Page 40 of An Unexpected Turn
“No, I’m pretty sure he was lots of trouble.”
Her shoulders shook. “We shocked the hell out of everyone too.”
“I hate how our family treated you at the beginning.”
She shrugged. “Your uncle didn’t get the best reception from my family either. For a long time.”
“Really?” I squinted at her. “Uncle Keith and Jason are always attached at the hip when you have anything at the house, at least from what I see.”
“Now, yes, he’s close with my brother. But when I brought home a white cop from upstate, dinner was just as silent and uncomfortable as it was at your grandparents’ house. Sometimes people don’t understand why two people fall in love, so they judge when they have no right to since they aren’t involved. How we felt about each other was all that mattered, and I couldn’t imagine a life without him.”
I smiled at her wistful gaze. “You two are still adorable together. Gives the rest of us hope.”
“Oh, it’s not always easy, but my favorite moment of the day is hearing the key turn in the lock when your uncle comes home. Of course, that’s a little relief too, considering his job, but it’s still mostly excitement.”
We gave the waitress our order of stuffed French toast and two Bloody Marys. I was all set to drown my troubles in carbs.
“I’m glad you found each other. Maybe someday I’ll have a romance-novel type of love too.”
“If you let yourself, yes, you will.”
Her hay-colored eyes bored into mine, telling me without telling me that she already knew or had a good feeling.
“I’ll be honest, coming here in the first place wasn’t something I planned on.”
I was free and easy with the confessions the past couple of days, and I felt another one coming on just as fast and unexpected.
“I realize that,” she said, her brow furrowed. “Call it intuition, but I don’t think you spotted the job opening and just decided to come here.”
At that perfect moment, the waitress set two huge mason-jar drinks in front of us. I took a big sip, shifting the celery stick back and forth between my fingers before lifting my head.
“I loved my old school. Granted, it was the first school I worked at after my master’s, but they let me basically run the guidance department. I had this reputation among students of being the one to come to with any problem, and I loved that. About a year ago, a new principal took over.”
I shut my eyes for a moment, revving up the courage to tell at least the short version of the story.
“Travis was a decade older than me, but still a fairly young principal. He wanted to make it a blue-ribbon school but would always come to the events the counselors would organize. He told me he loved my enthusiasm and how I was making a real difference.”
“Is this story going where I think it is?” She leaned forward, a deep crease in her forehead.
“Well, if you were thinking he told me he was separated from his wife and made me believe we could only meet at my apartment because the divorce that he had no real intention of getting wasn’t final, then yes.”
“Shit, Peyton. I’m sorry, honey.”
My eyes darted away from the sympathy I knew I’d find in her gaze.
“But, of course, sneaking around never works for long. A teacher found out and told the school board, which was a little extreme, but she and Travis always butted heads. He resigned and left the district to protect his family and his wife, whom, again, he was still very much married to, and I stayed behind to take the fall. I kept my job, but it didn’t matter because I couldn’t do it anymore. They put a stop to any events, and any concerns I had for students were waved off. I knew I had to move or look for another profession.” I let out a sad laugh. “And when I had the chance to move here, I thought it was a sign.”
I scrubbed a hand down my face, both sick and relieved to tell someone other than Claudia about what led me here.
“It was. I hear wonderful things about you at the high school. And we love having you here. Sometimes unexpected turns lead you to where you’re supposed to be.” She stretched across the table and covered my hands with both of hers.
“I can’t be another scandal, Aunt Maya.” My voice cracked when I met her eyes. “How many times can I move?”
“Who said you would be? I don’t know this Travis, but he sounds like the very worst kind of man, to lie and then leave you in the lurch like that. Not all men are like that, and the man I think we’re talking about is one of thereallygood ones.”
I agreed that Jake was one of the really good ones, whatever his reason was for not showing up today. Sure, he was gorgeous, but his big heart drew me in the most.
“You’re not ... disappointed in me?”
