Her Small-Town Cowboy. Mia Ross

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СКАЧАТЬ it, but she had a hunch that if her first day had begun with her facing a screaming horde of unfamiliar children, she might have bolted and never come back.

      As it was, she wasn’t sure where to stand while she waited for her class to arrive. Standing by her desk seemed stiff and formal, but the middle of the reading circle felt goofy to her. In the end, she settled for leaning against the open door wearing what she hoped came across as a welcoming smile. Her students started coming in, and she felt her confidence wavering as they brushed past her and went through what was clearly a well-ingrained morning routine.

      Once they’d put everything away and settled in their seats, she checked the hallway to make sure there weren’t any stragglers. Satisfied, she closed the door and turned to face the room full of fresh, curious faces.

      “Good morning, everyone.” Her voice sounded faint and strained, and she took a bracing breath before trying again. “I’m Miss St. George, and I’ll be filling in for Mrs. Howard while she’s out with her baby. I’ll do my best to learn your names quickly, but there are a lot of you, so I hope you’ll be patient with me.”

      A cute blonde girl with bright blue eyes and freckles quickly raised her hand. “Miss St. George?”

      “Yes?”

      “I’m Abby, and my daddy’s here for show-and-tell.” She pointed toward the window in the door. “Can I let him in?”

      “Sure. Go ahead.”

      Abby sprang up to meet him, and Lily turned to say hello. Any thought of speaking left her mind when she saw that there, framed in the doorway, stood Mike Kinley. The formal gray suit had given way to jeans, a cowboy hat and a faded denim shirt with Gallimore Stables and a stylized horse head embroidered on the chest pocket. Being a woman, she had to admit this outfit suited him much better.

      “Morning,” he greeted her in the mellow drawl she thought she’d never hear again. Eyes twinkling in fun, he added a slight grin. “Thanks for having me in today.”

      Obviously, he didn’t want his daughter to know he’d already met her new teacher. More than happy to pretend they’d never seen each other before, Lily played along. “Thanks for coming to spend some time with us.” Turning, she noticed the kids gawking and couldn’t help smiling. “From your reaction, I assume you all know Mr. Kinley.”

      Mike winced, and she couldn’t figure out why until Abby clued her in. “I didn’t tell you who he is yet. How do you know his name?”

      “I’m on the visitors’ list for today,” he answered smoothly, giving Lily a nudging look. “That’s how she knew.”

      Was he really? she wondered. She’d been so excited for her first day, she hadn’t thought to do more than briefly check in at the office. She hated to start out by lying to her students, but since she didn’t have any other brilliant ideas, she decided she had no option other than to allow his explanation to stand.

      Thankfully, the overhead speakers crackled and a boy’s trembling voice prompted them all to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. The familiar phrases calmed Lily’s nerves a bit, and in her head she kept repeating, “I can do this. I can do this.”

      She was keenly aware of Mike standing beside her, and while the children resettled in their seats, she couldn’t help sneaking a peek or two at their guest. When he looked down at her, he gave her a subtle wink and the crooked grin that had charmed her during their carriage ride. When he wasn’t growling about something, anyway.

      She caught herself smiling back, then remembered where they were and quickly doused her response. But he’d noticed. The smirk he was wearing told her that much. He was probably one of those superobservant people who noticed everything that happened around him, she lamented with a sigh. Leave it to her to run across one of the last attentive males on the planet.

      Anxious to move on, she clapped her hands to get the kids’ attention. “All right, everyone, let’s get in a circle on the story rug.” Once they were more or less quiet, she motioned to Mike. “You’re on.”

      A flash that struck her as mild panic passed over his sunburned features, but he quickly recovered and sat down. Not in the adult-sized teacher’s chair she’d left open for him, she noticed with curiosity, but on the floor, cross-legged like the kids. Something about his desire to join them on their level made her smile. Maybe he wasn’t as standoffish as she’d assumed.

      He introduced himself as a horse trainer, then opened his palms and spread them apart. “What would you guys like to know?”

      Small hands shot into the air, and he answered questions ranging from how much does a horse eat to how often he cleaned their stalls. He took each one with a serious expression, and his respect for the children impressed her. Then one little boy stopped their guest cold.

      “Do you still miss your dad?”

      Mike’s patient smile froze in place, and he seemed to pull back into himself. Clearly, the class knew their guest much better than she did, and in an effort to save him, Lily jumped in. “Does anyone have something they want to ask about the farm?”

      “No, that’s okay,” Mike said quietly. Giving the boy an understanding look, he asked, “Did your father pass away?”

      “Last year.” Tears welled in his already large brown eyes, making them look even bigger. “I started baseball this year, and he’ll never get to see me play.”

      Lily’s heart lurched in sympathy, but she kept quiet. Mike had connected with this child in a way she could never manage, so she thought it best to let him handle the sensitive moment.

      “What’s your name, son?” he asked gently.

      “Peter.”

      “Well, Peter, I know it’s tough to lose your father, but you have to do your best to make him proud, even though he’s not here to see it.”

      “How?”

      “Do what you think he’d want you to, even if you’d rather be doing something else. Take good care of your mom ’cause she’s missing him, too. Do you have brothers and sisters?”

      “Two little sisters.” Peter made a face. “They’re such a pain.”

      Mike chuckled. “I hear you, but you’re the oldest, so you’ve gotta watch out for them. When things get hard, families have to stick together.”

      “That’s what Mom says.”

      “She’s right. Even when you think she’s not,” he added with a wink. The boy laughed and nodded, then sank back into his spot with a satisfied look.

      Mike fielded several more questions, and when the kids seemed to be getting restless, Lily decided it was time to let him go.

      Standing, she moved in behind him. “I’m sure we all want to thank Mr. Kinley for coming in today.” After a rousing chorus of appreciation, she held up her hands for quiet. “You have some seat work to do before our next visitor gets here. Please pick up where you left off on Friday.”

      They complied with only minimal grumbling, and she motioned Mike toward the door. He looked relieved to leave the inquisitive circle behind him.

      “Man,” СКАЧАТЬ