Page 40 of The Fear (The Hillers of Barratt County #7)

Hala brushed a hand over the fresh braid she’d just put in Wynnie’s hair. “There you go, sweetie. Beautiful.”

“Thanks, Mith Hanan,” Wynnie had a real lisp still, and it was just made more noticeable by the front tooth that had fallen out recently.

Hala made a note to speak with the on-site speech pathologist to see if there was something that needed evaluated.

She was one of the more rambunctious kids in Hala’s class, but she had spirit.

And the cutest little freckles. Her brother, maybe a few years younger, had the same freckles.

They reminded her of Ryan—as did the dark chocolate curls everywhere.

Hala waved every time she’d seen the kids playing in the area between their building and hers—and tried not to wince every time she saw their mother.

That woman had gotten on Hala’s nerves since that day two years ago when she and Greer had caught her trying to practically corner Grady outside the diner.

Jessica had even been running her hands all over that perfect Grady-chest. He’d been obviously trying to escape—sheer panic on his beautiful face.

Greer had run Jessica off that day, by yelling for her brother that he needed to come help carry Hala to Greer’s car—Greer had invented a sprained ankle for Hala in an instant.

Hala had dutifully let Grady carry her across the diner parking lot, snickering in his ear about the thwarted look on Jessica’s face.

When Grady had finally told Greer the extent that Jessica had been pestering him in town…

Greer, Gia, Genny, Chantal and Hala had come up with a plan to make Jessica back off.

Jessica had been married—and Grady hadn’t wanted her attention at all.

And she’d been practically harassing him every time he stepped foot in town.

Him… and Chad. So…a brother-rescue-mission had been engaged.

They hadn’t meant to cause Jessica’s second husband to actually leave her, though. But that man had deserved to know the truth, too. Hala didn’t regret it one bit.

Hala had considered it doing her duty to protect Greer’s brother and Chantal’s brother from the girl barracudas out there.

Wynnie’s father, on the other hand, was rather intimidating.

He was the same size as Grady and built just as muscular.

Almost movie star kind of pretty, too. And the dark glasses hid his eyes.

Although…he’d had nice eyes when they’d met before.

Well, confused and a little worried, honestly.

“It’s nice to see you again, Deputy Ryce.

Wynnie is a lot of fun to have in class. She’s helped me settle in just fine.”

“Mith Hanan is there now. I like her lots,” Wynnie said to her dad, twisting her hand around his and swinging. “I’m being really good, too.”

“You absolutely are,” Hala told her. It was obvious the little girl was excited.

She was always excited when it was Daddy’s time to have her and her brother.

She’d told Hala that before. Wynnie adored her father, and from what the little girl had said, her father was actively involved.

Wynnie’s mother hadn’t engaged with the school even once since Hala had arrived.

“I’m glad you’re here to buy cookies, too. ”

“Why are you working here?” Wynnie asked. “Does the school not pay enough? Mommy says the schools pay people lots and lots to watch bad kids and she would never do it. Not for a million dollars.”

Hala tried not to shudder. The thought of Jessica in a school…

“My two best friends in the world asked me to help today—that man right there is their brother, and they thought he needed lots of help to sell lots of cookies. His brother is Pastor Gunn, and he got hurt recently. So we’re here to help with the bake sale instead.

Before I get ready for the carnival at the school tonight.

That’s Pastor Gunn’s mom right there, too. ”

“Pastor Hiller? I saw what happened to him recently,” Deputy Ryce said.

The man just seemed a little frustrated at the moment.

But he was holding his son close, lovingly.

“I hope he’s recovering well? And his sister…

the attorney. We’ve met a few times before, on the job.

How is she doing? I was on duty that day at the courthouse. ”

“She is actually doing very well. She’s going to stop by this afternoon, after a doctor’s appointment. She’s still a little battered. My brother is bringing her, and his little boy, later. They are involved now.”

“Hanan. That’s right. You’re related to the prosecutor, right?”

“My big brother, yes.”

“I see.”

Well, okay…Apparently, he wasn’t that fond of Hudson. Kind of not surprising. Her brother did have such a way with people, after all. Gia was probably going to have to do a bit of retraining, honestly.

She would have said more, but then Grady was there. His hand spread over her back. She fought the urge to shiver. Or…snuggle closer. Her Gradar was going off again.

She looked up at Grady. “Do you need me?”

His eyes flared. Yes, he was thinking things he probably shouldn’t be thinking on the library lawn. She might just have to tell his mother on him. Then again…

Gayle would probably be thrilled…

Something about having Grady right there next to her helped. No doubt about that.

“You’re not Pastor Hiller, but…Grady, right?”

“Yes, I’m the other twin. Good to see you again, Brenton.” Grady held out his hand and shook Deputy Ryce’s, but he never let go of Hala. In fact, he pulled her a little closer, absently toying with her ponytail.

He liked to do that. She liked to let him.

She just…stayed right where she was. The world felt warmer when he was there.

This whole exchange felt awkward. She’d known Wynnie’s parents were having problems co-parenting.

She had intended to talk to Luis about her concerns.

See what the school’s procedures were, just in case it was needed. She just hadn’t had time yet.

Wynnie had said a few things that were concerning.

Especially about her mother’s new boyfriend.

Hala just wasn’t certain what she should do, other than relay those concerns to Luis.

He would have to act on anything anyway—with her particular history with Jessica, Jessica could make accusations just to be petty and vicious. Hala wouldn’t put it past her, either.

She hadn’t had much interaction with parents of her students yet.

Mostly what she had, had been positive. There had been a few very negative people—more than she had realized.

She never would quite understand why some people viewed their children’s teachers as the enemy.

Teachers battled every day to help their students. At least all the teachers she knew.

Teaching was absolutely wonderful, and she loved almost every moment of it—but parents…

Well, dealing with the parents scared her a little. Especially…the men.

She was going to have to find a way to get over that, somehow. She was going to give her students the best she possibly could.

Deputy Ryce was ushering his kids away as more people started to arrive. Hala shivered.

“Hey, you okay, honey? That guy say something to upset you? He was a jerk in high school.”

“No. Not really. Just…nothing, really. I am still a little nervous when dealing with my students’ parents, I think. Especially the fathers. I’ll probably never really be easy with…men.”

His arm snaked behind her back, and he turned her. Hala found herself right there, pressed against his chest again. “You’re already great at teaching. Everyone loves you. How can they not?”

The way the man was looking at her…hot enough to melt chocolate chips in January. “Oh? Didn’t you once say I was the most unlovable creature on the planet?”

“I may have. But you were ten, I had the right. You’d just bitten me, remember?”

“Of course I didn’t bite you.” He would have been nineteen or so, then. He’d still been almost gangly. He’d filled out in the years since. Into the man in front of her. “But if I did, you probably deserved it.”

“Want to see the scars?” He held his left hand up. And there were faint teeth marks right there. Maybe she had bitten him? It would have been something she’d have done back then, actually. Now that she thought about it. She’d been a little bit of a butthead, as a kid. She’d admit it.

They had so many memories together. She would never forget growing up out at the Hiller Ranch for so much of her childhood. But they weren’t kids anymore. What was happening between them was changing things. And that meant…they could never really go back. “This changes forever for us, doesn’t it?”

Nothing was as simple and uncomplicated as it had been back then. It would never really be again. Hala wanted to rest her head on his chest and let him block the world out for a little while.

Grady nodded. But she saw the confusion in his eyes, too. “It does. But…I think we’ll figure it out. I’ll do my utter best never to hurt you, Hala Hanan. You have my word.”

So she let him hug her close for one moment, then stepped away. There were some of her students wandering around the cookies and brownies, after all. She had to behave now. And the kids were all looking at her and getting excited.

Hala would behave, no matter what. Until they were alone, anyway.

Then…maybe all bets were off.

This was her Hiller man. And she was ready to claim him.