“Yes, it’s fine. I’m very comfortable there. It’s convenient to school.”
“Dad buys houses and fixes them up all the time.” Zeke wondered if he could get away with another brownie. “He likes to fix stuff.”
It was obvious from the tidy and thoughtful renovation of the old house she now lived in that their father fixed them very well. “You’re a carpenter, then?” she asked, reluctantly addressing Mac.
“Sometimes.” They’d reached her car. Mac merely jerked his thumb to signal the boys and dog to keep off the road. He unscrewed the gas cap and spoke without looking around. “If you eat another one of those, Zeke, I’m going to have to have your stomach pumped.”
Sheepishly Zeke replaced the brownie on the paper towel.
“Excellent radar,” Nell commented, leaning on the car as Mac added the gas.
“Goes with the territory.” He looked at her then. Her hair was windblown and gilded by the sun. Her face was rosy from the walk and the breeze. He didn’t like what looking at her did to his pulse rate. “Why Taylor’s Grove? It’s a long way from New York.”
“That’s why. I wanted a change.” She breathed deep as she looked around, at rock and tree and hill. “I got one.”
“Pretty slow, compared to what you’d be used to.”
“Slow’s something I do very well.”
He only shrugged. He suspected she’d be bored senseless in six months and heading out. “Kim’s pretty excited about your class. She talks about it almost as much as she does getting her driver’s license.”
“That’s quite a compliment. It’s a good school. Not all of my students are as cooperative as Kim, but I like a challenge. I’m going to recommend her for all-state.”
Mac tipped the can farther up. “She’s really that good?”
“You sound surprised.”
He shrugged again. “She always sounded good to me, but the old music teacher never singled her out.”
“Rumor is he never took much interest in any of his students individually, or in extra work.”
“You got that right. Striker was an old—” He caught himself, glanced back at his kids, who were standing close by, all ears. “He was old,” Mac repeated. “And set in his ways. Always the same Christmas program, the same spring program.”
“Yes, I’ve looked over his class notes. I’d say everyone should be in for a surprise this year. I’m told no student from Taylor’s Grove ever went to all-state.”
“Not that I heard.”
“Well, we’re going to change that.” Satisfied now that they had managed a reasonable conversation, she tossed back her hair. “Do you sing?”
“In the shower.” His dimple flickered again as his sons giggled. “No comments from the brats.”
“He sings really, really loud,” Zeke said, without fear of reprisal. “And he gets Zark howling.”
“I’m sure that would be quite a show.” Nell scratched the grinning dog between the ears. He thumped his tail, and then some internal clock struck and had him pivoting and racing up the hill.
“Here you go, Miss Davis. Here.” Both boys stuffed the loaded paper towels into her hands and barreled off after the dog.
“I guess they don’t keep still very long,” she murmured, watching them chase the dog up the rise.
“That was nearly a record. They like you.”
“I’m a likable person.” She smiled, glancing back at him, only to find him staring at her again with that not-quite-pleased look in his eyes. “At least in most cases. If you’d just put that on the back seat, I’ll have it filled up for you.”
“It’s not a problem.” Mac replaced her gas cap and kept the empty can. “We’re friendly in Taylor’s Grove. In most cases.”
“Let me know when I’m off probation.” She leaned into her car to set the brownies on the passenger seat. Mac had a tantalizing and uncomfortable view of her jean-clad bottom. He could smell her, too, something light and spicy that spun in his head a lot more potently than the gas fumes.
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
