Stella MacLean - Unexpected Attraction

Melody shifted uneasily. “Based on your reaction, I’m assuming you didn’t get the phone call I made to your home, and your cell, after the yelling incident with Stuart. I left a message for you to call me.”

Andrea’s expression was one of misery. “No. I didn’t...but sometimes when I get home late I forget to check messages. And it’s been really busy at work and Shannon’s never had trouble in school...” Her voice trailed off.

Melody continued, “She’s had a verbal altercation with Stuart and was injured yesterday in an incident involving at least one of her classmates. We are still trying to determine exactly what happened and who else was involved. We believe that Shannon has problems she hasn’t shared with anyone other than, possibly, Kyle Donahue. Is there any reason you can think of that would have caused these changes in your daughter?” She glanced toward Jake. “Has anything happened at home?”

Andrea shot Jake a look before turning her attention to Melody. “I don’t know what’s going on. Shannon is a wonderful daughter. We have a good relationship. We’re going away on vacation next summer. She’s been fine.” She picked up her purse then stood. “Thank you for telling me about this. I’ll talk to Shannon. I’m sure there’s a simple explanation.”

The school had a responsibility to protect Shannon from harm. They needed to investigate these sudden changes in her behavior to get to the source. Jake had to speak up, to try to get Andrea to see how grave this situation was. “Shannon needs help. I can’t emphasize that enough. These sorts of changes in behavior can be caused by anything from drugs to bullying. Those are serious issues that have an impact on more people than Shannon. We have a responsibility to act in her best interest, and that includes uncovering the facts.”

Andrea’s gaze swept over him, her disdain evident. “She’s my daughter. I’ll look after her. I always have.”

Jake wanted to scream. Could she not see Melody’s genuine concern? Did she not understand the possible ramifications of whatever Shannon was hiding from everyone?

A fleeting expression in Andrea’s eyes told him she knew something...something she wasn’t willing to share.

Deliberately he stepped forward to block her route to the door. He held out his business card and concentrated on making his expression nonthreatening. “You are not alone. A lot of teenagers have issues that can be resolved with a little help. You’ve been given an opportunity here to help Shannon before this situation escalates. And you’ve been offered the support of her school. Why not take it?”

“Does that include your support?” she asked. The defiant tone was in direct contrast to the desperation in her eyes.

“Call me if you need me before the school psychologist gets back.”

She turned the card over in her hand slowly as if considering. He mentally crossed his fingers. As much as he didn’t like Andrea, he felt empathy for her, for her dilemma as a single parent. He saw a lot of parents struggling to do the right thing by their children. He had to believe that when it came down to it, Andrea would do the right thing by her daughter.

She carefully placed Jake’s card in her pocket then stepped around him. Without looking back, she headed down the corridor.

“What was that all about? She clearly doesn’t like you,” Melody asked after he closed the door.

“I was the psychologist who did the professional assessment of Shannon four years ago when the Taylors divorced.”

“I wish someone had told me. It would have been much better if I’d met with her first or waited for the school psychologist.”

Why had he agreed to attend the meeting? Had he really believed he could help, given the history between them?

Admittedly, a part of him had wanted to confront Andrea. It shamed him that the way she reminded him of his wife—a woman who always had to be in control to the point of endangering those she loved—had partially motivated him. If his wife hadn’t been addicted to painkillers, maybe she and his baby daughter might have lived. He had no business mixing his personal life with Andrea’s problems with her daughter.

It had been a mistake coming here, being part of this meeting. He could not be involved in a case in which his personal bias played such an obvious role. He’d been foolish to even think he could be impartial.

The sooner he removed himself from this situation, the better. “I’ve got to get back to the office. If you need me, you have my number.”

“I’ll follow up with Andrea to see if she’s made any progress with Shannon. In the meantime, I’ll be sure to speak to the school psychologist about the case.”

“I hope you can reach out to Shannon and help her.”

Melody shrugged. “I’ll keep trying. I like Shannon, but I’m very worried.”

Jake left feeling like a failure, feeling guilty that he’d not been able to change anything about Andrea’s approach to her daughter. At the same time, he had to face the fact that his feelings about Andrea were compounded by his past.

Yet he would still do his best to support Andrea. A part of him wanted to make up for the emotional pain he’d caused in her life. Given her hostility toward him, it was unlikely he’d ever have that chance.

* * *

TEARS STREAMED DOWN her cheeks as Andrea searched the parking lot for her SUV. She couldn’t remember where she’d parked it. She couldn’t remember anything but the words of the guidance counselor. Shannon was in trouble, and Andrea had known nothing about it. She should have known before anyone else.

Why hadn’t Shannon confided in her? And what was she doing yelling at Stuart? Andrea had heard rumors about Stuart being involved in drugs from one of the other real estate agents she worked with. Why didn’t Shannon trust her enough to tell her what was going on? Andrea spotted her vehicle along the rear fence. She had to get home to Shannon. They needed each other, now more than ever. Her little girl...her only child... In her anxiety she nearly walked into the path of an oncoming vehicle that swerved to miss her.

Pay attention. Get out of here.

She climbed into the SUV and shut the door. The heat was suffocating. Rolling down the window, she took a deep breath and tried to process the meeting.

It had been one of the most frightening experiences of her life. And, once again, Jake Polegato had witnessed her fear and humiliation.

Deep inside she realized that he hadn’t been there to hurt her, but it hurt all the same to know that he would feel justified in his assessment of her.

Would Shannon have been better off with her father?

No. Andrea would never believe that.

Still, she’d been so rude to Jake. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. Yet she had the feeling that he was genuine in his offer of help, and she felt guilty for not being more cooperative. She couldn’t be cooperative right now, though. She needed to get her daughter to tell her the truth. Once Shannon did that, then Andrea would know what she was facing and how they could resolve it.

There was no way she could drive in this condition. She had to calm down, figure out how she would manage the coming days while she and Shannon sorted all this out. She wished she could talk to her mother, but she couldn’t. Not before she had a chance to get the truth from Shannon. She blew her nose and wiped her cheeks.

She’d felt so alone and under siege in the meeting. It had taken every ounce of self-control to sit and listen to examples of Shannon’s behavior—behavior she’d had no knowledge of. And the way the counselor talked about the incident yesterday as if it were a progression, somehow expected...

She saw again Shannon’s bruises and the anxiety on her face. Her little girl had been injured and abandoned while Kyle—Shannon’s supposed friend—had sought the safety of his home and family.