“Take the oatmeal,” David warned. “It’s the best you’re likely to get when she’s on one of these health kicks. By the weekend she might loosen up enough to make pancakes.”
“Not for you, you little traitor,” she said, turning on David with mock ferocity and giving up the battle of wills with Hank. Let him figure out what to eat now that his doughnuts were in the garbage. “Where’s Jason? Is he up?”
“I’m here,” he said, skirting Hank’s vicinity and dragging out the chair farthest from his nemesis. Ann could practically feel the animosity radiating from the teenager. She wondered if Hank could possibly bridge it or, for that matter, if he was even still planning to try.
“Morning, Jason,” Hank said, practically willing the boy to look at him. Holding her breath, Ann waited.
Jason finally mumbled a greeting, but kept his eyes on his bowl of cereal. While the other kids chattered and began racing around to collect their books for school, Jason remained sullen and silent. The minute he’d finished, he scooted back from the table.
“Wait,” Hank said.
“Gotta go.”
“You have a few minutes. If you’re late, I’ll take you to school.”
Jason shot a look at Ann that was clearly an appeal. “Sit down,” she said gently. “Listen to what Hank has to say.”
Grudgingly Jason sat back down, but his entire body was stiff. He clearly resented Hank and it was going to take an incredible effort to get through the barriers he’d erected.
“I got to thinking about something last night,” Hank began. “A guy your age could probably use some extra cash, right?”
Ann saw the spark of interest that flared in Jason’s eyes before he could hide it. Still, he gave a disinterested shrug.
“So I was wondering how you’d like to come to work for me after school and on Saturdays.”
Jason’s brief hint of interest vanished and with it Ann’s hopes. Jason faced Hank with open hostility. “Work for you? No way I’m taking orders from you, man.”
“Jason, that’s no way to talk to Hank,” Ann said. “Listen to him.”
“Why should I? He’s just trying to buy me off.”
Hank, to his credit, ignored the bitter accusation. As if Jason had never spoken, he said, “You’ll get a decent salary and you’ll earn every penny of it. You’ll be learning something new. Who knows, maybe you’ll even like it enough that it’ll help you decide on a career. That’s something you should be starting to think about.”
Jason ignored Hank and looked directly at Ann. “Do I have to?”
She glanced at Hank, who shook his head slightly. She sighed. “You don’t have to, but I’d like you to think about it. A lot of kids your age would give anything for an opportunity like this. It’s a chance to get some experience before you have to make a decision about college.”
“Yeah,” he said derisively. “I’m gonna go to Harvard on my looks, right?”
“Jason!” Hank warned.
Ann intervened. “You have good grades, Jason. Maybe we won’t be able to afford an Ivy League school, but you can get a college degree if you want one badly enough. Working for Hank would be one way to begin getting some of the money you’d need. Think about this.”
“That’s all I’m really asking, son,” Hank said. “Think about it. Talk it over with your buddies at school and see what they think. I’ll bet a lot of them already have after-school jobs. You can give me your answer tonight.”
His expression still sour, Jason gave a curt nod. “Okay. Now can I go?”
“Go,” Ann said, exhausted by the exchange.
When he’d gone, she looked at Hank. “I see what you mean. His hostility’s getting worse, instead of better. Maybe I’ve been blinding myself to it.”
“You’ve just been loving him. And I’ve probably made it worse. Don’t work yourself into a state over this. I can handle Jason,” he said, drinking the last of his soda and getting to his feet.
“But you shouldn’t have to. He’s my responsibility.”
Hank squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Uh-uh. He’s old enough to take responsibility for himself. Have a good day, Annie.”
After Hank had gone, with the warmth of his touch fading, but the memory of Jason’s animosity still lingering, Ann wondered if a good day was even remotely possible. What if he was right about Jason? What if he was heading for trouble again? Was there anything she or even the two of them together could do to stop it?
That afternoon when the high school let out, Hank was waiting for Jason. He spotted him coming down the walk, books under his arm and a smile on his face. The slender, dark-haired girl beside him was laughing at something he’d said. When he spotted Hank, his expression sobered at once.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought maybe we could finish our talk.”
“I got nothing to say to you.”
Hank permitted himself a slight grin. “Maybe not, but there are a few things I’d like to say to you.”
“Save it for later. I’m busy.”
“I’m sure your friend will forgive you,” Hank said pointedly.
“It’s okay, Jason,” the girl said, smiling at Hank. “I gotta get home anyway.”
Jason seemed about to argue, then his shoulders slumped. “I’ll call you later.”
“Great.”
As soon as she’d gone, he whirled on Hank. “What’d you have to go and do that for? I don’t need my friends thinking I’ve got some hard-ass truant officer breathing down my neck.”
“I seriously doubt that’s what she thought and even if it was, I’m sure you can set her straight. In the meantime, I want to talk to you about Ann.”
To his surprise, Jason hesitated. “Is she okay? There’s nothing wrong with her, is there?” There was genuine concern in the boy’s voice. It gave Hank the first hope he’d felt in days.
“She’s worried about you.”
“That’s only because you’ve gotten her all stirred up. We was getting along just fine until you came.”
“You were getting along just fine.”
“That’s what I said.”
Hank rolled his eyes. “Get in the truck. We can talk
