Page 54 of Lipstick Kiss

“Yep. If there are florins and the whereabouts are known, even if it’s a clue, I can’t imagine Cynthia would leave them in that study. When Dad died, we had to go back to the rigs after the funeral. She had all the time in the world to hide away anything of interest.”

“I’m hoping she doesn’t know what she’s looking for, seeing as she was stripped of her inheritance and only gained it when Dad died. Her father would have been too elderly to care.”

“She cares. If there is any chance something might allude to money, you can bet she had stuffed it under her mattress.”

Luke laughed at the picture Archer was painting.

“Seriously, Brother, if you’re miserable in the role of conference and banqueting manager, we’ll find another place for you where you are happy. I don’t want you to regret coming home.”

“Okay, thanks, Archer. I better get to the office beforeStan has a fit if I’m not answering the phone. I do not want a spanner on my desk.”

“That is the truth. I think Jason will have words if he produces another spanner from his coat pocket.”

“That was so funny. Right, I’m off, see you later,” Luke said, strolling away with his hands in his pockets, wondering if he could go through with what he’d told Archer he would do.

Confessing to Freya how he felt was monumental, but he didn’t see a way forward unless he told her and found out how she felt about him.

Chapter Seventeen

Freya

When Freya had an inset day, it was bliss. A later alarm clock, a casual stroll to work, getting comfy in the staff lounge with her colleagues, and then getting to work setting up her plans for the new term. Her day started spectacularly watching the rowing team exercise on the lawns. Heidi had tipped her off but made it clear she was staying in bed so she could gawp on her own. Ten minutes after she arrived to watch, this time without her blow-up chair, Archer joined her at the balustrade. He handed her a freshly made coffee. The coffee came via Jason, whose wife told him to get a cup to her while she watched. She loved her friends like they were her family. She’d hitched a lift with her brother Keith who was helping Ralph erect some kind of apparatus for the boys to practise on down at the beach. She’d walk back to school as she had plenty of time.

Bumping into Luke was a lovely surprise, especiallyseeing him in his suit trousers, shirt and scowling face. Why he was moody, she was checking out the guys she’d never know. Freya hoped he wouldn’t turn into an overbearing best friend even though he didn’t want her romantically. He’d made that clear with the reaction to her engagement ring. She fiddled with it as she sat at her school desk, sifting through her notebooks for the following term’s timetable, when her head teacher, Dudley Morris, came strolling in.

“I hope you’re making good use of your time today, Ms Riley. If you don’t have enough to do, I can always give you extra work.”

Mr Morris had been surly for weeks. It was like he honed into her happiness about Luke returning for good and then let loose on causing her stress at work. The number of after-school classes he made her take. Lunchtime sessions meant she had to eat her lunch in six and a half minutes otherwise, she would have to function on coffee, and she had done that too many times to know it wouldn’t work. It had been full-on all term, staying late every night to cover each staff member that called in sick. As the only single teaching staff member, Mr Morris decided she was the best fit to cover, and it would look good on her CV for future roles. Freya wasn’t planning on leaving the school until she retired. If she never got promoted, then so be it. She loved teaching. So why he thought she needed to beef up her CV, she didn’t know. But she understood the logic that she had no one to go home to, where the other teachers had families. She didn’t question why he didn’t cover as his children had long since flown the nest, and his wife divorced him years ago. He was the head teacher, as he often reminded her when she asked pointed questions. Working late meant the morning jaunt up to EdwardHall was the first time she had seen Luke all week, making her grumpy. Especially after learning he’d kept her letters after all.

“I think I’ve done my fair share this term, Mr Morris. Covering everyone else’s classes after school. Supervising the martial arts class was interesting, seeing as I’ve never done that skill before.”

She couldn’t help her sarcasm and winced internally, knowing she’d regret the outburst.

“A school is for learning, Ms Riley. Hopefully, you’ve learned something this term.”

“Was there a particular lesson you wanted me to focus on?” she asked.

His hidden meaning was lost on her because he was definitely hinting at something.

“Don’t play the fool,” he replied.

Just as he turned, Luke came skidding to a stop at her classroom door. He was holding a familiar bag.

“Luke Turner. I never thought I’d see you back here. You didn’t much enjoy it the first time around.”

“I think you’ll find, despite your constant bullying, I had full attendance,” Luke replied.

The penny dropped, and her skin went clammy. Was Mr Morris being mean to her because she was best friends with Luke Turner? What did Luke do to Mr Morris?

“I shall have to check the records,” Mr Morris replied.

“Unless they’ve removed it, you don’t have to. My name is engraved on the honour roll in the main hall,” Luke clipped out.

No one liked being called a liar, but Luke hated it.

Freya could see the fury rolling off Mr Morris. His spine went straighter then his hands fisted at his sides. He turned his upper body and looked at Freya.

“You’d better make this quick. I don’t pay you to talk to a Turner.”

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