Winning the Teacher's Heart. Jean C. Gordon

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      “And you’re sitting on my rock.” He grinned back.

      “Your rock?”

      “Yep, Bert Miller left me this property. So, we’re neighbors.”

      “Oh.” She dropped her gaze. That sounded brilliant.

      He looked around behind her. “No kids?”

      “They stayed overnight with their grandparents, Matt’s parents, last night. Under our custody agreement, Matt’s supposed to have them every other weekend. But he’s in Connecticut and works a lot of weekends. Ken and Debbie often take his time.” Too often. She clamped her hand over her mouth. Why was she running on about the Nortons again, making excuses for the kids’ father? Matt had made enough excuses before and after he’d left them. She didn’t need to make more for him.

      Jared’s mouth tightened, then relaxed. “Nice day. I’d almost forgotten what mountain summers are like.”

      “So, how long are you staying? Your grandmother’s really been looking forward to your visit.” She pushed away from the boulder and stood.

      “Indefinitely. I guess Gram didn’t tell you I’m moving here.”

      “Here?” She motioned toward the meadow. Jared Donnelly was going to be her neighbor? Brendon would be thrilled. Her heart tripped as if to deny her first thought that having Jared so close wouldn’t be a good idea.

      “Not right here. I have other plans for this property. For now, I’m staying with Connor.”

      The guarded look in his eyes stopped her from asking about his plans. She checked her watch. “I’d better get back to the house. The Nortons will be bringing the kids home soon.” And if I’m not there, it’ll be one more strike against me in their virtual book of reasons I’m not a good mother.

      “I’ll walk back with you. I’ve seen all I need to see, and I’m going that direction anyway. I parked my bike in the gravel pull-in up the road from your house.”

      “That would be a pretty spot to build a house.” What was with her? One minute she was concerned about Jared owning the property adjacent to hers. The next she sounded as if she was encouraging him to build a house there.

      “True.” He fell into step with her.

      After a few yards of uncomfortable silence, she asked. “Have you really retired from motocross? That’s what Brendon’s magazine said.”

      “You read the feature about me.”

      “Some of it,” she admitted. He grinned and her stomach fluttered. She should have had more for breakfast than toast and coffee.

      “Yep, at thirty-three I’m the old man of the circuit, and I thought it was best to go out while I’m still at the top. If you asked some of my rivals, they’d say about time. Mom and Gram say past time.”

      Becca nodded. “I know how worried your grandmother was about you when you had that accident last year.”

      He shrugged. “Part of the business. It wasn’t that bad. I’d had worse. But I’m ready to move on and give some of the younger guys a shot at the winner’s circle.”

      From someone else, Jared’s words would have sounded boastful. And she knew about boastful from being married to Matt Norton. But from Jared they sounded matter-of-fact.

      “It’s going to be quite a change for you, going from the life of a national motocross champion to living back here in Paradox Lake.”

      “Not so much as you might think. The circuit isn’t all glitter and parties like the magazines make it look. I will miss the rush of crossing the finish line. But I have something in mind to do that could be even more satisfying. I’d like to—”

      “Oh, no!” Becca interrupted him as they crested the rise.

      He stopped.

      “Sorry,” she said. “That’s the Nortons’ car.” Her heart pounded as she pointed toward the highway. “I’ve got to be at the house before they are.”

      She had enough stress in her life with her car on its last legs and no summer job in sight. She didn’t need the Nortons complaining about her not being there for the kids to anyone who would listen and talking Matt into taking her to Family Court again for more visitation time—at the expense of less child support. Time the kids most likely would end up spending with their grandparents, not their father. Thankfully, she’d put on her athletic shoes this morning rather than a pair of sandals.

      She took off with Jared easily keeping up with her. They reached Becca’s backyard before the Nortons pulled into her driveway. She bent over to catch her breath. When she straightened, Jared was pressing buttons on his cell phone.

      “Forty-five seconds flat,” he said.

      Despite her agitation, she laughed. “You did not time me.”

      “No, but you worked up some speed there. I don’t remember you running track.”

      She shook the tingle from her hands. Jared remembered what sports she’d played in high school. “I didn’t take up running until I had Brendon and Ari.” And ex-in-laws who seem to keep tabs on my every move when the kids are involved.

      “I’m sure the two of them keep you hopping, and I don’t just mean physically.”

      “You’re right there. Keeping ahead of them mentally is as much of a race as chasing them around when they were toddlers.”

      The Nortons’ car pulled into the driveway as she and Jared rounded the corner of the house. The Sheriff—she always thought of her ex-father-in-law that way, rather than by his first name—threw open his door and got out. His wife, Debbie, took her time, turning to say something to Brendon and Ari in the backseat before stepping out and opening their door.

      “Mommy!” Ari propelled herself out of the car. “We saw The Lego Movie last night and had popcorn and soda and everything.”

      “I thought we might see you there,” Debbie said with obvious disapproval. “Emily Stacey and her brother, Neal, brought their families.”

      She would not let her ex-mother-in-law make her feel guilty for having an evening to herself. “I didn’t want to intrude on your time with the kids,” Becca said, very aware of Jared standing behind her.

      “Jared, Mom didn’t say you were going to come over today.” The boy looked around. “Did you ride your bike? Remember, you said you’d take me for a ride if it was okay with Mom.”

      Becca closed her eyes. Not the thing to say. The spillover from the annual Americade motorcycle rally in Lake George had not endeared bikers to the Sheriff. That he’d bought Brendon the motocross magazine only attested to her son’s power of persuasion.

      “Grandpa.” Brendon grabbed the older man’s hand and pulled him toward her and Jared. “This is Jared, the guy in my magazine. I told you he was at Mrs. Stowe’s.”

      Ken Norton glared at Jared. “Donnelly, I СКАЧАТЬ