Count on Me (Bayview Heights Trilogy) (5 page)

 Would you like to have a baby someday?

She’d looked at him candidly.
With the right man, I would.

Think I could be him?

Yes.

The lovemaking afterward had been cataclysmic.

“Come in and sit, Kurt. It might do us good to get comfortable with each other again.”

Once, he’d been more at ease with Zoe Caufield than his own brother. From the doorway, he asked, “Are you always this generous, or is it just with me?”

She shook her head. “What good does sniping do? Or bitterness? We were both hurt by what happened. I’d like the pain to stop.” Clearing her throat, she finished, “I’d like the healing to start.”

Slowly he eased into the room and sat at a desk chair, wondering if the still-open wounds of his betrayal would ever heal. “You look wonderful, Zoe.”

She smiled. “Thanks. Paris was great for me.”

 I met Pierre when I was twenty-one. He was so sensitive. So considerate. American men should take lessons.

Kurt had tickled her until she’d begged—in French—for respite. But he’d made a resolution to be more sensitive and considerate on future dates.

“I’m glad you enjoyed your summer”

“You don’t look good, Kurt.”

He scrubbed a weary hand over his face. “It’s been a rough year.”

She continued rocking Camille. Finally she said quietly, “What happened?”

He didn’t ask what she meant. He faced her squarely. She deserved to hear the truth. “It was a nightmare. Elizabeth hadn’t changed, but I had. She was her normal demanding superficial self. I don’t know exactly what I expected, but I realized quickly I’d made a mistake.” There was more, about what he’d discovered regarding his feelings for Zoe, but he knew she didn’t want to hear that now.

“You stayed with her a year. Why didn’t you leave sooner?”

“Because of Lauren.” His daughter had blossomed while he lived with them again. “You know she’d been having troubles in school. When I came home, she got right back on track for the school year and was accepted into Hartwick.”

“Well, some good came out of it, anyway.”

He shook his head. “Before she left for school, she told me she felt bad for me.”

“Why?”

“Because it was obvious I was unhappy a few weeks after I’d come home. And she suspected I’d stayed for her.” He shook his head again. “She’s a great kid. She also told me that she’d make sure I hadn’t made the sacrifice for nothing.”

“What did you tell her?”

“That none of it was her fault. I’d made my bed, so to speak.”

Zoe winced. He immediately regretted his poor analogy.

Finally she said, “That was the worst part for me, you know.” Her voice was hoarse. Camille chose that moment to begin fussing, so Zoe got up and placed her in the portable crib. Soothing the child’s back, she didn’t say any more until she turned around.

What he saw in her face he’d hoped never to see again as long as he lived. It was the same look he’d seen that day in his office when he told her he’d slept with Elizabeth. “It leveled me to know you were making love with her. I couldn’t bear it.”

He didn’t tell her that
making love
was not the correct term at all. He and Elizabeth had sex. And it wasn’t even very good. Still, the thought of it made his stomach turn, so he could imagine what it did to Zoe’s. “I’m sorry.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist. “Me, too.” She crossed to the door, but pivoted when she got there. “In case you have any ideas or any hope...” She trailed off. Then began again. “Don’t. I wouldn’t be able to risk letting myself feel anything for you again, Kurt. Please, don’t ever try to convince me, in any way, to get back together.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“Promise me something else?”

“Anything.”

“Take better care of yourself.”

It was the last thing he expected.

Emotion clogged his throat. He nodded, and then she left the room.

o0o

“IT’S TIME for the open forum.” School superintendent Joe Finn, a dark-haired bear of a man with a bushy beard and intelligent eyes, smiled tightly at Jerry Bosco and tried to be civil. But it was obvious to Zoe that the superintendent didn’t like the influence the retired teacher had had this year on the formerly smooth-running board. Bosco’s contingent, the Taxpayers’ Common Sense Group, had supported him and gotten him elected by a narrow margin.

Sitting between Philip and Zoe, Seth stiffened. She reached over and squeezed his arm in support. He patted her hand. Though she was glad to be here for her principal, she dreaded Kurt’s arrival. He’d told Seth he’d be late, and by nine, he still hadn’t arrived. She hoped that when he got here, he’d sit in the back of the spacious meeting room at the Administration Building, which was set up with tables in the front and several rows of straight chairs facing them.

“Mr. Bosco, would you like to state your concerns?”

Almost completely bald by now, Jerry Bosco dragged his microphone closer. His jowly face wore its usual scowl. Zoe thought idly that the collar of his white shirt looked tight enough to choke him. “Be glad to,” he said.

Kurt came into Zoe’s line of vision as he approached their row and slid in next to her. Giving her a weak smile, he focused on Jerry. Zoe tried to ignore him and listen to Bosco, but she felt an immediate physical reaction when Kurt sat down; it was hard not to react when his wide shoulders brushed hers and his scent— something woodsy and male—filled her nostrils.

“As many of you know, I’ve asked the board to examine some of the programs at Bayview Heights High for several reasons.”

Shifting slightly, Kurt settled back into the straight chair and crossed his arms over his chest. His legs were stretched out in front of him, and she noticed the suit he wore. Heather-brown, it was one she’d helped him pick out when they’d spent a day shopping in the city.

 You look sexy as hell in that, Dr. Lansing
, she’d said.

 I’ll take it
, he’d told the clerk.

“What exactly is your concern, Mr. Bosco?” Finn asked.

“It’s threefold. First, I have grave misgivings about the school’s increasing role as a social-service agency.” He picked up a blue book. “I read the curriculum for these health electives, for example, and there’re all sorts of sensitivity exercises to put the students in touch with their
feelings
. There are also lessons to get them to share their personal problems. This is
not
our role.” He lifted his double chin. “Second, we should be concentrating on basics, instead. It’s the same point I made as a teacher when I opposed the social-studies electives.” Not that anyone had listened. Both the English Department and the Social Studies Department had a wide range of excellent courses in place. “We need to study the Civil War, not psychology,” he stated pompously.

“God forbid the kids understand how the human mind works,” Seth whispered under his breath.

“And last, the budget concerns me. I ran for this board seat on a platform that promised to cut costs. There are many, many places we can reduce our spending.” He knuckled the curriculum. “This is one.”

Joe Finn took in a deep breath. “I’d like Seth Taylor to address these concerns and then open the discussion up to the community” He smiled encouragingly at the principal.

Seth stood. Zoe could see a muscle leap in his jaw but he kept his shoulders relaxed. “First, though we don’t like having to be social workers for the kids, the fact remains that there are times we have to be. We need all the staff psychologists, school counselors and innovative programs we’ve amassed just to keep kids out of gangs and curb the violence erupting all over the country.” Seth warmed to the topic. “A study done on school shootings just this year indicates that students connecting with teachers and staff about their problems is the most significant factor in stopping student violence. It’s
disconnecting
that leads kids to bring guns to school.”

Zoe knew this concern was vital to all educators.

Seth continued, “Second, the numbers for our health electives had to be limited to make this an effective program. Ms. Caufield can’t supervise more than fifteen students per course per semester, given the rest of her class load. And there’s a long waiting list for these courses, so you can see they’re popular. And valued.”

Next to her Kurt moved restlessly.

“And last, the board has been very pleased with our college attendance rate—it continues to rise. I’d like to remind you that colleges insist on community service as part of an applicant’s résumé. This course helps fill that need.”

Bosco’s face reddened. “They can volunteer on their own.”

Zoe raised her hand. “May I speak to that?”

“Of course, Zoe.” Joe gave her an encouraging nod.

She stood. “The kids do continue their volunteer work after the course ends. Seventy-five percent of them stay at the workplace for the following semester and into subsequent years.”

“Speaking of the placements...” Bosco began, cutting her off. Zoe had no choice but to reseat herself. She had more to say, but she’d vowed not to antagonize Jerry. “I’m distressed to see that so many of our students will be working at the teen clinic that’s scheduled to open in a few weeks.”

“Why is that, Jerry?” Leonard Small asked.

“It’s no secret I opposed the approval of that establishment.” Bosco had been a busy beaver sabotaging all the programs needed in Bayview Heights to help out kids. “This clinic has the potential for giving our young people wrong ideas.”

“How so?” Leonard’s voice held traces of impatience.

“God only knows what’ll go on there. Birth control without parental consent. Free counseling. Hell, they’ll probably do abortions at the drop of a hat.”

Kurt straightened. Zoe stole a quick look at him. His jaw was set and his eyes narrowed on the front of the room. He raised his hand, too. “I’d like to address that.”

“All—”

Bosco leaned over to his mike and cut off the superintendent. “He can’t. He’s neither a staff member nor a resident.”

“But I am a resident of Bayview Heights. I’ve moved to this community and am in the process of buying a home here.”

“And your relation to this issue?” Marian Smith, a pretty single mother sitting on the other side of Bosco, asked.

“I’m running the clinic, Mrs. Smith. I’m Kurt Lansing.” His smile could charm a snake out of its skin. It certainly worked on Marian.

“Go ahead, then,” the woman said sweetly.

Jerry Bosco leaned back with a
harrumph
.

Kurt rose with calm assurance. “My clinic will be run like the others I have in New York.”

“This isn’t the big city, Lansing,” Jerry said.

“No, but you have the same problems here. The difference is, you have a better chance of curtailing them, dealing with them, because you’re small. As we all know, frustrated, upset teens do dangerous things. Already, the innovative programs, like the health electives and the At Risk courses, and the general Resiliency program Seth started at the high school, have contributed to helping your teenagers cope with their lives. My clinic will support and augment all that.”

“Will you hand out contraceptives without parental consent?” Jerry asked pointedly.

“Each case will be dealt with individually,” Kurt replied smoothly. “And we’ll abide by the law.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled at the rest of the board. “I want to be part of the good work you’re doing with kids here. I can assure you, I only want to help.”

When Kurt sat down, Seth leaned over Zoe. “Thanks, buddy,” he whispered.

Kurt nodded. Zoe gave him a weak smile. She appreciated his support, but damn it, one of the things she always found irresistible about the man was his dedication to his work, and his concern for kids. In that, they were perfectly matched.

The thought scared her.

She barely listened to Bosco’s rant about how vigilant he intended to be, both on the school board about her classes and on the council about the clinic. Her heart was thumping in her chest. It would be hard to resist getting drawn in by the man beside her. She’d have to be very careful to protect herself from him.

At eleven, after heated discussion with the community—including praise by Philip Cartwright’s group for both the school and the clinic—the meeting broke up. Seth faced her and Kurt.

“This could be a mess. We’re all going to have to work closely to keep Jerry Bosco out of our programs. And we need to avoid any negative publicity.”

Her gaze locked with Kurt’s. His was apologetic. She imagined hers was fearful.

God, she hoped she was up to this. She simply couldn’t let him break her heart again. She didn’t think she’d survive it a second time.

CHAPTER THREE

JUST AS JULIA was about to ask her friends whether anyone was up for shopping after school, Ms. Caufield headed toward them. She reached the group with stage-worthy flourish. “Okay, ladies, disperse and find your partners.”

Julia sighed dramatically. She wore an electric-blue shirt, which topped a black wraparound skirt she’d gotten for a song in the city. “Just one second, Ms. C. I wanted to—”

“No excuses, Sarah Bernhardt. Find your partner.” She gave Julia The Look—which everybody knew meant business. “Now.”

It took a few minutes, but soon Caufield’s Chicks split up. Julia found herself seated once again with Dan Caruso. The only thing she’d known about him before this week was that he was in the At Risk classes and he dressed mostly in black. Now she’d discovered that his family called him Danny, he was two years older than she was, and he never removed the expensive-looking diamond stud from his ear. Today they’d get into heavy stuff. “Ready to bare all, Danny boy?” she asked.

Looking bored, Dan shrugged. “It’s cool. Doesn’t matter what you think of me.”

“So,” she said, opening her notebook and ignoring his comment. From the things he’d told her, she sensed his surliness was a cover for deep feelings. “Where do we begin?”

“Probably with the questions we hammered out in class yesterday.” He shook his head. “You in never-never land again or what?”