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“True.” Kayla frowned a moment before giving a shrug of her own. “I guess I’ll hold off on worrying until we see what’s what.”
I laughed. That was Kayla to a T. Probably how she stayed so cheerful, all things considered. A thought flitted through my mind and before I took the time to analyze it, I opened my mouth to speak. “Do you think I’m stupid to still be teaching?”
Kayla’s eyebrows lifted. “No. I mean, it’s kind of funny when I stop and think too hard. You’re like a superhero. Math teacher by day, billionaire by night. Except, of course, you don’t really live like a billionaire, either.”
I sighed. “Is that wrong?”
“Not wrong. Just…strange. I’m going with strange.”
“What’s strange about it? I love math. I love teaching.” I’d kind of thought Kayla, more than anyone else, would understand that. The guys didn’t, really. They made noises like they did, but I could see them shaking their heads in disbelief.
“I know that.” She reached across the table and touched my hand.
I ignored the sparks that only I seemed to feel.
She pulled her hand back. “But you still drive a beat-up Toyota.”
My car was the problem? “I love that car. It gets good gas mileage, fits in any parking spot, and I don’t have to worry about it getting broken into or scratched.”
Kayla laughed. “All good things. Especially in the school parking lot. But c’mon. You could buy a second car, something fancy and fun, for the weekends.”
I blinked. It seemed ridiculous to have a second car just sitting around. “There’s only one of me.”
“Like I said. Strange.”
I scowled and changed the subject to something more neutral. But even as we chatted about other things, my thoughts reeled. Maybe I should be doing more with the money than letting it sit around and grow. I’d bought our townhouse off Grandma. No one but she and I knew that, though. I’d even bought the bookstore—and I sure wasn’t telling anyone that. Grandma hadn’t wanted to take much for them, but I’d insisted on market value. But still, even with Old Town real estate prices, that was a drop in the bucket. And they were self-serving purchases.
Scott had offered to let us all join the charitable foundation he’d set up. His mom ran it and handled all the disbursements. I was definitely going to do that. My own attempts at keeping up with even a minimum tithe were scattered at best. But maybe I needed to do more.
When the waiter had deposited our food, I looked across the table at Kayla and waited for her to meet my gaze. “I have an idea. But I’m going to need help. You interested?”
Kayla’s head tipped to the side. “Probably. Why don’t you pray for this food and then tell me all about it?”
10
KAYLA
“No after-church lunch date with Luke today?” Whitney slid onto the bench across from me in the diner booth.
“I think it was a one-time thing.” I hoped my shrug was casual. I’d hung around in the foyer longer than usual, waiting to see if Luke was going to come find me. He never did. And sure, there were chairs to stack and all that, but I’d waited past the time it had taken the week before. So…it was entirely possible he’d spotted me and gone out a different door just to avoid talking.
“What’d I miss?” Megan sat beside me and grinned at Whitney. “You’re sitting with us?”
“Apparently it’s a man-only table over there today.” Whitney rolled her eyes, but they were sparkling with laughter. “I don’t mind one less meal in charge of a toddler.”
“Aw. It’s adorable that they’ve pulled Beckett into their man time.” I looked over at the table where Austin and his friends—including Whitney’s husband, Scott—sat. “Are they letting him play poker with them?”
Whitney snickered. “They probably would. Scott said a couple of the guys asked where he was this past week.”
“Hey. Bookstore time is important, too. Don’t let them hog him.” Megan unrolled her silverware. “I take his commentary on the kid books very seriously. In fact, I just got a new catalog with some of the upcoming new releases, and I could use input on what to stock.”
“You know he’d love to help. Of course, he’s just going to point at all of them and name what’s on the cover, but he’s three. So.” Whitney shook her head.
“That’s helpful.” Megan picked up the menu and then set it down again. “I don’t know why I always want to look. I’m not getting something different.”
“But you could.” I looked at the menu and fought a sigh. I was still full from the enormous crab cake last night. I’d eaten it all while Austin described his very rudimentary plan for an after-school center. I loved the idea. And he had the money to make it happen. But it was going to be a big-time investment. I wasn’t sure if my heart could take it.
“What’s with you?” Megan’s elbow connected with my ribs.
