Page 18 of An Unexpected Turn
“My job description is to help guide them, so I’ve always taken it very seriously.”
“Do a lot of kids come to see you with their problems?”
“Some. I always tell every student I have an open-door policy. If students are in crisis, I can call them in to check on them during classes. One girl likes to eat her lunch in my office sometimes. Some of the mean girls were giving her a hard time yesterday, and she needed a reprieve.”
Even the way this woman chewed was sexy, moaning around a couple of bites and swiping her tongue across her lips. I inhaled a slow breath and forced myself to get a grip.
“I almost became an English teacher instead, but this gives me a satisfaction I wouldn’t get from just teaching a class. It’s a privilege being a student’s safe place.”
“Because you’re like your uncle. Why every business here knows him personally. He’s all about helping people too.”
Keith was always there for me. When my father had a heart attack behind the wheel, he made sure to get to my house before anyone called to tell me he was dead. He was there through my divorce, hooking me up with a lawyer he knew would help me protect my rights to my son when Eileen was going off the rails. He’d even stopped by sometimes in between his shifts to check on us since Mike had moved in with me.
I owed him better than to drool over the woman he thought of as a daughter.
Her warm brown eyes lit up. “My uncle is the best person I know, so if you think I’m like him, that is a huge compliment.”
“Other than his ball-breaking ways, I think you are.”
She burst out laughing, and it was the best sound in the world.
“You didn’t answer my question. Did you find your people yet?”
She dropped her chin to her chest for a moment before lifting her gaze.
“I’ve made friends with some teachers at school, and I’ve met them for drinks a few times. I’m kind of displaced at the moment until my condo is ready, but that all comes in time. I guess there’s only one bar in town.” She eyed the sandwich before taking another big bite.
“There may be a couple of small ones by the highway, but the one you probably went to is the one everyone goes to. Sometimes it’s better to go a town or two over if you want a night out without eyes on you the whole time.”
“I love how this place is like a Hallmark movie.” She wiped the napkin across her mouth. “Kelly Lakes is only a few hours away from the city, and there’s one supermarket everyone goes to, one coffee shop, and one diner. I can see wanting to have a couple of drinks without everyone knowing where you’d been the next morning.”
“Depends on how wild and crazy you want to get when you go out.”
My brows jumped when her eyes met mine.
“Wild and crazy hasn’t described a night out of mine in a long time.” She shook her head as she lifted her glass.
“I’m sure guys have been all over you since you moved here.”
Her brows creased as she chewed.
“Not really.” She pursed her lips. “Other than the new officer at the police station, who was reprimanded for trying to talk to me. My uncleisawesome, but he’s a jerk when he wants to be. Poor guy.”
“Did he ask you out before your uncle scared him away?”
Where the hell was I going with this? Her love life was none of my concern or business, even if the thought of her dating anyone made me bristle.
“Uncle Keith didn’t give him a chance.” She chuckled. “But I’m not ready for that yet. I want to make a home for myself here before I add anyone else.” She bunched her shoulders into a shrug. “I’m focusing on me for right now.”
“Did you leave someone back in Brooklyn?”
She stilled, gently setting her sandwich back on her plate.
“I can honestly tell you that other than my mother and best friend, I left nothing and no one behind in Brooklyn.”
I heaved out a sigh, disgusted with myself for poking where I shouldn’t have been in the first place and upsetting her.
“I’m sorry, Peyton. I shouldn’t be asking you who you’re seeing or used to see.”
