9
“AND THEN WHAT?”Therese was practically falling off her chair as she listened to Shari’s story. They were in the library, supposedly working on lesson plans, but in reality gossiping behind their books just as the senior girls were doing behind thestacks.
Shari felt her face heating as she glanced around to make sure they couldn’t be overheard. “And then hefainted.”
Therese’s shout of laughter caused instant silence as every student in the vicinity turned to stare at a teacher breaking the sacred silence of the library. It took her a few minutes to get herself under control so she could splutter, “Didn’t I tell you it was a bad idea to get involved with thatman?”
“Yes. You did. But you should have seen how embarrassed he was after it happened.” In spite of herself she had to smile at the memory of him trying to insist he hadn’tfainted.
“Hmm. I hope you gave him a piece of your mind when you threw himout.”
“I gave himdinner.”
“What?” Therese’s explosive whisper sounded like a pot scrubber in action on the filthiestpot.
Shari lifted her shoulders helplessly, wishing she could explain the odd mix of feelings Luke inspired—lust, nurturing, eye-rolling at his cluelessness, feeling flattered by his obvious attraction and frustrated at his inability to get past first base. He was an awfully good first baseman, though, which gave her hope that intime…
“Tell me you’re ditching those stupid Friday-night sessions of yours,” Therese almostgroaned.
“I am a great teacher, and he’s a student failing a really basic life skill. No, I’m not ditching the Fridays, I’m going to help him learn to be a greatlover.”
“You’re crazy,woman.”
Maybe she was crazy, but she knew she had the patience and skills to help Luke. And a tiny selfish part of her knew she’d be teaching him exactly how to please her. What wasn’t great about that? “He’s going to speak to my juniors about working as a reporter. You could meethim.”
“Oh, there’s something to look forward to. A guy who passes out at the sight of a woman’s body.” Therese shook herhead.
To get her friend’s mind off Luke’s shortcomings, Shari said, “Hey, I heard Mr. Masters is leaving the school.” Mr. Masters was the boys’ baseball coach and one of the phys edteachers.
“Yeah. His wife got transferred to Florida so they’removing.”
“I wonder who’ll take hisplace?”
“Do what I do. Picture a sixty-year-old married guy with bad breath. That way you’re neverdisappointed.”
“I think he’sshy.”
Therese stared at her. “We don’t even know who it’s going to beyet.”
“No.I mean, Luke. I think he’s shy. Now I’m wondering if he can handle a classful of smart-mouthedteenagers.”
“Now she thinks of it.” The first bell rang for the next class. Therese picked up her books and rose. “Tell him to eat before he comes. And warn the girls in class to cover up. A little cleavage or some belly button and he’s likely to drop dead on the classroomfloor.”
Shari gathered her own things, knowing her gab session with Therese had earned her an extra hour of lesson planning tonight. She also had to have a strategy in place for when Luke came to her class. She didn’t think he’d pass out, but it was probably best if she was prepared with planned questions for him and maybe a handout for the kids in case he washopeless.
He’d seemed the perfect candidate when they were eating dinner, and so enthusiastic about his book that she’d gone with her gut and invited him as a speaker. Now she wasn’t so sure about herjudgment.
She wasn’t so sure about a lot of things. Such as where he’d learned to kiss like that, and if he was a naturally good kisser, why wasn’t he an instinctively good lover? Maybe he was and he simply lacked confidence. Maybe somewhere along the line an awful woman had really done a number on him. Regardless, she was determined to do her best to give him the confidence and skill heneeded.
When she got home she was still trying to work out a more subtle strategy than surprising Luke with her naked body. She checked her mail. There was nothingforLuke. There was, however, somethingfromhim.
Her eyebrows roseand she wondered if it was a note of apology. Her stomach felt kind of squirmy. She hoped he hadn’t penned something embarrassing. But, as it turned out, there wasn’t a word about the other night. What she was holding was an outline of his planned talk to her class. The computer printout had subheads in the form of questions, which she quicklyscanned.
Where do stories come from? How does a story go from idea to print? Who? What? When? Where? Why? Now let’s write a news story. He’d scribbled a note at the bottom of the printout. “No promises, but if any of the students are interested we might be able to get a tour of the newspaper offices. Maybe one or two of them want to write a feature and I’d work with them to get it published. Yourthoughts?”
Her thoughts: she wanted to kiss him. Rightnow.
Her students would slouch and mumble and make gagging noises about a field trip, but they’d probably love a tour of the newspaper. And a chance for a byline in a real newspaper would be a big motivator for a couple of the more studiouskids.
