Page 37 of Rescuer
She’d still had no reply to her phone call. If she didn’t sign up for classes soon, she could kiss her master’s degree goodbye. “Ugh! I hate feeling selfish!”
Was it selfish? Her goal was to help girls who were pregnant and had zero support. Like she’d been. She clicked the button on her phone. It was after two. Mia bit her lip. Gus was in her bedroom, taking an early-afternoon nap.
On one hand, she wanted to help Jackson find Dylan. Her heart ached whenever she thought of those young boys out on their own. Or worse. But on the other hand, with the attraction that had flared when Jackson stepped close enough to smell his aftershave, she’d have to fight against falling under his spell again. She’d already learned that he had no problem rejecting her based on an assumption and not giving her a chance to tell her side of the story.
That was twelve years ago.
The man she’d talked to yesterday had been willing to admit he’d reacted badly.
But he still didn’t know the whole truth.
She let out a long breath. She wasn’t ready for that conversation yet.
Enough! She was being selfish. This wasn’t about her. It was about finding those boys.
She quickly texted Jackson that she would meet with him about four at the coffee shop in town. Until then, she’d try to contact the parents of her other students to see if any of them knew where the boys might have headed.
The first two parents she spoke with said their child had no idea where Reggie or Dylan might have gone. The third number she tried, an irate grandmother answered the phone.
“Why are you bothering my grandson at home? School hasn’t even started yet! If you call back, I’ll be reporting you to the school board. Just see if I don’t!”
The temptation to argue, and possibly say something that really would get her in trouble, was so strong that she hung up quickly before she gave in to the urge. It had been a long time since she’d let anyone walk all over her. But now was not the time to be defensive.
Finally, on her next call, she hit on some information she could use.
“Sure, Miss Turner,” tenth grader Christa Blair told her, the sound of snapping gum crackling down the line. “I talked with Reggie just last week. He said he was planning a little camping trip. He invited me to go along, but my mom would never go for that, you know?”
She did indeed. Mentally, she applauded Christa’s careful parents.
She wrote down the information about where he’d told Christa he was heading and glanced at the time. If she didn’t move, she’d be late meeting Jackson. She hated arriving anywhere late, even if it was a casual event, and this certainly wasn’t.
But what to do about Gus? Jane wasn’t scheduled to come today, since it was the weekend. She didn’t want to ask Jackson to come to her house. If Gus saw him here two days in the same week, she might draw the wrong conclusions. While Mia adored her aunt, she also knew the woman would be interested in what was going on between her and Jackson. If she wanted to avoid embarrassing questions and remarks, she needed to meet Jackson outside of the house.
She called Jane but got her voicemail.
I could look up my mom. She didn’t have her number, but you could find almost anything online these days.
And what would her mother say when Mia told her she was working with Jackson?
Scowling, she considered her options. Maybe the neighbor, Kay. She’d offered to sit with Gus before.
Mia sprinted out the door to the neighbor’s house.
Kay answered the door, her phone against her ear. “Hold on, Mama. Someone’s at the door.”
“Sorry to bother you, Kay,” Mia began, then she shifted awkwardly. Asking for help was not something she did. It had been hard enough to approach her cousins. And Kay wasn’t family.
“Spit it out, sweetie. I’m not going to bite.” Kay’s sassy comment was accompanied by a sweet, cotton-candy smile. A true Southern belle to the core.
“I’m sorry.” Mia apologized again. “I hate to ask, but I have to go out. Trouble with one of my students. And?—”
Kay held up one finger, then held her phone to her ear. “Mama, I’ve got to go. Someone needs my help. Uh-huh. Love you too.”
Mia stood blinking.
“Let me get my purse, Mia. I’ll be over real soon.”
Mia went back home, stunned at Kay’s generosity. She was grateful, but this was beyond her experience. Gus was awake and sitting in her chair when Mia walked in. Mia told her the plan.
