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Nodding, Luke placed his fork next to his plate. “Yes, it’s Allie Patrick. Apparently, she moved from the fifth grade to the fourth grade this year. So far, it’s been great.”
Brent lifted his eyebrows but only marginally, it wasn’t enough for Luke to know for certain if his brother was trying to get any information across. Before Luke could ask, Molly spoke up again.
“We saw her at church today. She says we’re going to learn about multiplication and cursive next week. And I told her I’ve already been practicing. I bet it’s going to be super easy.”
Casey shook his head. “Cursive is hard. You have to get all the letters just right and if they’re lopsided you get bad grades.”
For the first time that day Molly appeared concerned. “Is that true, Dad?”
“I dunno. I guess it could be. But Allie is a great teacher. I don’t think she’s going to do anything to hurt your grade on purpose.”
“Yeah, she’s really nice,” Molly conceded. “She’s the best teacher in fourth grade and there are four of them. Did you know she can sing and draw and…”
Boy, the more Molly gushed about her teacher, the harder it was getting to ignore those strange sensations in his stomach that had accosted him today. Allie might be the prettiest and smartest teacher at the grammar school where Molly attended, but she was also funny and kindhearted.
It made him wonder why she’d never settled down. She’d had ample opportunities to do so. Heck, she’d gone to the same college he had, and he knew for a fact there were several men who would have jumped at the chance to take her on even one date.
As if his sister-in-law had been able to read his mind, she murmured, “I wonder if she’s dating anyone. Luke, do you know?”
Luke stiffened. “What? No. Of course not. That’s something you’d have to ask Pippa, but I’d wager you’d get a better idea of things by going directly to the source.”
He shook his head, but it did nothing to clear it. Allie’s love life was none of his business. It never had been, and it never would be. He had far more important things to worry about than who Allie might or might not be seeing.
“Well, this town is pretty small. I’m sure if she were dating someone, we’d all know about it by now.” Jackie tossed that same look as before toward her husband but didn’t say another word regarding the woman who was dominating the topic of conversation at the lunch table.
Too bad Pippa wasn’t here. She would have loved being part of this discussion. Of course, she might also try to set him up with Allie. That had been her goal back when they were all going to college. But he’d found another woman who had stolen his heart faster than that crazy fast bird. What was it called again?
Oh yeah. A roadrunner.
CHAPTERTHREE
October
Allie shouldn’t be nervous. She was the educator and part of her job was to hold parent teacher conferences for every student in her class.
And this year that included Luke and Molly. Her last encounter with Luke had its own disappointments. Every time she saw him, her body reacted in the most hopeless way. It was like her heart didn’t care that a relationship with Luke wasn’t in the cards for her. And what made it worse was every now and then she’d manage to believe that maybe they had a chance.
It was dumb and juvenile and deep-down Allie knew that trying to win Luke over in that way would only spell disaster. He’d found his true love. He’d married her, had a child with her, and lost her. He wasn’t about to forget any of that.
She nibbled on her lower lip as she paced behind her desk. It didn’t matter how prepared she was, Luke would show up and she’d turn back into the nervous high-school girl who had never gotten over her crush on him.
How was she supposed to be professional?
A quiet knock on her classroom door drew her attention. She spun around, expecting to find Luke but instead it was Kate from down the hall.
“Sorry to bother you, but I can’t find any of my pens. I swear, I lose them at school far more than I ever did when I was a waitress.” She gave Allie a crooked smile. “Mind if I borrow some of yours?”
Allie flicked her hand toward a cup on her desk. “Go wild.”
“Thanks. You’re the best.”
“It’s no big deal. I have more in m bottom drawer.”
Kate gathered a fist full of pens and hurried out of the classroom.
Allie turned toward her window, going over everything she wanted to say to Luke just so she wouldn’t go off course. She needed to make sure he knew that Molly was a great student and with only a few minor adjustments she’d be an even better one.
Another knock tapped on her door and without turning, Allie called out, “You’re going to have to call me the queen of fourth grade if you’re going to want anything else.”
