Wild Inside (Four Corners Book 2)

by Artemis Anders

  Diana took a deep breath to control her rising irritation. “A lot of the reason kids with learning disabilities struggle isn’t because they aren’t good in school, it’s because they’re made to feel stupid. David isn’t stupid. He just hasn’t found his place yet.”

  “What does that even mean?” Mr. Turnbull cried. “Hasn’t found his place? You go to school, you learn things, you do your homework. It’s not that fucking complicated.”

  “It’s extremely complicated for a child with learning disabilities,” Diana retorted. “You don’t have them, and you don’t understand what it’s like to know you’re falling behind the other students and that your teacher and parents are getting frustrated with you. It can be extremely damaging to a child’s self-esteem.”

  “Are you criticizing our parenting?” he challenged.

  “No,” she said, knowing full well she was. “I’m suggesting that you both can make the difference for David by being more supportive. He’s acting out because he feels worthless.”

  Mr. Turnbull shook his head. “They didn’t have all this learning disabled shit when I was a kid. It’s like now we gotta coddle every kid.”

  Diana shook her head. “No, no. Not coddle. Never coddle. Just be patient.”

  “But what about his bad behavior?” Mrs. Turnbull said. “What about his mouthing off to teachers, fighting with other boys? He even broke a neighbor’s car window by throwing bricks in it with his friends.”

  Diana nodded. “I’m not saying he shouldn’t be held accountable for those behaviors. He should. But David didn’t used to be like that when he came here two years ago. I’ve looked at his records. He’s acting out for a reason.”

  “Then what do you suggest?” Mr. Turnbull said.

  “For now, avoid criticizing his grades. Find what he is good at and praise him for it, even if it’s something small. I’ll talk with his teachers about next steps, and we’ll contact you soon. Sound good?”

  Mr. Turnbull grunted, but both nodded. As they left, Diana thought about David and his critical parents. It reminded her of Asher and how he handled Joseph that day in West Rim, and how he’d turned what could’ve been a bad day for Joseph and Rebecca into one of triumph.

  She’d thought about him a lot in the last week and a half, actually. He’d texted her to make sure she got home alright, which impressed her, but they hadn’t spoken since and Diana was fine with that.

  Just as she headed back into her office, she heard her name. When she turned around, Matt Jr. stood there.

  “Hey, sweetie!” she said, smiling. “How are you?”

  “I’m good.” He stood there for a moment with pleading eyes.

  “Did you need to talk for a minute?” When he nodded, she had him come inside her office and sit down while she shut the door. “Is everything okay?”

  He nodded. “I just… I miss you.”

  Just a hint of tears came to her eyes. “I miss you too, Matt. So much.”

  “I think Dad misses you, too. He won’t say so, but I know.”

  “I know you do. You’ve always been good at reading people, haven’t you? I miss your dad, too. I care for him very much, but sometimes two people don’t stay together because they want different things.”

  “What things?”

  Diana smiled. “Adult things that you don’t need to worry about.”

  “I just… I don’t understand. You seemed happy together.”

  “In many ways, we were. Couples aren’t always just happy or just unhappy. Sometimes they can be a strong couple in some ways, but still not have what it takes to make it long-term.”

  “Like Mom and Dad.”

  “Exactly. Sometimes relationships don’t work out, and that’s okay.” When Matt nodded, she went on. “How’s Cole?”

  He shrugged. “He’s okay. He’s a jerk to me sometimes.”

  “Big brothers can be a pain.” Diana paused. “And you know that if you ever need to, you can come talk to me, right?”

  Matt nodded. “Yeah.”

  “Good. But we better get you to class, or you’ll be late.”

  After Diana said goodbye to Matt, she sat there for a minute. Matthew hadn’t given her permission to talk to the boys about their split, and it felt good to at least talk to Matt and try to explain.

  It seemed so long ago that she ended things with Matthew, but it had only been a few weeks. So much had changed. Putting aside what happened with Asher, she’d continued taking her supplements and mostly avoided gluten and dairy. It was a challenge sometimes—what the hell did people eat for breakfast that didn’t have gluten or dairy, especially when the thought of eggs in the morning grossed her out? But she found new meal ideas and fiddled with new recipes and tried to ignore her cravings for garlic bread and baked ziti, and she’d remained mostly pain-free since. Even when she did get pain, it was nothing like before. And for that, she was grateful.

  She got on her computer and pulled up Facebook. She couldn’t help but wonder what Asher was up to, and prayed he wouldn’t post some pic of him riding with a woman. It was silly to feel that way—he wasn’t hers and she wasn’t his. She knew he was free to do what he wanted; she just didn’t want to see it. Not right now, anyway.

  She did come across a pic that Asher posted, but it didn’t have a woman in it. Instead, he stood next to three kids and held a fourth in his arms, a girl who looked like she was about two. Asher’s comment said he was “having fun being Uncle Asher.” Diana realized he was probably visiting with his brother and sister-in-law, and the children were his nieces and nephews. Diana smiled at the other pics, which featured Asher goofing off with the kids or carrying the smaller ones on his shoulders.

  When she heard a knock at her door, she closed out of Facebook and took her next appointment.

  Diana rolled her bike into her house and carried it down to the basement. She needed a shower and some food. She mentally scrolled through all her options for gluten-free goodness, deciding on the Chinese place around the corner. She craved a giant tub of gooey, cheesy lasagna, but her three weeks weren’t up yet and she was committed to sticking with the diet, especially since she hadn’t contacted Mariah’s acupuncture referral in Junction.

  Just as she sat down with her Kung Pao chicken and rice, her phone rang. When she checked the display, her stomach flipped. Asher.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey. It’s Ash.”

  Her face grew hot. How good it was to hear his voice. “Hey! How are you?”

  “Busy as shit. I had family in town. The tourists are still invading, so we’re working long hours. J.T. had a family emergency, then one of the guys separated his shoulder in a bike crash, so he can’t do any repairs…”

  “Jiminy Christmas! You poor thing!”

  “‘Run your own business!’” he said in a mocking tone. “‘You can set your own hours!’ I can’t believe I fell for that shit.”

  Diana laughed. “Oh, you love it. I can tell.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. So, how’s the new food and vitamin regime going? The one Mariah gave you?”

  “Not bad, actually. The pain still comes once in a while, but nothing like before. Thanks again,” she added.

  “My pleasure. How’s work? Any more bruised kids?”

  “No bruises, thank goodness. But I did get the pleasure of talking to the parents of a boy with learning disabilities. He’s got ADHD too and he’s doing terribly in school, and he’s been acting out and getting into fights and showing signs of delinquency. His father has no compassion and his mother isn’t much better. I had to school them a little.”

  Asher sighed in annoyance. “I don’t get parents like that. It’s always someone else’s fault that their own kid has problems and they never think about what they could do better.”

  “That’s the truth. Have you dealt with kids like him?”

  “Fuck, I was him. Not the learning problems, but the rest of it. I was a nightmare. If I hadn’t gotten on my friend’s mountain bike and disc
overed the sport, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me.”

  An idea dawned on her. “That’s what David needs. A hobby or sport. Something he loves and can get good at, and that will keep him out of trouble.”

  “It worked for me.” He paused. “So, you coming out to ride soon? People are asking about you.”

  “Who’s asking?”

  “Me.”

  Diana giggled. “And I thought you got your fill of Venus.”

  He scoffed. “Never.”

  “Well, things are pretty busy here too, but I’ll check my schedule. I can’t make any promises, though.”

  “Okay. No worries.”

  There was an awkward silence. Before Diana could fill it, Asher spoke.

  “Good to catch up, Venus. See you soon?”

  “Sounds good.”

  After Asher hung up, Diana stared at her phone. Part of her wanted to say yes, that she’d pack her gear and come this weekend. She’d had a great time with him, better than she could’ve imagined. But as great as it was, it wasn’t her. Seeing him would prove too tempting for her, and agreeing to another round of mind-blowing sex, while tempting, was a bad idea. She didn’t do casual, and he didn’t do commitment. Nothing good could come of it.

  She liked Asher, but that meant being with him again would put her at risk for getting attached, just to feel crappy when he eventually moved on. And she wouldn’t put herself through that.

  The next day, Diana pulled out David Turnbull’s files to look for ideas. What did he show an aptitude for? Unlike Asher, sports seemed unlikely. David hated physical education and showed no interest in after-school sports. Any academic possibilities? His grades indicated no, although his testing showed he had some interest in the sciences. But when she spoke to Josh, one of the science teachers and a friend of hers, he made it clear that David showed no special interest in science and had displayed more disruptive behaviors than interest in class.

  Diana sighed. Why was she spending so much time focusing on David? Did she feel guilty for leaving Matthew, and therefore hurting his kids? Or was it because David reminded her of Asher?

  When she eyed David’s transcripts, one thing stuck out to her. The class he seemed to do consistently okay in was wood shop. Maybe David liked working with his hands, either building or creating things. Diana went to talk to the wood shop teacher, Mr. Murray, and found that Mr. Murray was the only teacher who offered no complaint about David.

  When she returned to her office, she called David in. She smiled at his restlessness, his fidgeting, and his Metallica t-shirt, picturing Asher at that age. She asked him about wood shop, mentioning an after-school program where a few kids worked with Mr. Murray on projects for the school. To her surprise, he seemed interested. He said he’d have to ask his parents, and she made a mental note to call them and use her most charming voice to persuade them. She also suggested he take an art class, trading for one of his other electives, wondering if that sort of creative outlet might be good for him. He seemed less interested in that; but the prospect of trading for Phys Ed seemed to do the trick.

  After David left and Diana made the arrangements, she smiled. She felt a strange desire to call Asher and tell him all about it, but decided not to.

  When Diana’s phone rang that weekend, her first thought was that she hoped it was Asher. But it was someone else who made her smile.

  “Mel! How are you?”

  “Hey, D! I’m good. Beat up, though. Took a nice crash on my bike the other day.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m just sore, and have a shitload of scrapes. But they make good stories. The mountain bikers come sit at the bar and we talk about biking and crashing. It’s awesome.”

  Diana giggled. “I’m glad you’re okay, sweetie.”

  “So, do you have any plans for the weekend?”

  “I’ll check my calendar, but I don’t think so. Why?”

  “It’s Desert Starlight.”

  “Oh my goodness, I completely forgot!” Desert Starlight was a big annual festival just outside Red Rim every October, with three days of bands playing day and night. Diana had been once before and loved it.

  “You have to come!” Mel begged.

  “Of course I’ll be there!”

  “Yay! Can you come for Friday too?”

  Diana laughed. “Don’t you work Friday night?”

  “Not till six. We can go during the day and you can hang with everyone else that night.”

  “You talked me into it. I’ll be there Friday morning.”

  That Friday, Diana and Mel got ready for opening day at the festival. Diana put on her proper festival clothing: sundress, flip-flops, and a hat to keep the sun off her face. She put her hair in braids.

  They arrived at the fairgrounds, beautifully situated in a canyon surrounded by tall sandstone cliffs. They ran into several familiar faces—Annie, Diego, J.T., and a few others Mel introduced her to. No sign of Asher. He was probably at his shop. Mel hadn’t mentioned him, which left her feeling disappointed… and relieved. The thought of running into him filled her with nervousness.

  The music began and they all sat around the grounds, talking and eating lunch and enjoying the music. Some started their drinking early, but Diana wanted to save hers for the evening. She was a lightweight, after all. She basked in the sun, eating her bratwurst without a bun and listening to the music and taking in the scenery, feeling the kind of relaxation that only Red Rim could bring her. What was it about this place?

  When 5:30 rolled around and Mel had to go to work, Diana drove her home. She needed to change anyway, since it would cool off a lot once the sun went down. That’s how it went in the desert.

  “Don’t have too much fun without me,” Mel said, hugging Diana.

  “Never. We’ll go again tomorrow and have a great time.”

  After Mel left for work, Diana changed into jeans and a snug t-shirt, packing her fleece jacket into her bag. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. When Diana peered out the peephole, her heart began to pound.

  It was Asher.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Diana opened the door, and there Asher stood in all his bronzed and tattooed glory. Her pounding heart almost skipped a beat at the sight of him.

  “Hey beautiful,” Asher said, offering up that confident smile.

  Diana couldn’t help but smile back, disturbed by how happy she was to see him. “Hi, sweetie. Did Mel tell you I was here?”

  Asher shook his head. “J.T. told me you drove Mel home, so I thought I’d stop by and see if you wanted a ride back to Starlight.”

  “That would be great. I’ll drive if you want. I’m a lightweight, so I can’t drink too much anyway.”

  “I’ll drive us. I won’t get carried away, I promise.”

  As Asher drove her back to the festival and they chatted about their weeks, any nervousness about seeing him again fell away. She realized that Red Rim was a small community, and avoiding Asher and the temptations he represented would prove difficult if she wanted to continue visiting. And the truth was, she didn’t want to avoid him. At all.

  Back at the concert, they met up with their friends, Asher’s coworkers, and others. Asher introduced her to everyone she hadn’t met yet. She sensed them checking her out, as if wondering who Asher’s latest girl was and if she’d fit in. They went to the concession area, where Asher ordered her a cider and a beer for himself. They returned to their group buried deep in the crowd as a new band began its country rock set. It wasn’t long before Asher had his arm around her, and soon after he grabbed her by the hand and led her through the crowd.

  “I assume a country girl like you can dance,” Asher said.

  “Of course!”

  Up front, the designated dancing area was filling up with people. They staked out their spot and began to dance. They two-stepped through three songs, Asher’s hands holding hers firmly or glancing over her body as they moved. He looked so natural at it, like he did at ev
erything. Every time he grabbed her hand or looked at her with those golden brown eyes, Diana felt any resolve she’d had to steer clear of him dwindle a little more.

  Jiminy Christmas, it felt good to dance and feel his hands on her!

  And when the band played a country ballad, Asher pulled her close, one hand on the small of her back while the other held hers. Diana smelled that now-familiar scent of his, intoxicating her as she pressed up against him. It was too loud to talk over the music, but they didn’t need to talk; Asher’s eyes said everything as he stared at her and she at him. When he kissed her, she succumbed to it, to the taste of him and the heat that coursed through her. And when they finally separated, Diana realized the ballad had ended, and they were still coiled together despite everyone around them two-stepping again.

  “How about a drink?” Asher said.

  Diana nodded, too bewildered to speak. They got another round of beer and cider and joined their friends again. Diana spent some time catching up with Annie, who invited her to ride with them the next morning—late enough so they could sleep in but early enough so they could festival later. Then, J.T. approached her, his eyes brightened from many beers.

  “When you gonna teach me to two-step?” he said.

  Diana laughed. It was the most he’d ever spoken to her. “How about now?” She glanced at Asher, who grinned and motioned for them to go on.

  Diana led J.T. to the dance zone, and proceeded to give him a few lessons. He stumbled around at first, but picked it up enough to get by. His eyes remained mostly off her breasts, largely due to his trying to concentrate on keeping up with the steps.

  “There you go!” she said. “Now you got it!”

  They danced the rest of the song and the next one, Diana encouraging him as he worked to keep up with her. When the song ended, Diana said, “One more song. After this, you’ve got it.”

  When it finally ended, they headed back to their friends.

  “You finally done hogging her, dumbass?” Asher joked, giving J.T. a playful shove.

  “She told me to keep going!” J.T. cried.