Random Acts (26 page)

“Excited and scared.” She laughed and motioned to the coffee pot, which had just finished perking. “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Sure.”

Turning her back to him, she struggled to regain her composure. He was one hot guy, no doubt about it, but she wasn’t looking for that kind of complication in her life right now.

Not that he’d come on to her in any way since she’d hired him. The arrangement they’d worked out helped them both. When she’d bought the building that housed Past Promises, it had needed a lot of sweat and elbow grease to make it livable. Which wasn’t a problem. Linda wasn’t afraid of hard labor.

The building was almost a hundred years old, three stories high and built of brick. The main floor was the retail space, but sometime in the nineteen-seventies someone had converted the two upper floors into apartments. Linda had revamped the top floor for her own use. She hadn’t planned on renting out the second floor apartment until Jonah Sutter had approached her about Levi.

Jonah was married to Amanda Barrington, Amanda Sutter now, a friend of Linda’s from Vermont who had also relocated to Jamesville. Jonah had introduced her to Levi, who was looking for a place to stay and was willing to work in exchange for rent. It had saved her a bundle on the renovations. Levi could do the work of three men and there wasn’t much, if anything, he couldn’t do.

Cyndi and Shamus O’Rourke, more friends who lived in Jamesville, had pitched in to help her as well. Shamus was a partner in B & O Construction, a local contracting company, so he’d given her great advice and a good price on work when she’d needed it done.

Jonah had done his part as well, using his skill as an electrician to upgrade all the electrical work in the building. Not for the first time, she was thankful for her new friends and glad she’d made the move. The contrast between her friends and her family made her stomach ache.

It was no good to question why her parents and brother couldn’t just be happy for her. They were what they were, but she was through trying to please them.

She finished pouring the coffee into a paper cup and handed it to Levi. From past experience, she knew he took his black. Over the past few months of working together she’d gotten to know him fairly well. Or as well as anyone knew him. Levi was incredibly self-contained, keeping to himself when he wasn’t working. But she’d like to think they’d become friends, of a sort.

“Thanks.” Their fingers grazed as he took the coffee from her. Heat shot down her arm and her breasts tingled.

She dropped her hand and rubbed it up and down the fine wool of her dress pants. It was distressing how quickly her body reacted to Levi. It had been that way from the first moment she’d met him. All the man had to do was walk in the room and she felt her body temperature rise. She had to control herself. Levi was a friend, nothing more.

She didn’t know his entire story, but she knew he’d been in the army with Jonah—Special Forces. He’d left the military and had come to Jamesville to help Jonah about six months ago and had stayed. She figured he was entitled to take some time to figure out what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

Besides which, he was the perfect tenant. He was quiet and he’d done more than enough work to pay for at least six more months’ rent. She had no idea how long he was staying and hadn’t worked up the courage to ask. The last thing she wanted to do was make him think she wanted him gone.

“I think you’ve got your first customers waiting outside.” Levi’s quiet voice broke the silence between them. She looked at him and he canted his head toward the door. Sure enough, through the huge display window beside the front door, she could see Cyndi, Shamus, Amanda and Jonah waiting to get inside. All her friends had come to her opening.

Smiling, she let all thoughts of her family and her sexual feelings for Levi slip away. Plenty of time to deal with them later. Or not. Taking a deep breath, she strode across the store and unlocked the door. “Welcome to Past Promises.”

Levi set his coffee on the counter the minute Linda’s back was turned. Whatever was in that letter had upset her. He’d stood in the shadows watching her for several minutes before he’d spoken. He’d seen the way she unconsciously placed her hand over her stomach, the way her shoulders had hunched forward.

He didn’t like it.

Reaching down, he plucked the letter out of the garbage and stuffed it in his back pocket. He’d read it later and decide if there was anything he could do to help her.

Some might consider it an invasion of privacy, but not Levi. He had skills that most people didn’t and if he could use them to help someone he cared for then that’s what he should do. Besides which, she’d thrown it in the trash without even tearing it up or shredding it. That made it fair game in his mind.

Accept no substitute…for love.

Take a Chance on Me

© 2010 Kate Davies

The Lady Doth Protest Too Much

Jessica Martin is determined to earn a permanent teaching position at Summit High School. That means hard work, dedication, and even volunteering extra time to direct the school’s Shakespeare play. Which leaves no room for romance—especially with a co-worker. She didn't factor in the school's sexy security officer and the delicious fantasies he inspires.

Too Much Of A Good Thing

Former cop Tom Cameron likes his job. Or he did, until the new substitute busted his orderly life right open. Now, he can’t seem to avoid her—deserted hallways, empty theaters, classrooms after dark—but he’s got too many skeletons in his closet to risk his heart again. Asking her out to distract her from the play’s, well,
drama
is a friendly gesture. Nothing more.

The Course Of True Love Never Did Run Smooth

Their chemistry could melt down the science lab, and before long they’re burning up the sheets off-campus. And uncovering raw emotions—a stark reminder that love isn’t in their curricula. When a troubled student goes over the edge, though, the need to stop a tragedy brings them right back where they started—face to face with fate.

Warning: This book contains sexy encounters in classrooms, inappropriate use of school facilities, backstage shenanigans, and illicit activities on a ferryboat.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Take a Chance on Me:

Jessica was late.

Her first day, and she was actually going to walk in late. She grabbed her blue canvas bag and strode toward the front of the school, checking her watch for the umpteenth time.
Pull yourself together
, she scolded herself.
You need to make a good impression or—Oof!
She pitched forward onto her hands and knees, tripped by a tree root poking up through the old concrete sidewalk.

Papers flew out of her book bag, spilling into the gutter and fluttering across the street. She stomped after them, grabbing her papers out of random puddles and shoving them, damp and crumpled, back into the bag. Slinging it over her shoulder once again, she walked quickly to the front steps.

How many steps were there anyway? They hadn’t looked this steep when she’d arrived for her interview last week.

But then she was so excited to even
have
an interview, she’d practically flown up the stairs on her way to the appointment. After getting her certification in December, she’d assumed she would spend the remainder of the school year subbing. But here she was, two weeks into January, and actually starting a job teaching in her subject area. Of course, it was only through the end of the school year, but still…

Jessica shook her head and began the trek up the stairs.

If only her alarm hadn’t chosen today of all days to give up the ghost. If only every stoplight in town hadn’t conspired against her. If only. She sighed. No use worrying about it now.

At least she had prep for her first period, so her students wouldn’t be standing in the hallway knocking on her classroom door. But it would have been nice to actually have that prep time to, well, prepare.

Jessica pulled the heavy door open and walked through, glancing down the hall in both directions. Where exactly was her classroom? The office, of course, was directly in front of her, but there was no way she could waltz in forty-five minutes late and ask directions.

She rummaged around in her bag and pulled out page after page of dirty, crumpled paper until she found the school map, which had been included in her orientation packet. She squinted, brushing ineffectually at the muddy footprint obscuring the drawing. Heels clicking on the aggregate flooring, Jessica walked down the hallway.
Okay, if this is the office, then the language arts wing should be down the main hall and to the—

“Hall pass.”

Startled, Jessica stopped mid-stride.

A man in a charcoal-gray jacket leaned against a concrete support post, one hand in his pocket, the other stretched out in front of her. Puzzled, she started to speak, but a burst of static pulled his attention away. He tilted his head toward his shoulder, listening to the mumbled voice over the walkie-talkie, then muttered into the microphone attached to his lapel. Jessica sidestepped his outstretched hand and continued to walk down the hallway.

“I said, hall pass.”

Jessica turned around.

He pushed away from the post and took a step toward her, arms crossed. “Don’t think you can get out of this just because I got a call.”

“Get out of what?” Jessica asked. “Look, Mr.—”

“Cameron.”

“Mr. Cameron, not to be rude, but I’m late, and—”

“Exactly. That’s why I need your hall pass.”

“I don’t have a hall pass, I’m—”

“Fine. Follow me.”

“But, Mr. Cameron…”

He fixed her with a level stare. “Follow me.” He turned on his heel and strode towards the main office.

Jessica rolled her eyes and followed. At least she could ask this Mr. Cameron where her classroom was instead of wandering around aimlessly until the bell rang. Not that she particularly wanted to show her face in the office—she’d hoped to slink to her classroom and pretend she had been there since 7:30.

Oh, well. Some things couldn’t be helped, and it was probably better to deal with this misunderstanding in the office rather than hashing it out in the hall.

Mr. Cameron pushed the door open, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Jessica was behind him. She increased her speed, almost jogging in an attempt to keep up with his long-legged stride. He turned past the staff mailboxes and walked into a small office, flicking on the light as he entered. Sitting down behind a scarred metal desk, he indicated the seat opposite with a nod of his head.

Jessica sat and opened her mouth to speak. Mr. Cameron held up his hand.

“Don’t bother,” he said. “I’ve heard every excuse in the book. Probably even used a few back in the day. Just give me your name and I’ll fill out the detention slip.”

“Detention slip? Mr. Cameron—”

“I’m sorry, but rules are rules. In the hall without a pass, automatic detention.”

Jessica shook her head in exasperation. “If you would just give me a minute to explain,” she began, but he cut her off again.

“That’s enough, young lady. Your name, please.”

“Good morning, Tom. I see you’ve met Maggie’s replacement.” Both heads swiveled toward the open doorway where a gray-haired woman in a green and black checked dress stood smiling at them.

Mr. Cameron blinked twice, his brow furrowed. “Replacement? You mean she’s a—”

“I believe the word is teacher,” Jessica supplied, arching an eyebrow at him. She stuck out her hand. “Jessica Martin.”

He hesitated, then took her hand in his. “Tom Cameron.”

His grip was strong, confident, professional. The handshake lasted only a second or two, but Jessica glanced at her palm, startled, as a pulse of energy lingered after contact was broken. Darting a look at Tom, she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. Had that arrogant, condescending man noticed the spark too?

Mentally, she shook off the absurd notion and refocused her attention on Celeste Winters, principal of Summit High.

“Good to see you, Jessica,” she said. “I see you’ve met Summit’s security officer. Tom keeps an eye out for trouble, helps with discipline issues, that sort of thing. If you have any difficulties, I’m sure he’d be happy to help you out.”

Jessica wouldn’t have chosen the word happy to describe Tom Cameron.

“Oh, by the way,” Celeste added. “I walked past your classroom this morning and saw that it was dark. Anything I should know about?”

Cheeks burning, Jessica shook her head. “Bad morning,” she mumbled. “It won’t happen again.”

“That’s good. However, you need to get down there soon since the bell is going to ring any minute now. In fact,” she added, looking at Mr. Cameron, “why don’t you show Jessica to her room, Tom? She won’t have to wander the halls, and you can keep an eye out for truancies.” She paused. “Student truancies, that is.” She turned and walked briskly down the hall to her office.

Jessica bit her lip, staring at the scarred desktop. Everything on it was tidy, from the color-coordinated notations on the calendar/blotter to the stack of papers in the to-be-filed box. Even the pens in the SHS mug stood at attention. Mr. Cameron would probably run screaming if he ever saw her desk at home.