Rafe shifted his gaze and found her watching him, looking very much like she wanted to laugh. At him. He straightened, clearing his throat.
“You like her,” she said.
“Like who?” Lessa looked up from the paper she was coloring.
“Ahri,” Ma said.
“Oh, I like her. She’s so nice.” His little sister pointed to a crayon near him. “I can’t reach the green.”
“I like her too.” Rafe handed it to her and met his mother’s gaze. “Too much since I’m her boss.”
His mother did laugh then. “That was our problem too.”
“Yes, but you were able to transfer to another professor in the same department.” He pulled out his phone. “Transferring her would be a demotion, and I need her there untilCass comes back.”
“Then be her friend for now.” Ma reached over and covered his hand with hers.
“And what if she falls for someone in the meantime?”
“Just make sure that someone isyou.” She winked.
Rafe had never thought of his mother as devious before.
13
“HEY, MA.” RAFE STEPPED THROUGH the kitchen’s back door the following Saturday.
He was proud of himself for playing it cool and professional all week. However, he’d helped weed the garden three evenings and enjoyed partnering with Ahri during a game with the guys at the PC Café at lunch.
“To what do we owe this honor?” his mother asked, amusement coloring her voice as she shot a sidelong glance at Ahri where she sat chopping vegetables.
“When I was here the other day, Lessa mentioned she wanted to go mining.”
“To Foggy Mountain?” His mother frowned. “She just went there with her class a month ago.”
“Is that where she got those stones she carries around all the time?” Ahri asked.
“Yes,” Francie said.
“She wants more of them for a bracelet.” Rafe shrugged. “I told her once she had enough that I’d have them set forher. Is she here?”
“She is. I’ll get her,” his mother said. “Do you want to take Nik too?”
“If he wants to come.” Rafe forced himself not to look at Ahri, but from the movement in the corner of his eyes, he reckoned she’d looked up at him.
“He’ll go anywhere with you,” his mother said with a laugh. “I’ll get them. They’re upstairs pretending to do their chores.”
Rafe wandered over to the table where Ahri was working. “Need any help with that?”
“I’m just finishing.” She started scooping the cut vegetables into a bowl. “Are you taking them to a real mine?”
“Not underground, if that’s what you mean.” He took the seat across from her. “Foggy Mountain has buckets of ore that people buy and then pan the contents for gems.”
Ahri paused, her hands over the bowl. “You mean like panning for gold?”
“Essentially.”
“It’s sweet of you to do that for her. Lessa talks about gems a lot. She even checked out a book on them from the library.”
