A Maverick under the Mistletoe. Brenda Harlen

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СКАЧАТЬ her thoughts not on the upcoming election but on the current lesson.

      She really did love her job and looked forward to the start of every day, approaching each subject with equal enthusiasm. She had her own personal favorites, of course, but she tried not to let that bias show. She wanted her students to experience and enjoy everything. She loved being able to open their minds, to encourage their curiosity and nurture their creativity, and gloried in each and every one of their successes. And because she was so completely engaged with her students, she hurt when they were hurting.

      And she knew that Ryder Traub was hurting. Sutter had been right about the fact that Dallas’s eldest son was having a hard time adjusting to his mother’s abandonment. He wasn’t acting out, as was often the case with children going through difficult transitions. Instead, it was as if he’d drawn into himself, disengaging from the other students and the activities in the classroom. He wasn’t uncooperative—he always did the work that was required of him—but Paige could tell that he was just going through the motions.

      She tried to draw him out, but that wasn’t an easy task when she had sixteen other students to attend to. Not that they all came to class every day, which was another reason teaching in her home was a challenge. It was as if the parents figured it wasn’t an actual school, therefore, she couldn’t actually be teaching. And that only made it harder to impress the importance of every lesson upon her students.

      When the day was over and the last student had gone, she realized she needed more markers and stickers to replenish her cupboard. Sometimes she would go to the specialty classroom resource store in Kalispell, but for everyday supplies she could usually find what she needed at Crawford’s General Store.

      Unfortunately, she sometimes found more than she wanted, as was the situation when she realized it was Nate Crawford behind the counter instead of his sister.

      She forced a smile as she emptied her basket. “Where’s Nina?” She wasn’t just making conversation but was genuinely concerned about the woman, who was nearing the end of her pregnancy.

      “She had an appointment—” he automatically began to scan Paige’s purchases “—so I said I would cover the store. It gives me a chance to connect with the people of our town on a more personal basis.”

      Which Paige interpreted to mean that any poor soul who wandered in for essential grocery items was likely getting a healthy dose of Nate’s campaign propaganda along with every loaf of bread and quart of milk. “It always helps the voters to know their candidates,” she agreed.

      He totaled her order and she gave him her money.

      He made change, but didn’t immediately pass it across the counter. “I feel as if I should warn you about something.”

      “I’m sure that’s not necessary.”

      “I know you have...a history...with Sutter Traub,” he continued anyway. “But your public declaration of allegiance could make you unpopular in this town.”

      “I don’t need to be popular—I’m not running for office.” She picked up her bag and held out her hand for her change.

      “No,” he agreed, finally giving her the money. “But maybe your new boyfriend needs to know that you’re running around with your ex.”

      * * *

      Paige knew that she’d done nothing wrong, that there was absolutely no reason for her to feel as if she had, but that knowledge didn’t succeed in alleviating her guilt. Because the truth was, the whole time she’d been with Sutter the night before, she hadn’t once thought about Alex—not until Sutter had specifically asked her about the other man.

      She didn’t know if that said something about her relationship with the mill foreman or if it was simply a side effect of being near Sutter. She’d been dating Alex for a couple of months now and, after fifteen minutes in Sutter’s company, she’d barely remembered his name. It was embarrassing to admit, even if only to herself, and Alex certainly deserved better than to be an afterthought.

      So when she got home, she surveyed the contents of her refrigerator to ensure that she had the groceries she needed to put together a decent meal—because she was not going back to Crawford’s for another dose of Nate’s self-righteousness—then called Alex to invite him to come over for dinner. Though he seemed surprised by the impromptu invitation, he immediately accepted.

      She set the table, even putting out candles and a bottle of wine, then set about preparing the meal. She was going to spend some time with Alex tonight and forget about Sutter Traub once and for all.

      * * *

      Sutter figured he must be a glutton for punishment. Why else would he have decided to drive down Cedar Street before he headed home the following night? It wasn’t as if it was on his way. It wasn’t really out of his way, but the most direct route would have been to continue along Main to Sawmill, since he had to cross the river at the Sawmill Street Bridge. Instead, he turned onto Cedar, then North Pine, so that he passed by Paige’s house.

      And in passing by Paige’s house, he couldn’t possibly miss the battered truck parked outside of it. He knew that the Cruze parked in front of it belonged to Paige, and he suspected that the truck belonged to Alex Monroe, because he’d seen the same vehicle in the parking lot at the mill every day. His mother had warned him that Paige was dating the foreman, and Paige herself had confirmed it, but he still hadn’t wanted to believe it. But the truth was hard to deny when it was right in front of him.

      She hadn’t invited Sutter in for a cup of coffee the night before because it was a school night. Well, it was a school night tonight, too, and she didn’t seem to have any qualms about having company. Or maybe she didn’t consider Alex company. Maybe—

      Don’t go there.

      He sharply reined in his wandering thoughts and continued on his way.

      He’d honestly thought he’d let her go. When he’d driven away from Rust Creek Falls five years earlier and Paige had decided to stay, he’d known that was the end for them. And yet every time he was near her he felt the chemistry that had always sizzled between them. That sizzle warned Sutter that they weren’t as over as he wanted to believe.

      Except the fact that she was at home tonight with her new boyfriend suggested that he might be the only one who felt they weren’t over. And that really sucked.

      His mother had said that she was making pot roast for dinner, one of his favorites, but he’d declined her invitation to join the family—as he’d declined most of her invitations since returning to Rust Creek Falls. Too much had been said and done for Sutter to pretend otherwise, so aside from working with his father and brothers on the ranch, he usually kept to himself and prepared his own meals at Clay’s house. Tonight, he pulled into the parking lot of the Ace in the Hole instead.

      He climbed the rough-hewn wooden steps and opened the screen door beneath the oversize playing card—an ace of hearts—that blinked in red neon. The bar was dimly lit and buzzing with conversations that mostly drowned out the Johnny Cash song emanating from the ancient Wurlitzer jukebox that still played three songs for a quarter. A long wooden bar ran the length of one wall and the dozen bar stools that faced the mirrored wall reflecting rows of glass bottles were already occupied, with several other patrons crowded in between the stools and leaned against the bar.

      The booths that lined the outer walls were also filled, as were most of the wooden tables that surrounded the small dance СКАЧАТЬ