Except for the moment he’d taken her hand to lay it on the black horse’s nose. He’d been kind then, assuring her the animal wouldn’t harm her. His touch had been gentle, his voice soft and soothing. And his arms…strong, protective…they’d made her feel safe.
Until he’d made fun of her.
Humiliation and anger flushed her skin again. She’d do better to focus on his threatening tone when he’d grabbed her wrists. A man who could switch gears so easily was dangerous. Robert was clear enough evidence of that fact—him and the monster who’d raped her.
She didn’t need any more proof that she couldn’t let her guard down.
****
Though Britt had told her to come over for dinner at six, Kendra headed over early to see if she could offer help with any preparations. She halted when she saw the counter filled with enough food for a small army.
“Those teenagers eat like an army,” Britt replied when Kendra commented out loud. “Throw in the generals, Joel and Colton, and we rarely have leftovers.”