The Deputy's New Family. Jenna Mindel
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Название: The Deputy's New Family
Автор: Jenna Mindel
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: Mills & Boon Love Inspired
isbn: 9781472072597
isbn:
Beth gave him a sharp look. “I see what you mean.”
He nodded and then leaned against her car, too. Right next to her. “You see why I won’t let him repeat second grade? He’s had so much taken out of his hands beyond his control. This will feel like one more failure for him. Another left behind.”
It would feel that way to a seven-year-old. What a tough spot. Beth dropped her head back to look up at the clouds above. Her arm brushed against Nick’s, connecting with what felt like a hard beam of steel.
She scooted away and faced him. “But it’s so late in the year. I don’t want him to get lost in the shuffle if he’s moved ahead.”
“It’s never too late.” Nick’s voice was soft.
Beth drew in a sharp breath. Awareness hummed between them as he watched her. In his eyes she saw something stark and lonely and her heart responded. But she couldn’t erase his worries and fix what had gone wrong in his life. He was off-limits.
She wasn’t stupid. Beth knew mutual attraction when she saw it. When she felt it. There was no way she’d let herself get romantically involved with this man. Not when Beth knew how quickly his life could be snuffed out.
“I want to ask you a favor.”
Beth tipped her head. Sounded like a big favor, too. “What’s that?”
“Will you tutor Corey in reading?”
Beth stood straight and stepped away from her car. Away from him. He made her dizzy.
“I’ll pay you, of course. Whatever it takes.” He straightened, as well.
Beth whirled around. “I can’t accept your money. I won’t. He’s my student. It’s my job to help where I can....”
“But?”
She looked Nick in the eyes. So easy to do. “Repeating second grade might be the best thing for Corey. Have you considered that? He’s new—it’s not like there’s peer pressure to deal with. Not yet. He could even go to the other second-grade class so I’m not his teacher.”
“It’s not the best thing. Not for Corey. And not for me.”
Beth felt her spine stiffen. “That sounds like pride talking.”
Nick laughed at her then. “Is that what you think?”
She folded her arms across her chest and stared down the deputy officer in front of her, knowing that wasn’t it at all.
“Look, I can work with him all summer long, every single night, but I need a game plan. Something you’re trained to give. All I’m asking is to get him where I can then pick up the slack come summer. Do whatever you need to do, only don’t throw your hands up and recommend he be pushed back a year because there’s only two months left of this one.” Nick’s steely gray eyes showed resolve.
Beth frowned and rubbed her forehead. Corey was already at her house in the evening. She’d have to get it cleared through her boss, but this was a special circumstance. What she did on her own time was her business. In the few days the boy had been with her and her mom, Beth had already come to love the kid. She didn’t want to let him down, either.
She glanced at Nick.
“A big difference can be made in two months.” He gently thumped his ticket pad in his hand. A reminder of the speeding ticket she rightfully deserved.
She laughed. “You know, extortion is illegal.”
He gave her a slow grin that made her heart race. “Blackmail was never my intent.”
Beth felt herself slipping, giving in. “You’ll need to finish Corey’s reading assignments after he leaves my mom’s. And I’m going to hound you.”
“I’ve had worse nightmares.”
She imagined that was true. There was so much strength hidden inside that wiry, well-over-six-foot steel frame of his. And a lot of feelings were locked behind those gray eyes, too.
Beth held out her hand. “I’ll do what I can. Have we got a deal, Mr. Grey?”
“I think we do, Miss Ryken. And we’ll work hard on our end—I promise you that.” He took her hand and held on, wrapping warmth and strength and all kinds of promises in one not-so-simple handshake.
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