Page 38 of Sugarloaf Ridge Lies

He sips at his beer and licks at the froth that coats his upper lip. “Yup.”

“I met him today. Parent teacher interviews.” Although he told me about his pending posting, I won’t bring it up. He may not have had a chance to tell the rest of his family, and it’s not my place.

“Cool.” He tilts his head and regards me. “So what’s goin’ on with you? You okay? You seem kinda tense.”

Apart from the woman who was just fawning all over you?I shake off the thought.Trust.

“Just work. Today was one of those days where it felt as if everyone was out to get me.”

Thank God school holidays are approaching. Not that it’s much of a holiday, as I’ll be planning out next term, but at least I’ll have time away from a certain parent who thinks my only focus should be their child. Then there’s the complaint. There’s no point telling him about it. Paula must be behind it, and I don’t want Jerry getting involved.

“I had an altercation with an excavator today, so I kinda know how you feel.” He winks and pushes up his sleeve, revealing a bandage around his forearm.

“What happened?” I reach for his arm to inspect the injury, but he pulls back and re-buttons the sleeve of his shirt at the wrist.

“Don’t fuss, sugar. It’s fine.” Jerry scoops up my hand in his. “How ’bout for tonight all we focus on is us, ’kay?”

“You got it.” I link my fingers in between his and squeeze. “There’s this thing I do with my students, so they get to know each other. Want to try it? It could be fun.”

A sly grin tugs at his mouth, and then his tongue darts out and licks at his lower lip. “Alright.”

“So, what we need to do is explain something that we’re good at, one of our favourite memories, and something we really like.”

Jerry winks. “I think I can handle it.”

“Okay, I’ll go first. I’m a champ at Uno. Like a killer champ.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he says and takes a swig of his beer. “You haven’t played me, yet.”

I laugh. “Yeah, we’ll see. What about you?”

Jerry scratches at his temple. “Dancin’, ’specially with you.”

“No arguments here. Okay, so as for favourite memories, it has to be at my graduation.” I swallow hard. “With my family.”

As if sensing the shift in emotion, Jerry leans over and kisses me softly on the cheek. “Bet they were so proud.”

Tears well in my eyes. “Yeah,” I whisper. “What about you?”

He chews on the inside of his cheek, his focus on the tabletop. By mentioning my degree, does he think that’s the kind of thing I want to hear? After divulging his array of unfinished apprenticeships, I don’t want him to think a piece of paper is what’s important to me.

“It can be anything,” I say, drawing his dark eyes to mine. “Something small, that your mind keeps going back to. Like your happy place.”

His face lights up. “That’s easy. Watchin’ you dance. Holdin’ you in my arms.”

Desire pools in my lower belly.Does he have any idea how he tangles my insides?“That’s kinda the same as your first answer.” I take a gulp of wine.

“Hey, don’t judge my happy place.”

I giggle. “I promise, I’m not. Now—” I breathe in and out to compose myself. “—the last one. Something I like.” I lean in close, my lips near enough the heat of his breath warms my skin. Eyes fixed on his, I whisper. “I like what I see.”

He lurches forward and kisses me. I close my eyes, momentarily forgetting where we are as his mouth moves soft and slow against mine.

I pull back and blink repeatedly, telling myself to play it cool. “Come on. Last answer.”

He takes a long pull from his beer, shifts his chair closer, and leans his elbow onto his knee. “There’s this woman.” Eyes roam down my chest then back up to meet mine, eyes burning with desire. “She’s smart, pretty as a peach, and she does things to my insides I can’t explain.”

I tilt my head. “Thiswomangot a name?”

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