Claiming the Enemy: Dustin (Porter Brothers Trilogy 3)

Her eyes flew to Dustin’s.

He shook his head. “Logan, I told you that you’re too old to go to Jessie’s school. I thought you liked your new teacher?”

“She’s all right.” He shrugged, leaning back to pout unhappily at the television. “She’s not Miss Jessie.”

“No one’s like Jessie.”

She lovingly looked at Logan. “I remember when you first came to my daycare. You would cry after Holly left until you would make yourself sick.” Reaching out, she took one of his hands, linking their fingers together. “Holly would stand outside the window of the toddler room, watching you, crying just as hard. Do you remember that?”

“No.” Now curious, his pout faded.

“Well, you did. It was because you enjoyed being with Holly. And gradually, you started enjoying spending time with me and the other children in the daycare.

“Every stage in your life, you’re going to have periods of when you want to go back to the way things were, like when you were older and I let you help me pass out snacks and show the other children how to do their work at the learning stations. It was because it was familiar to you. Each grade you go in higher in school, you’re going to feel the same way. But it’ll be easier and won’t be as frightening because there are other boys and girls who feel the same way you do. You just have to find them and make friends with them, and then you won’t be so unhappy.”

“Everyone is too scared of Fynn to be my friend.”

“Fynn? He’s a boy in your class?”

“Not anymore.” Dustin rose a booted foot to rest on his other knee. “I had Logan switched to another classroom. He’s Silas Coleman’s half-brother.”

Dread filled Jessie. The Colemans were notoriously mean-tempered.

“You could homeschool Logan. It worked for me and my brothers.” Just because Logan no longer went to her daycare, didn’t mean that her protective instincts weren’t on the alert.

“I’m not homeschooling him. You can’t run from your problems. I’d rather Logan learn how to deal with Fynn now than when they’re older and Fynn thinks he’s going to bully Logan every time he goes into town.”

She hated that Dustin was right. If Fynn grew up to be as frightening as Silas, then Logan would be better off learning how to deal with him now.

“So, I’m not going to be homeschooled?” Disappointed, Logan crossed his arms over his chest, angrily staring at his father.

Dustin’s lips twitched in humor. “No.”

“I’m sorry, Logan. I shouldn’t have suggested that without talking to your father first. I don’t have the right to butt in—”

“Fynn called Darcy a whiney face, and Anna ugly.”

Logan’s outburst had her nearly offering to homeschool all three children. However, Dustin’s warning look had her stopping before she would have to give another apology.

“If you talk your father out of going to school, who’s going to be there to make them feel better when Fynn calls them names?”

Logan’s stubborn expression fell. “You’re right. I didn’t think of it that way.”

“A good friend always makes you feel better,” she told him solemnly.

“Listen to her, Logan. It’s sound advice. Who wouldn’t want a friend around when you need them the most?”

The cryptic message sailed right over Logan’s head, but it didn’t hers. The jerk was making a dig at her.

She had been ignoring several friends who were constantly texting her, despite her not responding. She hadn’t wanted to see her friends, preferring to stay holed up in her house, regardless that she knew how concerned they were about her.

“Someone who doesn’t want their friends to have to put up with the same ill humor my brothers are.”

“They’ll deal with it for the same reason that Holt and Asher are—because they love you.”

Jessie rubbed her lips together. They were still tender and slightly puffy. She had no comeback.

Embarrassed when Dustin’s eyes dipped to her lips, she became flustered. Rising, she told Logan, “I made you some oatmeal cookies. Would you like one?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Would you like one, Dustin?”

“Yes, as long they aren’t made out of mud.”

Pretending to be affronted by his question, she placed her hands on her hips. “Are you saying you didn’t enjoy the ones I made for you for your sixth birthday?”

“I’m saying I’d rather not repeat the experience.”

“You made Dad cookies out of mud?” Logan gave his dad a sympathetic glance.

“I did.” Jessie smiled reminiscently.

“Son, if Darcy made you a cookie out of mud, would you eat it?”

Jessie couldn’t interpret the shared look between father and son before Logan turned away to give an ecstatic whoop.

“Can I tell Miss Jessie?”

Dustin grinned unrepentantly. “No.”

Her brows rose upward at the confusing conversation. “What can’t he tell me?”

Dustin’s handsome face was so intent that she felt a fraction of fear slip down her back.

“That he’d eat the cookie.”

14

Dustin was working at his desk when he heard a knock on his office door.