A Wedding In The Family. Kathryn Alexander

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      “Math? I’m envious. That was never my strong point. I taught primary grades. First grade for several years, then second for five more before I moved into administration.” She shivered slightly, appreciating the warmth of the cup in her hands. The cool night air of autumn blew in through the center’s heavy front doors that opened and closed as visitors came and went.

      “There.” Adam, obviously noticing her shiver, pointed to an empty space near the drinking fountain. “You’ll be warmer over by that wall.”

      When she turned to move, he cupped her elbow with his hand directing her to the spot that he had indicated. Angela was suddenly aware—too aware—of his momentary touch and it startled her.

      “So we both left teaching for administrative jobs,” Adam remarked, taking a drink of his coffee. “Any regrets?”

      “Regrets?” Angela thought for a moment. “I guess I have about a thousand of them, but none have to do with leaving teaching. I needed to make a change, and I needed more income, so…it’s a challenge, but one I enjoy.”

      He nodded in recognition of her answer. “Me, too,” he agreed. “Teaching was great for a while, but I was ready to do something different. Then this job at the center came up. It seemed like the perfect solution.“

      “Is it?” she asked.

      “For now,” Adam responded. She saw him surveying the lobby, now filled with all age groups—from preschoolers to some senior citizens. “I suppose I should be mingling with the visitors, although that’s my least favorite part of this job.”

      “Adam!” They both turned at the sudden sound of his name.

      “Adam,” a young woman at his elbow repeated emphatically. “There are other people here you should meet,” she insisted with her brow creased in disapproval.

      She was a beautiful young woman, Angela noticed, no more than college age, she estimated—at least a decade younger than Angela or Adam. She had gorgeous curly black hair and wore a short navy blue skirt and a sweater of deep red.

      Adam nodded in acknowledgment. “Excuse me,” he said to Angela. “That’s my assistant.”

      “Your assistant?” she commented quietly, offering a wry smile.

      Adam frowned and glanced again at the woman who was already slipping back into the crowd of visitors. Then he returned his gaze to Angela. “Yes, well…” he began as an easy smile played at the corners of his mouth. “She’s very—”

      “Young?” Angela finished.

      And Adam chuckled quietly, tiny laugh lines crinkling around his eyes. “Yes, so she is. However, she’s also right. I should be mingling with the crowd since I’m the director.”

      “True,” Angela said politely, and nodded toward the attractive associate. “You’d better go to…”

      “Tiffany,” Adam responded, his gray eyes flashing with humor and a mischievous grin curving his mouth. He paused. “Actually, Tiffany is my brother’s stepdaughter. So…she’s my niece…”

      ”…sort of?” Angela offered.

      Adam shook his head. “She’s as intelligent as she is attractive. And she’s engaged to the coach of the swim team.”

      Engaged. Angela wondered how that felt. The thought made her feel even older than the lovely, raven-haired niece had managed to do. Engaged was an experience she’d never known. First, she’d been a college kid, living in a dorm. Then she was married and a mother—almost overnight, it seemed. And now, at 32, a parent of three—and widowed. Or almost divorced. Or whatever. Where had the years gone?

      “Oh, to be young again,” she said more wistfully than she’d intended. She looked from Tiffany to Adam’s suddenly serious expression.

      “Youth isn’t everything,” he remarked, seeming to sense the trace of heartache in her tone. “There’s a lot to be said for the wisdom that comes with the years.”

      “Let’s hope so,” she replied. “I’d like to think something gets better with time.” She raised her cup. “Thanks for the coffee.”

      He nodded. “You’re welcome. Are you free this Thursday to come to Heather’s lesson?”

      “I’ll check my schedule,” she answered and then nervously cleared her throat. Suddenly she felt the need to find some conflict on her calendar. She’d seen enough of Adam Dalton for one week. The very last thing she needed was interest—however remote—in a man. Even if he did have the warmest eyes she’d ever seen.

      “I’ve enjoyed talking with you,” he commented quietly. “Very much.”

      The first part was an obligatory remark, Angela knew. The last part was not. She nodded her head slightly before acknowledging. “Me, too.”

      “Maybe I’ll see you Thursday,” he said before excusing himself to join Tiffany and fulfill his role as the director.

      Angela drank the last of her coffee, dropped the empty cup into the trash receptacle beside the door, and went in search of her children.

      Heather saw her mother approaching and came to meet her. “We’ve been having fun, Mom. The boys are over here talking about video games.” She clasped Angela’s hand and led her to where Nathan and David sat, eating popcorn and talking with other youngsters.

      “Time to go, gang. We’ve got things to do,” she announced. After some stalling, her children had found their jackets, said goodbye to friends and were on their way out the front door.

      Against her better judgment, Angela did not resist glancing back into the thinning crowd to the spot where she’d last seen Adam speaking with an older gentleman. And he stood there still, listening to whatever the man was saying. But, to Angela’s surprise, his gaze returned to her at that moment

      She wasn’t sure who smiled first, but she hoped it was him. Otherwise, she was openly flirting, and she hadn’t meant to do that. What would come next? she wondered miserably. She saw Adam give a slight nod of farewell before she returned her attention to the matter at hand—getting three children home.

      Later that evening, all homework done, prayers said and children asleep, Angela finally sank into the comfort of her own bed. And that’s when her thoughts returned to Adam just as surely as his gaze had returned to hers when she was leaving the center.

      “Lord, I’m too old for a silly schoolgirl crush and too new at this sort of thing to know how I should feel. I’m not ready for an Adam Dalton in my life. Let someone else have him.” She murmured the words before the sleep she needed finally came.

      But Adam was not quite as quick to turn his back on new feelings. It had been such a long time since he’d felt this pang of interest in anyone, and he was relieved to know that he was still capable of it. Angela Sanders. She was pretty, independent, strong but still a little unsure of herself at times. And her eyes…Adam poured himself a cup of decaf and walked toward the window, where he stood staring out at the few stars shining in the September darkness. Those eyes of light blue were filled with a tenderness СКАЧАТЬ