Page 13 of Recklessly in Love

“Ah.” I nod. Nate knows I’m headed out this afternoon since he’ll be covering for me this week at the festival. “Thanks, man.”

Mia starts back toward the parking lot, and Nate nods in return. “We’ll be back in an hour. Maybe more.” He gives me a subtle wink as he follows his woman.

I watch them walk away, climb in the car, and drive off before I return to Joanie. Only to find she’s at the bench across the pond, changing back into her boots.

“Going somewhere?” I call across the sheet of ice as I sit back down to change into my own boots.

She smirks and strolls around the edge until she stops before me.

“We,” she stresses, “are going in there.” She tips her head toward the community center. “I’m cold. Want to warm me up?” She looks at me seductively.

I smile at her, then rise, offering my hand again. She takes it, and I lead her through the snow toward the building.

“So, this is your main gig, huh?” she asks, gesturing around her. “Running this place?”

I raise an eyebrow. “The community center? Yeah, something like that.”

She peers out over the pond as we make to round the corner. “There are worse jobs,” she says, then flashes me a smile to let me know she’s not being critical.

“Alpine Ridge growing on you, city girl?” I tease, also realizing I hope it is. I wouldn’t mind if she visited more. But I’m getting ahead of myself, I know.

She shrugs, but I can tell it’s feigned indifference. “It’s all right. So, are you one of the famed locals? Born and raised here?”

I laugh. “God, no. Though my family has had property here for decades,” I explain. “But I came back a few years ago and just kind of stuck around.”

“Fell in love, huh?” she pokes. Not quite teasing, more … looking for information?

“Not just with the town. I have a lot of good memories of this place, and it’s peaceful here,” I explain freely. “No pressure. No expectations. I can just … be here. Do what I want when I want.”

We get to the building, and I push the door open, holding it for her to walk through. I follow her in and let the heavy door close behind us. The sound of it shutting heralds the first time we’ve been completely alone in private, nobody waiting outside to bust in and bother us. At least not for a while yet.

“What did you do before?” she asks.

I lead her down the hall to the office, the only room with a comfortable seat for us both, while I contemplate how to answer her question without spilling my entire life story.

I open the door into the small room and gesture to the old, maroon loveseat under the window next to the small desk and bookshelves that fill the other side of the room.

She folds herself onto one half and drops her coat, hat, gloves, and skates to the side. I toss mine back in the pile on the other side of the desk before joining her on the couch.

“I was a middle school PE teacher in Ellensburg,” I finally admit. “I was ‘made redundant’ and decided that was as good an excuse as any to focus on something else for a while.”

“Did you like it?”

I’m a bit taken aback by her question. “I loved it, actually. I’ve always had a passion for fitness, and it was great getting kids excited about it, too.”

Joanie’s expression softens. “That’s sweet,” she admits. Then she gives me a wicked smile. “God, I can’t imagine if I’d had a PE teacher who looked like you. I bet all those little preteen girls loved you.”

I chuckle. “Unfortunately, yes, that came with the territory.”

“Unfortunately?” she asks shrewdly.

I gaze fixedly into her ice-blue, cutting eyes. I’ll never get used to the effect they have on me. Like I want to tell her everything. I’m not sure if it comes with the law degree or if it’s just her.

“I was dating another teacher. She didn’t love it.”

Joanie barks a sharp laugh. “Well, good that that’s over then. What kind of woman is jealous of a bunch of twelve-year-olds?”

I hesitate, not wanting to badmouth my ex. Or even talk about her right now, not with Joanie.

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