Forever Bound (3 page)

“I said her name is…Jessileigh.”

“What the hell kind of name is that?” Cole asked.

“A beauty-queen-in-training name,” I said.

“Okay, so you’ve got…three whole names memorized. Good for you.”

“Don’t patronize me, Levi,” I said. “And then there’s Lily.”

“Who’s she?” Sebastian asked.

“She’s in my class, and her mom is a teacher here. The kid ratted me out, I think, because her mom came in and introduced herself this morning.”

“So, because a fellow teacher introduced herself, you think that the kid ratted you out? Paranoid much?” Cole asked.

“Oh, she didn’t come in to introduce herself so much as she came in to…inspect and pass judgment.”

“Yeah, okay,” Levi said. “There’s no time to deal with your insecurities, Dec. You’ve got a job to do, and you need to quit whining about it. This case is important—a child’s welfare is at stake. You need to suck it up and do what you’re there to do.”

“It’s not so cut and dried, you know! I’m not just looking after the kid…”

“Jessileigh,” he corrected.

“Fine. Jessileigh. I’m expected to teach a room full of kids! What the hell do I know about teaching the first grade?”

“You obviously passed the first grade,” Sebastian said. “How hard can it be?”

“Maybe I need to go and talk to the principal and see what the bare minimum is that I can get away with.”

“No,” Levi said, more firmly this time. “You are going to shut up and man up and follow the damn rules and do your job. Are we clear?”

It wasn’t like Levi to be so…boss-like. Unfortunately, he had a point. I’d never had a challenge that I couldn’t handle. I’d never shied away from any task. I was the confident one, the cocky one, the one that made fun of other people’s insecurities.

It was time to put on my big-boy pants and get to work.

And brush up on my first grade math.

***

I was feeling pretty confident the next morning. I spent the entire night going over the notes that Eileen had left for me and basically learning the essentials of the first grade.

Not a good feeling for a guy who passed the first grade almost thirty years ago.

So there I was, walking down the hall, a little spring in my step, when I looked up and saw…her. Kristin was heading my way, and part of me wanted to do a quick sidestep into the nearest open doorway. Avoidance wasn’t usually my thing, but if Lily complained to her mother again…well, I didn’t need Kristin bringing me down. Not when I was feeling good about what I accomplished.

“Mr. Curtis,” she said with a sincere smile as she approached.

That instantly made me suspicious, but I forced myself to remain calm. “Ms. Andrews. How are you today?” I hated polite, social chit-chat.

“Fine. Thanks.” She eyed the stack of books and folders in my arms, and her smile seemed to grow. “It looks like you had a lot of homework last night.”

“You could say that,” I said evenly. We stood there in amicable silence for a minute and that was when it hit me. Kristin Andrews wasn’t “cute”—not like I thought yesterday. Looking at her now—with a little more a relaxed attitude—I noticed that she was really quite attractive. She had a girl-next-door thing going on that was kind of appealing.

“I hope the kids aren’t giving you too hard of a time. They tend to take advantage when there’s a substitute in the room.”

There was no condescension in her tone, and that made me relax even more. Maybe we had just gotten off on the wrong foot yesterday. She had a really great smile, and I felt myself being suddenly drawn to her. “I’ll admit that they’re a little tougher than I expected.” We both chuckled at that, and Kristin rested her hand on my arm.

And that one innocent gesture felt more intimate than anything I’d felt in a long time.

“Never underestimate a six year old. They can be bossy and opinionated and…” She sighed. “Great.”

“You’ve got a great daughter,” I heard myself say.

Kristin nodded. “Yes, I do.” Her eyes met mine, and it was all I could do to stop myself from leaning in and resting my forehead on hers right before I kissed her.

Wait. Kiss her? What?

Off in the distance, I could hear people starting to walk around the hallway. I cleared my throat and took a step back. What the hell was I thinking? I was here to do a job. I had a kid to protect and a group of kids who were expecting me to be teaching them…something. Anything.

I looked at Kristin and saw the same dazed expression on her face that I was sure was on mine.

Glad to see I wasn’t alone.

“I…I better go,” she said, suddenly seeming shy. And without another word, she walked away.

And damn if I didn’t stand there and watch the soft sway of her hips as she made her way down the hall.

Kristin

Rose Dwyer had been the school secretary for as long as I’d been teaching here. She was an attractive woman in her thirties who was single and perpetually looking for a man.

I’d always liked her, and she was invariably my source if I needed news on anything going on at the school.

A week later, when I stopped by the office to check my box, I paused by her desk to chat and find out a little more about Declan Curtis, whose teaching I was getting increasingly worried about.

“So what’s the word on the guy who’s subbing in first grade?” I asked, after I’d inquired about her weekend and heard about her date from hell.

She gave an exaggerated sigh and raised her hand to her chest. “Isn’t he dreamy? Every unmarried woman in the school is asking me about him, so you’re going to have some competition. I just love a sexy guy in glasses.”

I was so surprised by the comment that I gaped for a few seconds. “
What
? I’m not interested in him.”

“Well, why not? He’s gorgeous and charming and obviously likes kids. What more could you want?”

I shouldn’t have been shocked at the swooning look in Rose’s eyes, since the man was obviously daydream material—if you only cared about superficial qualities. But I definitely didn’t want anyone thinking I was interested in him. I could just imagine how the gossip around the school would spin out of control if that idea got started. “I’m sure he’s great, but he’s not my type.”

I thought about my reactions to our brief encounters and had to remind myself very strongly that he was absolutely
not my type
.

“I guess not.” Rose’s smile shifted slightly. “I guess your type is tall, dark, and serious. Like Nick.”

“Yeah. Nick was my type.” I felt a familiar pang at the thought of my dead husband, but the grief no longer crippled me the way it had during the first year after he’d died. “Anyway, I wanted to know what the word is on this guy in terms of his teaching. Where did he teach before? Why is he just subbing instead of getting a regular teaching job?”

“I’m not sure,” Rose admitted. “I figured maybe he’s got some sort of personal issue going on. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s hoping this will turn into a full-time job, though.”

“How much experience did he have before?”

“I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you look at his application?”

“No. Chuck took care of all that himself.”

Chuck was the principal of the school, and he usually let Rose handle the application process for new teachers—so this surprised me. Why didn’t anyone know about this guy’s background? “So you don’t know where he taught before?”

“I don’t. But he must have a good background, or Chuck wouldn’t have given him the job over our regular subs. There haven’t been any complaints or anything from students or parents, and Chuck goes to stop by the class to observe a few times a day.”

“He looks in on the class that often? If he doesn’t think the guy knows what he’s doing, then why give him the position at all?”

Rose gave a little shrug. “I don’t know. But I’m not complaining. Nothing like a little eye-candy to make the day a little brighter.”

I managed not to sneer, since I really did like Rose most of the time, and I didn’t want her to see how annoyed I was that she was swooning over Declan Curtis.

After all, it wasn’t like he was so drop-dead gorgeous that a sensible woman would turn into an idiot. He was attractive enough, with those golden looks of his, but I hadn’t seen anything else to impress me.

“Do you not like him for some reason?” Rose asked, evidently catching something in my expression.

“I don’t know him. I’ve only seen him around. But Lily says that he’s not really teaching them anything.”

“It’s first grade.”

“I know it’s first grade, but that doesn’t mean the day needs to be wasted on frivolous activities. There’s a lot kids need to learn during that year, and it’s not right if this guy isn’t taking it seriously.”

“I’m sure he is. He’s just probably one of those teachers who can turn learning into such fun that kids hardly notice they’re learning.”

“Lily knows if she’s learning or not.” I let out a breath, telling myself to be patient and not jump to unfair conclusions. Maybe he was easing into things, and he’d start buckling down soon.

He’d had more than a week now, though, and nothing had changed in the classroom, according to Lily.

“Maybe she’s learning things and doesn’t realize it.”

“Or maybe he’s just treating teaching like a game. Like it’s not really important work. Teaching isn’t easy. Not just anyone can do it.”

“I know that.” Rose smiled in a particular way. “You’re really riled up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this riled up before.”

“Yes, I’m riled up. Teaching is important. First grade is important. And it shouldn’t be thrown away on an overgrown kid, no matter how sexy he is.”

The momentum of my words had caused me to step back and raise my voice slightly. Then I noticed Rose’s expression change, and her eyes shifted to something over my shoulder.

I froze, realizing immediately what her distraction meant. Someone else was in the office.

When I turned to look, I saw Declan leaning against the doorframe with his typical leisurely confidence. He had a half-smile on his face.

I was momentarily overwhelmed with mortification, wondering how much he’d heard and if it was obvious I was talking about him.

I didn’t like the man, but I never would have laid him out right to his face.

Then he gave me a little wink, evidently caring not at all about what he’d just overheard.

I sucked in an indignant breath and turned away. The man was absolutely infuriating. Didn’t he take anything seriously at all?

To keep myself from saying something unforgivably rude, I turned away from him and walked over to the shelf of staff mailboxes. The handouts for today’s classes I’d needed copied were in there, so I grabbed them, taking a minute to pull myself together again.

“You’re looking particularly ravishing today, Rose,” I heard Declan saying behind me in a tone that was light, almost playful.

I tried not to roll my eyes. It was probably habitual with him. He was the type to flirt with anyone of the female variety.

Rose giggled in response.

I smoothed down my skirt with one hand as I turned around. Today, I was wearing one of what Lily called my “teacher dresses”—a belted blue shirtdress that was comfortable and looked slightly old-fashioned. It was flattering enough but definitely didn’t look “ravishing.”

“Have a good day, Rose,” I said with a smile. Then I nodded to Declan out of general civility.

He grinned at me as he walked over to check his mailbox too.

I was glad to be rid of him as I left the office, so I was surprised and not at all pleased when I realized he’d followed me and had fallen in step with me as I walked down the hall toward my classroom.

He was probably going to his classroom too.

I wished—I really, really wished—I didn’t feel a rush of attraction as I looked up at his handsome face and warm grin.

“So how is your class going?” I asked, trying to sound natural and not like he’d flustered me.

He had, but he didn’t need to know it.

“You tell me.” His expression was slightly smug, as if he knew I had doubts about him.

“Lily says you give the students a lot of free time.”

“It’s good for them. They enjoy it.”

“Yes, but they’re just in first-grade, and they need structure to learn.”

He paused in front of his classroom and looked down on me like he could see a lot deeper into my head than he should. “I bet you need structure too.”

“What does that mean?”

He gave an amused shrug. “You look like the kind of woman who likes structure. When was the last time you did something spontaneous?”

“I don’t have time or energy for much spontaneity. I have a class full of fourth-graders and Lily to raise.”

“I’m sure her dad must help a little.”

I felt my spine stiffen. Declan obviously didn’t know about my marital situation. He still had that almost lazy, flirtatious look about him—as if he were used to charming the pants off women without even trying. He wasn’t coming onto me or anything. It was likely just his habitual manner. “Lily’s dad is dead,” I said, making sure my voice was mild so I didn’t sound upset or angry with him for bringing it up.

His expression instantly changed. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. You didn’t know. But he liked structure too, as a matter of a fact. He was a SEAL.”

He glanced away from my face briefly before he looked back. “I was a Marine. I know what it’s like to lose someone.”

He wasn’t looking particularly intense or deep or serious, but I could tell he meant it. He had lost someone he cared about. He did know how it felt. He understood.

And the attraction I’d been feeling for him heightened so quickly it left me breathless. For the first time, I felt like he was more than a good-looking waste of space.

I cleared my throat, telling myself I needed to get it together quick. It was fine if I was starting to think about men again—I wasn’t going to feel guilty about that—but I was all screwed up if I was thinking in the direction of Declan.

He just wasn’t the kind of man it was smart to take seriously.

“How long were you in the Marines?” I asked, genuinely curious, since I still wanted to put his background together.

He opened his mouth to respond automatically, but then closed it again. Then said, “A few years.”

“Where did you go to college?”

“Why do you want to know?” He stepped closer to me, so much so that he was definitely in my personal space.

I lost my breath again, since his body was so close, so big, so masculine. I suddenly wanted to touch it. “Just curious. It’s a normal question, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, you said you were a Marine, so I just wondered how college and teaching fit into that. Did you go to college first and then join the Marines? Or did you go back to school after you got out?”

“Why don’t we have coffee some time, and you can ask me all about my background.” There was a particular drawl to his tone that was impossible not to recognize.

Was he actually asking me out? He wouldn’t even answer the most simple of questions about his background, and yet he thought I was so easy that I’d still fall under his spell. “I don’t think so,” I said, making sure my voice was almost gentle, rather than biting off his head the way I really wanted. “You’re my daughter’s teacher. I need to get to my class.”

I walked down the hall towards my classroom, soon feeling calm again and more myself.

It wasn’t like he was the first guy to ever ask me out, even after Nick had died. I’d lived a very quiet life for the last two years, but I shouldn’t let something as little as this fluster me so much.

As I opened the door to my classroom, I realized that Declan hadn’t answered a single one of my questions. And I suddenly wondered if he’d asked me out just to get me to leave him alone.

***

“I did good on my story, Mommy,” Lily said that afternoon, as she was emptying her backpack as she always did after we got home from school.

“You did
well
,” I corrected automatically.

“I did well,” she repeated, not troubled at all by the correction. She always liked to learn.

“Did you?” I was slicing up an apple for her, but I glanced over my shoulder to see the piece of paper she was holding. “I’d like to read it.”

“Okay. Do you want me to read it to you?”

“That would be great.”

As I finished getting her afternoon snack together, she read out in a slow, precise voice. “
I like trees. I like to climb trees. I have a tree in my yard that I climb. I sit on a branch and have fun. I never fall
.”

“That’s really good, Lily.” I brought the sliced apple and cheese over to the kitchen counter, where she was sitting on her stool. “You used some hard words in that.”

“I know. Mr. Curtis said it was perfect and gave me a star.”

“That was great.” I was feeling better—and slightly guilty—since obviously they’d been practicing some real writing in class. I scanned the piece of paper on which she’d written her sentences and drawn a brown-haired girl in a tree. “Oops, you spelled ‘climb’ wrong. There’s a ‘b’ at the end of it.”

Lily frowned soberly down at her paper. “There is?” She reached over and grabbed a pen from the cup we kept them in and carefully wrote a “b” at the end of the word. “Like this?”

“Right. Perfect.”

“Why is there a ‘b’ at the end? We don’t say clim-b.”

“No, but it’s a silent ‘b’. Sometimes it’s there and you can’t hear it.”

“Why didn’t Mr. Curtis tell me I got it wrong?” She was breathing heavily, obviously upset about her mistake. She’d always been a little perfectionist.