Page 6 of Asher's Assignment

Edie continued to laugh. “I’ll hold off for now. Maybe I’ll ask you again in a few months.”

“The answer won’t change.”

“We’ll see. So what’s got you in a funk? Other than the weather.”

She wasn’t about to admit she was jealous of her sister’s life. Edie didn’t need that burden, because it wasn’t her fault.

“I’ve been thinking about my job.”

“Your job? You love your job. Don’t you?”

“I do.” And that was true. “I adore my students. Kindergarteners are the best. And it’s not really school that’s bothering me. It’s the home tutor job I took on.”

“It’s not going well?”

“The kiddo is great. Leah’s bright and funny. Eager to learn. But her family—I’ve never met her mother. She’s always at work. And her dad gives me the creeps.”

“Has he tried something?” Edie’s voice turned hard.

A small smile toyed with Esther’s lips. Her big sister would be on the next plane, pregnancy or no pregnancy, ready to beat someone if Esther said yes. “No. He just stares at me and grunts when I ask him questions. They don’t live in a great neighborhood, either. I was going to ask when we had movie night on Friday, what’s a good kind of pepper spray or taser to carry?” It wasn’t just Rob who creeped her out. So did Hoodie Man.

Silence came over the line. It lasted so long, Esther frowned and looked at the phone to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. “Edie?”

“We’ll come up with a different way to pay for your plane tickets down here. You’re a decent artist. Maybe Brooke will?—”

“No. We’re not exploiting your friends. I’ll be fine.”

Edie huffed. “I won’t have to ask. If Brooke gets wind about any of this, she’ll be the first to offer her help. All I was going to suggest was for you to paint a few pictures of the area down here and see if she liked them enough to buy them for the resort.”

Esther hummed. She might. She had enough photographs to get her started. And it would give her some new material to work with. Lately, she’d been struggling to find any inspiration. Nothing sparked her desire to paint.

“In any case, I think you need to quit that second job. Let the district send in a man.”

“We’ll see. I might broach the subject of quitting the home tutor position with my principal. Tell her to start looking for a replacement. I can’t leave Leah in the lurch, though. That girl’s already been through a lot.”

Edie went quiet again for a long moment. “Fine,” she eventually growled. “But if you feel more unsafe?—”

“Don’t worry. I will quit if I feel truly threatened.”

“I’m still going to worry about you.”

“I know. That’s what sisters do. I’m going to worry about you too. And pity Jordan.” Esther chuckled. So did Edie.

“Yeah, he’s in for it. I’m all over the place. All right. I guess that’s all I can ask for without flying up there and becoming your shadow.”

“No shadowing is necessary. Do you feel calmer now?”

“I’m certainly distracted.”

“Well, at least my problems are good for something.”

Edie laughed softly. “I guess so. Okay, well, are we still on for Friday night?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Great. I’ll talk to you then. Love you, sis.”

“Love you too. Bye.”

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