Page 25 of Hush

Elise held out her hand, and Jaden climbed to his feet and took it. They walked down the hall, but Jaden looked back. Ben noticed his small palm reaching for his. Feeling his heart swell two sizes, he closed his hand around Jaden’s.

Eating with a seven-year-old took some getting used to. Jaden wanted to grate his own cheese, which Elise allowed but which also meant it sprayed all over his plate, the placemat, and his lap. He nearly spilled his milk twice, and he had a creative way of using his fingers and fork. Ben watched it all, amused, remembering his own strict mealtimes as a kid. That Elise was completely comfortable letting him do things his way startled Ben at first, but the more he observed, the more he admired her for it.

Jaden didn’t talk much, but Ben did his best to include him. Elise asked him about medical school at Stanford and his life before, in California.

“Tell me again why you wanted to come to Walla Walla?” she asked.

Ben swallowed a sip of wine, carefully planning his reply. “I wanted to get away from everything. And I liked the idea of living in a small town.”

“Well, I guess you scored then,” Elise said with a chuckle.

Ben smiled, but it felt tight. Truthfully, a place like Walla Walla had not been his first choice. But one year in, and he was realizing how much he loved it. He had good friends, a great job. He thought of Ashley, who was probably pulling into town tonight, and he held back his grimace. What did she want to see him for? Hadn’t she meddled in his life enough? Just when he was feeling settled, she popped out of the woodwork to torment him.

“Did you grow up here?” Ben asked, forcing Ashely from his mind. He was not going to let her ruin his time with Elise and Jaden.

“Yep,” Elise replied. “But my parents now live in Florida. They moved a few years ago. Too cold in the winter for my dad.”

“But you and your sister stayed.”

“My sister would never leave here,” Elise replied. “She loves everything about it. The cold and snow, the dry summers, and she’s a total nature nut, so it suits her. Plus, she’s worked hard to establish her practice.”

“So she’s a lawyer?” Ben asked.

Elise nodded. “A good one.”

“She must have left for school, though,” Ben said. “Walla Walla doesn’t have a law program,” he added.

“Yep, University of Washington.”

“And then she came back. You ever think of leaving?” Ben asked, buttering a piece of baguette.

Elise sighed. “I always thought I’d be the one to leave, but I didn’t.”

“Where would you go?” he asked.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head.

“Come on,” Ben coaxed. “Let’s say you could live anywhere in the world. Where would it be?”

Elise hesitated for a moment, her eyes sparkling. “France,” she said.

Ben raised his eyebrows. “Where in France?”

“I don’t know. Anywhere.”

“Paris? The Loire Valley? Provence?”

“Sure,” Elise said.

“Paris would be something,” Ben mused. “You could wake up to the smell of fresh croissants baking and the sun shining on the Seine.”

Elise shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been there.”

Ben stared. “You’ve never been to Paris?”

Elise shook her head.

“And you’re a French teacher?”

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