Just Another Day in Paradise. Justine Davis

he said with every appearance of rapt interest. When their food came, he even ate like a normal person, instead of shoveling it in as fast as he could in order to escape. And when Rudy sat down for a few minutes, to get their reviews of his experiment—fresh mahi grilled with his personal choice of spices that had given it a wild combination of flavors that somehow worked—Kyle was downright friendly to him, as well.

      Paige was aware she wasn’t sharing in the conversation very much, but it had been so long since she’d seen her son act like a human being she didn’t want to waste it. Even though she realized that to Noah he probably seemed like a normal, even likable kid.

      Eventually Kyle asked Noah what time it was, and when he said nearly eight, the boy stood up.

      “I gotta go. Thanks, Mr. Rider.”

      More courtesy than I get, Paige thought. She was curious about where he was going, but knew if she asked she would only get that pained look he did so well, accusing her of treating him like a child.

      “Be home by ten. School tomorrow.”

      He glared at her. “This isn’t—” He stopped himself, as if aware that what he was going to say—This isn’t my home—might insult his new friend. “Later,” he muttered, and left.

      Paige smothered a sigh.

      “How long has the attitude been going on?”

      Paige looked at him in surprise. “I thought he was perfectly nice to you.”

      “He was. It was you he was treating like a pariah. When he bothered to acknowledge you exist at all.”

      She was surprised again—this time that he’d noticed and had bothered to mention it.

      She tried to shrug as if it didn’t matter. It did. And she knew there would come a time when she was going to have to start demanding respect from Kyle. But tonight had made it clear that that time was here and now. She didn’t like being humiliated ever, but in front of this man it was unbearable.

      “He’s still hurting,” she said. “I know it’s been five years, but they’re very tough years for a boy.”

      For a long moment the silence spun out. Noah seemed about to speak twice, but stopped. Then finally, slowly, words began to come.

      “After my mom was killed in a car accident when I was Kyle’s age, my dad came down on me hard. He was tough on my sister, Michelle, too, but he really caged me. Stopped me from doing everything except going to school.”