Читать книгу The Widower's Second Chance - Jessica Keller - Страница 11

Chapter Three

“Careful.” Caleb reached for Paige as she skittered backward into the table.

Her blundering caused a landslide of power bars to fall in a crescendo of crinkling plastic onto the gym floor. Her bagel bounced off the toe of his boot. He grabbed her arm before she toppled over, as well.

Coffee dripped down his side, and the front of his button-down was wet enough to wring out. Good thing the pot of coffee had been sitting out for so long that the liquid wasn’t hot enough to burn him. Or Paige for that matter.

“I’m such a klutz.” The woman turned toward him again. Paige froze when her crystal-blue eyes locked with his. She frowned, drawing his gaze to her lips. They had something shimmery on them that made them inviting.

He shook that thought away.

“We’ll have to stop running into each other like this.” He let go of her wrist.

She glanced over her shoulder and he followed her gaze. The entire room had gone quiet. All the teachers turned in their seats and stared at them. Some of them smirked and whispered to each other. There were gossips in the crowd and people who liked to cause trouble for fun. Most of them had grown up in Goose Harbor. While tourists were welcome with open arms in the shopping district, the locals weren’t always as cordial with newcomers when it came to the other aspects of town.

Something inside told him to step in front of the new teacher and block her from their scrutiny. Shield her from pain like he’d done for his wife, Sarah, and sister, Shelby.

Although a lot of good that had done them.

Principal Timmons cleared his throat over the microphone. “Caleb, I see you’ve met our new English teacher, Miss Paige Windom. She’ll be teaching freshman English and will also teach some of the senior level classes in our advanced-placement track.” Timmons pulled a stool over the floor, the metal legs clanking. “Everyone—Paige comes to us from the big city of Chicago, and I’m confident she’ll be an asset to our school.”

The woman’s cheeks turned a candy-apple red as the principal continued to talk.

Caleb reached around Paige and placed a fresh bagel on a paper plate and held it out to her.

“Peace offering?” he whispered.

“Shouldn’t I be the one making amends?” She worked her bottom lip between her teeth. “Are you sure the coffee didn’t hurt you?”

Caleb shook his head. “I was the one in your way.” He leaned closer. “I didn’t like this shirt anyway.”

Paige tilted her head. “Really? I thought you looked nice.” Then she eyed her shoes, as if they were suddenly the most fascinating things in the world. “I mean—dressed up.”

A chuckle rumbled in his chest before he had a chance to rein it in. “You know, if we don’t sit down they’ll never stop staring.”

“Right.” She spun around, but then turned back and touched his forearm before he could leave. “Would you be willing to do me a favor?”

Goose bumps raced up his arm. Probably just a reaction to the cold coffee on his skin.

“Sure.” Caleb crossed his arms.

Principal Timmons tapped his mic. “Does this thing work?”

“Please.” She studied her shoes again. “Don’t tell anyone about the other day.” Paige worked the bagel around and around in her hand.

“Of course not.”

She gave a quick nod and scurried to her seat beside Bree. Caleb leaned against the back wall of the gym.

The principal ran through the safety protocol for inclement weather, but Caleb couldn’t focus on anything Timmons said. Instead, he watched the back of Paige’s blond head. What sort of secrets was she sharing with Bree? Nothing to do with a wedding dress—no, that secret was between him and Paige.

What had happened to her?

Not that it mattered.

Because he didn’t care.

Not a bit.

* * *

Considering the talk with Mom and spilling coffee on Caleb, the day hadn’t started out well, but the second half proved better than any dream Paige could have had. She sat on the floor of her classroom with classic novels fanned out in a circle around her. She ran her fingers over a book that held a collection of poems by Robert Frost as she tried to decide which one to read to start the first day of classes.

Air whispered through the leaves on the tree outside the windows. Her classroom faced east, which meant she didn’t have a coveted view of Lake Michigan. On the plus side, the room would be splashed with sunlight for the better part of most days.

“Hi there.” A voice in her doorway startled her. A man wearing too-short shorts and a whistle around his neck leaned against her doorjamb. Everything about him screamed gym teacher. “I’m Lenny. Didn’t get to introduce myself after the session this morning. Sure wish I had.”

“Nice to meet you.” She smiled but kept her hands on the pile of books. Maybe he’d get the hint that she wanted to put together her room and not chat. She was basically finished for the day, but Lenny didn’t need to know that.

Lenny sauntered into the room and propped his foot on the closest chair. “Timmons said you’re from Chicago. Do you live close to the park with that big metal bean? You know, down by the lake in the Lap of Chicago.”

“The Loop?”

“Yeah. You from there? The Loop?”

“No. Actually, I’m from the suburbs. It’s easier to say Chicago though because everyone knows where that is. And that’s where I taught, so a part of my heart does live there I guess.”

He leaned his hands on his knee. “I have a picture of myself by that bean on my desk in my office. You should come see it. Afterward we could grab something to eat if you want.”

Paige glanced down at her hands. “I...um...”

Bree’s loud cough as she entered Paige’s classroom saved her from answering. “Leave her alone, man. She just got into town.”

Lenny glared at Bree as he left the room. He gave Paige one last smile. “If you still want to see that picture or go to dinner, you know where the gym is. I’ll be testing out the weight room for the next hour or so.”

Bree doubled over in laughter. “Promise me you won’t fall for Lenny the Leech. Anyone but him, okay?”

“Is he always like that?” Paige fought a smile as she loaded books into her canvas bag to take home.

“Oh, sometimes he’s much worse.”

“I’ll keep my radar up.” She winked.

“Good, because there are a lot of cute, single guys in town. I wouldn’t want you to judge all of Goose Harbor’s bachelors based on Lenny.”

“As far as I’m concerned, they can all be like him.” Paige slung the canvas bag over her shoulder. The strap cut into her arm right away. Too many books, but she couldn’t think of one she didn’t want to bring home to help plan lessons. With her parents gone so often, books became the one, steadfast friend in her childhood.

“I promise they’re not.”

“It doesn’t matter. Believe me, dating is the last thing on my list.” Paige crossed to the windows she opened earlier to let in the late-summer breeze. She closed and locked each of them. “Actually, it’s not even on my list.”

“Is there someone back home?”

There should be. The familiar ache pushed its way into Paige’s heart. “There’s no one.”

“Well, if you reconsider, I’ll be your wingman...girl...you know what I’m saying.”

“How about you tell me what’s important about working here instead. You know, the unwritten rules.” She walked into the hallway with Bree and closed her classroom door.

“Gotcha.” Bree shoved a stick of gum into her mouth. “The parents here are really busy. Like—leave their home at five in the morning and get home at eight at night—busy. Most of them run shops in town and things like that to cater to the tourists so they expect us to keep their kids occupied. After-school activities are a big deal around here, especially now since there’s been some rumors of mischief at the beaches in the evenings.”

“Mischief?” Paige paused.

Bree stopped walking, too. “Spent bonfires. Empty beer bottles. The normal teenage stuff. Anyway, the PTA tends to turn on the teachers who aren’t super involved if you know what I mean.” She nodded to a couple of teachers who passed them as they made their way to the main entrance.

Paige stopped to reposition her bags. “What club are you in charge of?”

“Moi?” Bree laid her hand over her heart. “I run show choir.” She sang the last part.

“Can’t help you there. I know dogs that howl better than I sing.” Paige shrugged.

“Well, try to think of something.”

“I played volleyball all during college. I could probably coach.”

Bree shook her head. “You won’t believe it, but Amy’s the head volleyball coach and I’m guessing you don’t want to be her assistant.”

Paige shrugged. “I don’t even know her. For all I know she’s nice and we could be friends.”

“Keep dreaming. See you tomorrow.” Bree waved, headed out to the bike rack and dumped her belongings into the basket attached to her eye-piercing yellow bike.

Paige balanced her teaching binder in one hand and her messenger bag and canvas sack full of books in the other. She’d work up a sweat on the trek home. At least she’d worn comfortable shoes. If she finished all her work early, she’d reward herself with a trip down to the beach. Her toes were itching to feel the sand.

Principal Timmons came running down the front steps after her, waving his arms like a bird learning to fly. “Miss Windom!” The principal wiped his forehead with the back of his sleeve. “I keep forgetting I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“Mr. Timmons.” Paige smiled at her father’s old college roommate. The man had spent a couple of evenings every year around the Windoms’ dinner table, but he was her boss now. She had to think of him that way. “I didn’t get to thank you yet for hiring me.”

“There’s no need. You know I’ve wanted to offer you a position here ever since your dad told me you’d received your teaching degree. I’m just happy I had a job opening when you were ready to make the move.” He wheezed out the words. “Now, if you have a second, would you mind coming back with me to my office? It’ll only take a moment.”

“Is something wrong?” Paige tensed.

“Not at all. I just need to go over something with you. Right this way.”

Paige followed the principal down a hallway of dark blue lockers and through the door labeled Administration.

What could he want? Maybe there were still some papers to sign.

“Go ahead and take a seat in my office.” Timmons held open the door.

She took a deep breath and turned the corner, but then stopped dead in her tracks. Caleb sat in one of the two chairs situated in front of the principal’s desk. What was he doing there? Caleb had changed out of the shirt she’d spilled coffee on. Now he wore a deep maroon T-shirt that complemented his dark complexion, trim beard and mocha-colored hair. He looked more approachable, like that handyman from the other day.

His eyes narrowed a fraction in her direction.

Scratch approachable. He looked downright stern. Like a man about to give a kid detention for daring to text during class.

A surge of ice ran through Paige’s veins as a realization hit her. Had Caleb told Timmons about her breakdown yesterday? She had no other connection to him, save being a teacher. So why would they both be called to the principal’s office? For all she knew Caleb could be in cahoots with Amy, the woman who wanted Paige’s position. Really, why else would he be here? English and science were on different ends of the spectrum.... They didn’t even teach the same grade. It had to be another reason.

Suppose he told Principal Timmons he saw her sobbing over her breakup, what would that mean? She couldn’t lose her job for that sort of thing. Maybe get ordered to see the school counselor, but not lose her position. She couldn’t. Not after upending her life to be here. After everything her father had done for him, how could Timmons listen to Caleb over her?

Her nails bit into her palms.

Why had she even trusted that he wouldn’t tell? She knew better. If the past couple of years had taught her one thing it was that men lied. Dad. Bryan. Tommy. And Jay. All men.

It didn’t matter.

She blinked back tears and ground her teeth together to keep from saying something she’d regret.

Principal Timmons dropped down into his swivel chair. “Go ahead and sit down, Paige. Caleb doesn’t bite all that often.” He chuckled over his own joke.

Paige set her bags on the ground and pressed her hands together. “I can explain.”

Caleb scratched his chin. “I sure hope so, because I’d like to know what I did to get called to the principal’s office so early in the year. Last year, when I helped with the senior prank, I understood, but—”

“Wait.” She glanced back and forth between the two men, her gaze finally landing on Caleb. “You don’t know why we’re here?”

“No. Do you?”

“Then you didn’t...?” He didn’t tell. Her hands relaxed at her sides. The muscles in her shoulders eased. She crossed the room and took the chair beside Caleb.

Timmons rested his forearms on his desk. He looked from Caleb to Paige, then back to Caleb...then grinned and winked at Paige. “You both know that aside from my position at the school, I’m also the head of the board at Sarah’s Home.”

Paige nodded, but in her peripheral vision she caught Caleb brace his hands on the armrest of his chair and sit up a little straighter.

Principal Timmons continued, “So I’m speaking to you both from that capacity and not as your boss. In the past month—”

Caleb cleared his throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but if this is about Sarah’s Home, why is Paige here?”

Timmons let out a long breath. “Because Paige is going to start working alongside you at Sarah’s Home.”

Her head jerked up. Alongside? As in, Caleb helped at the nonprofit, too?

“No.” Caleb’s knuckles went white. “No women from Goose Harbor. Not anymore. That’s my rule. It’s not negotiable. You know that.”

His rule? Who was he to make a statement like that? Unless he was on the board, it didn’t matter what he thought or said. Wait—was Caleb a board member?

She held her breath to keep from saying something she shouldn’t.

First her father, then with Bryan—why did men think they could lay down some law that all the women in their lives had to follow? No one was going to control her again. No way. Not anymore. Forget watching her words.

Paige turned in her chair to face Caleb. “Well, great. I’m not from Goose Harbor so that works out just fine.”

Caleb worked his jaw back and forth. “Same difference.”

Timmons leaned forward in his chair. “Unfortunately, that’s not the way Sarah set things up, and you of all people know that. The board holds power for all decisions. Especially when it comes to accepting volunteers.”

“I get a say. Sarah’s Home wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for my wife.” Caleb popped to his feet.

Wife? Paige tried to keep up with their conversation. Caleb was married? She glanced at his hand. No ring. But not all guys wore one.

Timmons lifted his hands and made a motion for Caleb to take his seat again. “Settle down, son. That’s why I called you both in. I didn’t want to spring anything on you. We need to talk about this.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Caleb shook his head. His eyes fixed on Timmons. Clearly, Paige wasn’t a part of the conversation any longer. “Can’t you see how dangerous that would be? You were there at the meeting with the police chief. Crime against women like Paige has gone up in Brookside. Even more in the last two years. The gangs are looking for people like her. And I’m taking a guess that she’s not certified in self-defense. It’s not safe. End of discussion.” He crossed the room and yanked the door open.

“Caleb,” Timmons called after him.

But Caleb walked out the door. It slammed against the frame.

Paige ran the tips of her fingers back and forth over the cheap, woven fabric on the armrest. Her heart pounded, clattering against her rib cage like a runaway train. She tried to control her breathing. Settle down.

Now what? She ran her fingers over the hair ties on her wrist.

Sarah’s Home held a special place in her heart. A place no one—not even grumpy Caleb Beck—could take away.

Timmons sighed, bringing Paige back into the present conversation. “Don’t worry. Caleb will come around.”

“I hope so.” Paige reached for her bags. “He...he can’t keep me out, can he?”

“No. Like I said, the board holds the power.”

She relaxed a bit. “What was it about Sarah’s Home you wanted to see me about?”

“I was going to share that in the past month we’ve experienced an influx of teen girls coming to Sarah’s Home. Caleb already knows that, but I planned to build a case so he would understand how important it is for you to join the team. This was all. I wanted Caleb and you to meet before you showed up at Sarah’s Home. Offer him a chance to process. It just wouldn’t have been fair to spring this on him in front of other people. You saw how he reacted. Unfortunately, we’ve let him have more control over decisions at Sarah’s Home than we should have. After Sarah died, I guess the board didn’t have the heart to say no to Caleb.”

Paige looked down at the ground, studying the purple-specked carpeting. “So he was married to Sarah—the founder?” She’d read about Sarah’s death in the newsletter a few years ago. But the section had been brief. No details. Just that the brave young woman had been killed while doing the thing she loved. A picture. A date for the funeral. No more information was ever released.

“Yes.”

“And she died?”

Timmons frowned. “I’m afraid so. The whole town of Goose Harbor loved Sarah. A woman like her is impossible to replace.”

Paige’s stomach corkscrewed. “That’s so sad.”

Now Caleb’s sudden gloom made sense. He seemed too young to be a widower. She’d never lost anyone close—well, not to death at least—so she couldn’t identify with him, but her heart ached for him all the same. Behind his deep mocha eyes, Caleb hid pain—the loss of an irreplaceable woman. She’d remember that next time they talked.

“Very sad indeed, but the board still shouldn’t have let him have his way in everything. I’m warning you from the beginning, he may have a very rough time with this transition. Having you at Sarah’s Home will be hard on him. Don’t hear me wrong. Caleb’s a good man, and he does what he thinks is best—safest—for everyone.” The principal straightened a pile on his desk. “Now here’s a valid question. Are you afraid to be in Brookside after what he said?”

“No disrespect to Caleb, but I taught gang members in my classes in Chicago.” Paige shrugged. “It’s something you get used to. As weird as that sounds. We evacuated the school at least once a month for a bomb threat or something along those lines. It wasn’t so fun when you had to rush out of the school in the middle of winter, but we managed.”

“I figured as much. Between you and me, the place could use the infusion of some new blood. Now, there is one other thing I want to discuss with you if you have another moment.” Timmons opened a manila file on his desk. “You played volleyball in college, right?”

“All four years.” Paige tried to smile, but her mind was still on Sarah’s Home. With Caleb against the idea, hopefully he wouldn’t make her time there uncomfortable.

“Would you be willing to sit in on tryouts this year? We had some troubles last year...accusations of unfair selections. I’d like the decision to be made by more than just the coach.”

Who Bree had told her happened to be Amy. Great. But after what Bree said about teachers needing to be involved, she couldn’t say no to her first chance. And it was only tryouts, not a commitment to coaching all season.

Paige chose her words carefully. “I guess I wouldn’t mind helping, but I don’t want to step on any more toes than I feel like I already have. Are you sure my help would be well received?”

“Show up at the gym tomorrow afternoon, and leave the coach to me. It’ll all be fine.”

Famous last words.

Her bags felt heavier than before as she left the office. She came to Goose Harbor to get away from drama, yet it seemed like she’d just found more. Paige shuffled out of the office, suddenly not looking forward to lugging all her bags home anymore.

Caleb leaned on the lockers across from the main office, his hands jammed in his pockets. Paige kept her head down and walked in the opposite direction from him.

“Wait up.” He caught up to her in two strides. “Look, I’m sorry for how I sounded in there. I shouldn’t have gotten worked up. Can we talk about this a little more?”

The canvas bag bit into her shoulder, and she switched it to the other arm. “Not if you’re just going to tell me no again.”

“Let me drive you back to Maggie’s.”

“What?”

“A ride. To the inn. You have a lot of bags.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

She glanced out the front doors. Wind still tickled the trees. Even still, the temperature outside had climbed all day. She’d already considered digging out her bathing suit and heading to the beach later. A ride might not be such a bad idea.

And she and Caleb worked together—she’d have to talk to him again at some point. Might as well get over the awkwardness now while she had the chance.

“Know what? It’s hot. I’ll take you up on the offer.”

He eased both bags from her hands. “I’m parked at the far end of the lot. How about I bring these out to my truck while you wait here? I’ll pull up to the front circle.” He turned to leave before Paige had a chance to reconsider.

She stood in the lobby and watched him make his way to a large green pickup parked at the back of the lot. Almost everyone had left for the day. The empty school smelled like a mixture of musty old books and industrial strength pine cleaner. Paige pinched the bridge of her nose, fighting the headaches that always plagued her from allergies this time of year.

The woman Bree had pointed out as Amy clipped down the hall toward her on three-inch heels. Her lips were a glossy just-bit-into-a-pomegranate red. A stylish belt with a bejeweled buckle accentuated the woman’s trim midsection, and with her blouse unbuttoned at least one button too many, her knotted string of black pearls laid in just the right place to draw even more male attention—as if a woman that stunning needed it.

“You won’t last.” Amy stopped a few feet away. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Excuse me?” Paige straightened her spine.

Now probably wasn’t the best time to tell Amy she’d be at the volleyball tryouts.

“They haven’t been able to keep anyone in that position for years.” Amy took a step closer as she eyed Paige from head to toe and found her lacking. The woman towered over her.

Paige focused on the plaque fixed to the wall behind Amy’s head. Her father had told her once that fondness might not be within her control, but kindness always was. Be kind.

“Thanks for the heads-up.” She forced a smile.

“Tell me you’ve at least taught before.”

Paige forced her shoulders and hands to relax, a trick she’d learned over the years from her lawyer father—a master of hiding emotions. Don’t let anyone know they’ve ruffled your feathers. “Yes. Three years in Chicago.”

Amy laughed and splayed her hand across her ample bosom. “Goose Harbor is completely different than a big city. You won’t last. Not with the people in this town and not with that attitude.”

Attitude?

Caleb honked the horn of his pickup from the circle drive.

Paige jumped. “I have to go.”

Amy trailed her down the front steps. “You’re with Caleb?”

Whatever that meant.

“Yes.” Paige sidestepped Amy to get to the passenger door.

“But—”

She yanked the handle. “Sorry, I really have to leave.”

Paige climbed into the cab and buckled her seat belt. She pulled down the visor on the mirror and pretended to check for something in her eye to avoid Caleb’s gaze.

Making Amy think she and Caleb were an item probably wasn’t her best idea. Besides, why would a guy as handsome as Caleb want to be with someone like Paige? She blinked at her reflection in the mirror: small nose, a dash of brown-sugar freckles on pale cheeks, scrawny arms and drab blond hair—nothing to write home about. Especially not for a guy who looked like he could be one of those rugged hosts on a home-improvement television show.

Not that she cared what Caleb or Amy thought of her. She didn’t. Just let her volunteer at Sarah’s Home—that’s all she wanted from him.

* * *

Amy sauntered around the front of Caleb’s truck. Not now.

He sent Paige a look he hoped told her he was sorry for the delay Amy would, no doubt, cause.

Amy motioned for him to roll down his window. When he did, she leaned on his door and then reached into the car to smooth her hand over an imaginary wrinkle on the sleeve of his shirt. “Running away so quick? Silly man. I didn’t get to talk to you today.”

Caleb curled his hands around the leather wheel. “You know how it is. The first day is always a whirlwind.”

She rested her chin in the palm of her hand and lowered her eyelids halfway when she talked. “We’ll have to find some time this week to catch up. Maybe lunch. Or dinner. Or both could be arranged. I could cook for you at my apartment.” She played with her necklace.

“We’ll see. Have a nice night.” Caleb popped the gear out of Park.

Amy crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes when Caleb started to pull away. She shot a mean look at the woman in his passenger seat. Maybe Paige didn’t notice.