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Authors: Karen Rose Smith
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kindergarten class."
He was attempting to divert her attention. She might as well let him, because arguing wouldn't serve any purpose except to increase the tension between them. She said curtly, "I like kids."
"You're with kids at the rink all the time."
"Reading to them is different. I have their full attention. Their eyes get so big and wide. They ask questions. There's this connection between us. They learn from me. I learn from them."
He leaned against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other. "What do you learn?"
Noah had a way of listening that led her to respond spontaneously. "That kids have the innate curiosity to learn and if we don't tamper with it, but rather guide it, they'll take off like shooting stars."
"It sounds as if you'd like to do more than read to them."
"I'd like to teach them," she mused softly and suddenly realized she'd said it aloud. Noah was too easy to talk to. She took the dishwashing detergent from the cabinet, poured it into the door, and flipped closed the compartment latch.
"Why don't you?"
"Because I need a degree."
"Do you want to go back to school?"
"It takes more than wanting, Noah. All my life, I've felt I've been preparing, not living. It's hard to explain."
The seriousness of his voice belied his casual pose. "You could go back to school and live."
"I've been thinking about it. But I've been away from books for eight years. And college is a major commitment."
"But it could be your future."
She studied him, looking for an ulterior motive for his encouragement. If she went back to school, he could feel less guilty about selling the rink. "I'd still need a job while I'm going to school. I have to support myself."
"Maybe you could enroll in a work-study program."
Didn't he just have all the answers? Even if she did that, a part-time job such as work-study offered wouldn't take care of all her living expenses. "I could look into it."
He uncrossed his ankles, straightened, and probed her heart with his gaze. "You're afraid to go back."
She shouldn't feel so vulnerable around him. She shouldn't feel as if he knew her, because he didn't. "What makes you such an authority?"
He leaned forward and she thought he was going to touch her. Instead, he shoved his hand into his pocket. "Do you think I haven't known fear, Francie? But I've learned to face it and do what I need to do anyway."
"Maybe you're stronger than I am," she said softly. She thought about her last practice with Brent when they'd tried to execute a complicated lift and he'd dropped her. She remembered the reason why. Was she hesitating about going to New York because she didn't want to face that fear and those memories, either?
"Maybe you don't know your own strength."
The more she talked with Noah, the more complex he seemed, and the better he seemed to know her. Turning away from the power and knowing in his green eyes, she closed the dishwasher door. "Going back to school is more complicated than sitting down with a new computer program." To herself she added, So was going to New York and skating with Brent.
Noah's voice was firm and as penetrating as his gaze. "More complicated, but not so different, either. Have you made a decision about skating?"
She had pushed Brent and skating to a think-about-tomorrow corner of her mind—until now. "No." If Noah wanted her future settled so it wouldn't affect his, she wasn't going to oblige him. Not until she was sure about what she wanted to do. The question was—when would she be sure?
****
Sipping her chocolate milkshake on Thursday evening, Francie sat with Gina in the snack bar at Roller-Fun. Every few minutes Gina checked her watch and glanced toward the doors. Francie had been delighted when Gina told her she'd bring Jake in to meet her. Besides, in addition to the opportunity to build a better relationship with Gina, Francie appreciated the distraction. She
He was attempting to divert her attention. She might as well let him, because arguing wouldn't serve any purpose except to increase the tension between them. She said curtly, "I like kids."
"You're with kids at the rink all the time."
"Reading to them is different. I have their full attention. Their eyes get so big and wide. They ask questions. There's this connection between us. They learn from me. I learn from them."
He leaned against the counter, crossing one ankle over the other. "What do you learn?"
Noah had a way of listening that led her to respond spontaneously. "That kids have the innate curiosity to learn and if we don't tamper with it, but rather guide it, they'll take off like shooting stars."
"It sounds as if you'd like to do more than read to them."
"I'd like to teach them," she mused softly and suddenly realized she'd said it aloud. Noah was too easy to talk to. She took the dishwashing detergent from the cabinet, poured it into the door, and flipped closed the compartment latch.
"Why don't you?"
"Because I need a degree."
"Do you want to go back to school?"
"It takes more than wanting, Noah. All my life, I've felt I've been preparing, not living. It's hard to explain."
The seriousness of his voice belied his casual pose. "You could go back to school and live."
"I've been thinking about it. But I've been away from books for eight years. And college is a major commitment."
"But it could be your future."
She studied him, looking for an ulterior motive for his encouragement. If she went back to school, he could feel less guilty about selling the rink. "I'd still need a job while I'm going to school. I have to support myself."
"Maybe you could enroll in a work-study program."
Didn't he just have all the answers? Even if she did that, a part-time job such as work-study offered wouldn't take care of all her living expenses. "I could look into it."
He uncrossed his ankles, straightened, and probed her heart with his gaze. "You're afraid to go back."
She shouldn't feel so vulnerable around him. She shouldn't feel as if he knew her, because he didn't. "What makes you such an authority?"
He leaned forward and she thought he was going to touch her. Instead, he shoved his hand into his pocket. "Do you think I haven't known fear, Francie? But I've learned to face it and do what I need to do anyway."
"Maybe you're stronger than I am," she said softly. She thought about her last practice with Brent when they'd tried to execute a complicated lift and he'd dropped her. She remembered the reason why. Was she hesitating about going to New York because she didn't want to face that fear and those memories, either?
"Maybe you don't know your own strength."
The more she talked with Noah, the more complex he seemed, and the better he seemed to know her. Turning away from the power and knowing in his green eyes, she closed the dishwasher door. "Going back to school is more complicated than sitting down with a new computer program." To herself she added, So was going to New York and skating with Brent.
Noah's voice was firm and as penetrating as his gaze. "More complicated, but not so different, either. Have you made a decision about skating?"
She had pushed Brent and skating to a think-about-tomorrow corner of her mind—until now. "No." If Noah wanted her future settled so it wouldn't affect his, she wasn't going to oblige him. Not until she was sure about what she wanted to do. The question was—when would she be sure?
****
Sipping her chocolate milkshake on Thursday evening, Francie sat with Gina in the snack bar at Roller-Fun. Every few minutes Gina checked her watch and glanced toward the doors. Francie had been delighted when Gina told her she'd bring Jake in to meet her. Besides, in addition to the opportunity to build a better relationship with Gina, Francie appreciated the distraction. She
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