Indomitable Spirit by Bernadette Marie Read Free Book Online

owe you thousands of dollars are you?”
    “I don’t do business like that, Mr. Larson.”
    “John,” he said plainly.
    “I enjoy your children. They are doing a wonderful job and I think Jacob needs this kind of structure.”
    John only nodded and that pleased her. It could have been one of those comments that caused him to come unglued.
    “How many days a week are we talking?”
    Kym folded her hands in her lap. “This particular class is everyday at this time, except Wednesdays. They are welcome to attend all of them. I ask that they attend two.”
    He nodded slowly as if he were thinking. “That would help my mother out if she only had the two in the afternoon until I got home.”
    “The two what?” she asked.
    John looked up at her. “The other two kids.”
    Kym felt that same disappointment she had the first time when she found out John Larson had children. Now he had four. But then the thought humored her again. She didn’t even like the man, so to be disappointed that he was married with four children shouldn’t concern her.
    She cleared her throat. “How old are your other two?”
    “Four and two,” he said flatly as though it was an automatic response and he was still thinking. “I’m going to talk to the kids about your arrangement. Them doing some manual labor is good for them. They need to learn to work for what they want.”
    “I agree.”
    “But it isn’t enough. I noticed the front door doesn’t quite swing right. It could use an adjustment. And the parking lot is a mess. If you had it lined then Mrs. Cavanaugh wouldn’t take up half of it with that stupid Cadillac.”
    She held in the laugh. She’d meant to talk to the woman about that.
    “The panels in the ceiling need replaced and come spring you could use a coat of paint outside.”
    Kym narrowed her gaze on John. “Are you trying to sell me items from the hardware store?”
    His eyes changed now. He wasn’t thinking anymore. “No. I was thinking those are things I could do for you to help cover the expenses of my kids spending time here.”
    She felt her mouth drop open and only an exasperated vowel sound emerged.
    “Hey, unless them dumping your trash is enough.”
    “Mr. Larson…” He shook his head. “John, that is very generous of you.”
    “I didn’t give you enough credit. I see what this has done for Jacob in the last week. Something tells me you have a lot more you could teach him.”
    “I’d like the chance to.”
    “Then I’ll come by this week and fix your door.” He stood from his chair.
    Kym followed and moved to the door. She reached out and touched his arm. “Thank you for trusting me with your children.”
    John looked out the window over the floor where his children bowed to the instructor and class was then over. “They need to trust someone and you seem to fit that bill.” He looked down at her. “All I ask is you don’t disappoint them.”
    He opened the office door and walked out among the other parents.
    Kym stood back and let the disappointment wash over her. He didn’t trust her completely and that hurt her. She’d never do anything to upset a child—especially John’s children. Jacob, especially, had a gift.
    This wasn’t something new. She’d had to prove herself to everyone her entire life. There would be a day John Larson understood her and when he did she’d be paid in full.
     

Chapter Six
     
    It was well past seven when Kym’s last student left. She could smell her grandfather’s cooking and she knew she needed to get upstairs before something caught fire. He was still her job too.
    “Ah, my Kym.” He smiled as she walked through the door. “Dinner is ready.”
    “Grandfather, you should have let me…”
    He held up a hand to stop her. He didn’t like when she fussed over him so she stopped.
    Her grandfather motioned to the bowl on the table. Inside was kimchi and rice—his most favorite comfort food. Usually this meant he was missing home. Kym understood, though