Page 18 of Unbreakable Love

SIX

PENNY

This was it. My first full week as a full-time teacher. While Friday had been an exciting day, getting to spend it with my classroom for the first time, we spent most of the day getting to know each other and reviewing what they were learning so I could hit the ground running this week.

I spent all day yesterday memorizing Faye’s lessons plans, reworking them to fit my own teaching style, and adding extra activities I thought would help drive the math and English work home. On top of that, I had to drive an hour to find the closest Walmart where I could purchase more things for my home, including a desk I’d have to find time to put together soon. Given the time in travel alone, I came back home and paid for an Amazon Prime subscription, something I’d never consider paying for in the past. But the gas savings alone would make it worth it.

That was the only slight hitch in an otherwise perfect weekend.

Well, outside Gavin walking me home the other night. But I’d been trying really hard to forget the spicy sandalwood scent I’d noticed when his bicep accidentally brushed against mine on the way home. I’d also been trying to forget that he refused to stop at his own house when we reached it and insisted on walking me to mine.

He’d stayed on the sidewalk until I was inside, like he’d done Thursday, and like I’d done Thursday, once I was inside and had flipped on the lights, I’d peeked out the blinds to see him turn away and head back to his own house.

It was a gentleman thing to do to, that was all.

And yet, I still reveled in the small smile he gave me when I told him I was impressed with his success. I also might have checked his house on Sunday for any sign of him or Josie when I was coming and going, and maybe once or twice when I walked past my living room window. The home had stayed quiet, though, and I’d slapped my own hand when I reached for the blinds late last night to check one more time.

I was his daughter’s teacher, and that daughter would be skipping into my classroom any moment, if last Friday’s arrival was any indication of how Josie usually behaved.

A knock hit my door and it opened, and Faye peeked her head in. “Hey. Ready for this morning?” She stepped into the classroom and closed the door behind her.

“I’m as ready as I can be, I think.”

“Good. And your walk home? How was that the other night?”

There was a tone in her voice, a glint in her eye. My eyes narrowed on her. “Are you… are you trying to set me up with my student’s dad?”

“It’s not against the code of ethics.”

I blinked. Blinked again. She couldn’t be serious. “Faye, tell me you’re joking. You don’t even know me!”

“I know Gavin. I know his family and I know Josie and you’re young like him. Someone needs to shake that man up, show him there’s life after a high school girlfriend treats him like crap.”

And she’d been friends with that girlfriend. That I remembered. It also didn’t help I remembered every second I’d spent with that scowling, attractive—all right, drop dead sexy— man.

“And you think that’s me…never mind.” I waved a hand in the air. She was being ridiculous. “It’s not going to happen,” I told her and turned to check my corkboard I’d spent all Saturday decorating. “Is that why you had him walk me home?”

“I couldn’t pass on the timing. You can’t tell me you didn’t think it was odd he stepped outside right after us, did you?”

I hadn’t given it a single moment’s consideration. As soon as he walked into Tom’s and we made eye contact, I’d spent the night studiously avoiding looking in any direction he might be for fear of what could be seen on my face. It’d felt an awful lot like desire, but considering I’d never actually felt it before, I still wasn’t quite sure.

“You’re seeing things that aren’t there.”

“I guess we’ll see,” she quipped. “Have a good day!”

As if I could have a good day now, with her lingering words and schemes on my mind. She vanished from the doorway, and the rumbling of tiny feet weighed down by backpacks thundering up the stairs immediately followed.

Like Friday, Josie was the first one to come barreling into the room, hands wrapped around the straps of her purple backpack, worn, purple cowgirl boots on her feet. Also wearing jeans and a lavender T-shirt, it didn’t take a genius to figure out her favorite color. Today her hair wasn’t in braids like it’d been the first two times I saw her, but falling down her back, all those curls bouncing as she jumped on the balls of her feet.

“Miss Pesco! Guess what!”

“Happy Monday, Josie. You must have something exciting to tell me.” Good gracious, this girl was adorable.

“I do! My grandpa bought a puppy this weekend!”

“He did? That’s great. The puppy must be so cute.”

“Yeah, she is. Landon, that’s my new cousin even though I didn’t use to know he was alive, is getting her for Christmas. He named her Goldie.”

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