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Ryan nodded with a big grin. “I am ’cause I got the biggest room since I’m the oldest.”
Tyler made a face. “Only by four minutes. I like my room ’cause I can see the whole backyard. I can see the moon at night from my bed.”
“Good. Then let’s get the old junk cleared out of this other room so Ryan can move in.”
They worked into the afternoon, cleaning out Bobby Lee’s old room for Ryan. She’d been stunned to find her cousin’s room untouched since the day he had died. She’d known that her aunt and uncle had taken their son’s death hard, but she’d never dreamed they’d turn his room into a shrine.
The boys had run out of interest and gone back outside. It was nice to be able to let them play without constantly watching over them. Tyler and Ryan had hardly been in the house since they moved in. The large backyard with great climbing trees, wide grassy lawn and old shed had provided endless hours of entertainment and exploration. Their life up until now had been confined to small apartments and concrete playgrounds in not-so-safe neighborhoods, where she’d had to be with them all the time.This neighborhood was right out of a Norman Rockwell painting. Stately old homes with welcoming front porches lining the street and full-grown trees adding a sense of permanence and peace. It did her heart good to see them so carefree and happy.
Annie tied up the trash bag and then stood and surveyed the room. All evidence of her cousin had been removed, leaving a strange kind of sadness behind. She’d loved him, but from now on this room would belong to her son Ryan. A warm bubble of pleasure rose inside her chest. Finally she was able to give her sons their own rooms and the security they deserved.
Her next objective was to clean and paint the room and pull up the stinky old carpet. Not sure how she’d do that yet. But it had to go.
Pounding footsteps on the stairs alerted her to the approach of her boys. “What’s the matter?”
Ryan spoke up. “There’s a bunch of kids playing football across the street. They want us to play. Can we? Please?”
She found these requests difficult since her initial response was to say no. She’d spent most of the twins’ lives keeping them away from danger and away from other rougher kids. But this was a new neighborhood with kids to play with and safe streets to walk on. Ryan vibrated with excitement. Tyler stood perfectly still, only his dark eyes revealing his desire to join in. “All right. Go ahead but watch out for each other and be careful.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “It’s football, Mom. You aren’t supposed to be careful. You’re supposed to be tough.”
There were times when she wished the Lord had given her girls. She felt so inadequate to raise two rough-and-tumble boys. There was so much she didn’t understand about them and so many things they were missing by not having a dad to teach them. Lately, she’d been praying for a male influence in their lives. Someone in this new neighborhood or at their new church who would stand in the gap left by their dad.
They needed someone to look up to and admire.
That would be the final touch to the perfect future she was going to create here in Hastings.
* * *
Jake drew back his arm and let the pigskin fly, watching as the half dozen neighborhood kids ran across the grass to try to catch it. He loved playing sports with these kids. It’s one of the reasons he’d wanted to be a coach. Two people in his life had set him on a path to becoming a productive member of society: his sixth-grade teacher, who’d seen ability and determination in him and encouraged him to pursue sports, and Mrs. Elliot, the foster mother he’d landed with the summer before his senior year in high school. She’d taught him about manners and responsibility, and brought him to the Lord. He’d backslid for a couple of years after the accident, but he’d eventually found his way again.
He’d started this game with the kids partly because he enjoyed it and partly because he hoped the physical activity would ease the tension from his encounter with Mrs. Shepherd this morning.
Joey Mitchell caught the ball and started to run. David Clements grabbed him and knocked him to the ground.
“David. No tackling, remember? Your parents would not be happy if anyone got hurt.”
“Hey, coach.” Steve and Johnny Sanderson ran across the lawn, stopping in front of him. “I got the two new kids to come. They’re twins.”
Jake stared at the boys. The Shepherd twins. He’d seen them coming and going from the Owens house. He had a sick feeling that this wouldn’t be a good arrangement. But he couldn’t turn them away. “Hey, fellas.” Maybe avoiding the niece wasn’t going to be as simple as he’d expected.
Steve’s brother Johnny spoke up. “This one’s Ryan and that’s Tyler. Most people can’t tell them apart, but I figured it out right away.”
“Welcome to the game. Glad you could join us.”
“What are the rules?”
Tyler met his gaze as he waited for the answer. His twin had already dashed off to join the others. “No tackling. Fair play and no calling names.” The boy considered that a moment and then nodded.
“Okay.”
Jake picked up the ball and strode across the lawn. He glanced at the Shepherd house but saw no sign of their mother. Did she know they were here? How did she feel about her boys playing ball with the enemy?
He felt sorry for the twins because once she found out he was involved, they’d probably be forbidden to come again. It was out of his hands, but he hoped she wouldn’t deny her boys some fun because of something that happened years ago. Harley was the only one who knew the whole truth about the accident and he’d take that to his grave.
“Okay, kids, we have enough now to make two teams. Let’s divide up.” He tossed the ball into the eager hands of the team.
Maybe, God willing, someday the truth would come out, and then he’d be able to forgive himself at last.
Until then, he’d stick with his plan and mind his own business. He had enough to keep him busy with teaching, coaching and working with the youth at church in hopes of keeping them from making the same dumb mistakes he had.
* * *
Annie straightened the collar of her blouse and inhaled a deep breath the next morning. Today was her first faculty meeting at her new school. She’d be teaching fifth grade and she’d made arrangements for the twins to attend the same school instead of the neighborhood school to which they’d normally be assigned. As a single mom, having the boys in the same building would simplify her life tremendously by cutting down on commute time and after-school care.
Downstairs she picked up her purse and keys, and then pulled the front door behind her as she left. The twins were staying with Denise today so she could concentrate on her meeting. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. Her career as a teacher had kept food on the table and a roof over their heads after her husband Rick had died, but starting a new job was always nerve-racking.
As she stepped onto the front porch she caught sight of Jake’s car backing out of his drive. She wondered where he was going so early and then quickly shut down that line of thought. Her mind had developed a nasty habit of presenting images of Jake Langford, accompanied with a growing list of questions. How long had he been in foster care? What happened to his parents? Why was he single? What had he been doing since the accident? What did he do for a living? There was no denying he was an attractive man. With his dark coloring and his athletically toned physique, he was the kind of man who turned women’s heads.
Annie slid behind the wheel of her car and started the engine. Thankfully, now that school was starting next week, she’d have too much on her mind to entertain thoughts of Jake. There’d be homework and chores in the evenings and earlier bedtimes. Weekends would be spent working on the house and maybe, now that she had a little extra money, she could take the twins to the zoo or to the beach. All the things they’d been unable to enjoy before.
Her spirits lifted as she drove across Hastings to Jefferson Elementary. Her gaze scanned the facility as she parked her car in a faculty slot. An old two-story brick building anchored the school, with two awkwardly placed additions jutting out behind. Despite the haphazard design, the structure had a certain charm about it.
Annie made her way to the principal’s office, her spirits rising. She was starting another new phase of her life today. It felt good. Principal Winters was a robust black man with a bright smile and a deep voice that rumbled when he spoke. He greeted her with a warm handshake, and then she sat down to go over last-minutes details.
“You’ll be in room 20C. That’s the last room at the end of the long corridor, where the fifth and sixth graders are located. You should have time to take a quick peek before the meeting starts. We’ll all meet in the library, which is right next door. I’d like to take you around myself but I’ve got some urgent things to do before the meeting.”
“I can wander around on my own.”
“But I don’t want you to get lost. It seems like a simple layout but it has some twists and turns that can be confusing.”
He looked up and smiled, waving to someone outside the room. “Come in here. I want you to meet someone.”
Annie glanced over her shoulder and froze. Jake Langford strode into the office. What was he doing here?
Principal Winters shook hands with Jake and then turned to her. “Annie, I’d like you to meet Coach Langford. Jake, this is our newest faculty member, Annie Shepherd. She’ll be teaching fifth grade in your part of the school.”
Stunned, she could only offer a slight nod. It was clear from the tight expression on his face that Langford was none too pleased to see her here either.
“Jake, why don’t you give Mrs. Shepherd a tour, then show her to her room while I get ready for the meeting? In fact, why don’t you be her partner for the year? Show her the ropes. Mrs. Shepherd, we’re glad you’re with us. I hope you’ll be happy here.”
She muttered an appropriate response and then followed him out into the hall. “Why didn’t you tell me you were a coach here?”
“Why would I? I didn’t know you’d be teaching here.” He started down the hall, forcing her to catch up. “The cafeteria is down that way. The gym is at the end of the south corridor over there.”
She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. “What are we going to do about this?”
“Nothing.”
He stopped and opened a door to one of the classrooms. “This is your room. I’m right across the hall in 18C. If you need anything just ask. Mary Gayton is in room 19C. She’ll be glad to help too.”
Annie stepped inside her new classroom. It was large with lots of windows overlooking the playing field. The desks were old-style but still serviceable. Her desk was large and positioned at the front with file cabinets nearby. And on two walls, large blackboards took up most of the space. It was going to be nice working here. With the exception of Langford.
“I’ll see you at the meeting.”
He started to leave but she hurried forward. She hadn’t been paying attention to where they were going. She’d been too distracted by the shock of finding him here. “Wait. Mr. Langford, I don’t think I can find my way back.”
He held her gaze. “Jake.”
She swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat. “Annie.” He closed the door to her room and started walking.
She tried to pay attention to the turns he made on the way, but lost track after the third one. His silence was wearing on her nerves. “You don’t have a problem working together?” The look he gave her left her puzzled. She couldn’t tell if he was incredulous, irritated or just plain angry.
“Do you?”
Oh, she most definitely did. It was a matter of common sense. Mingling with the man who’d killed her cousin, the man who was still serving a sentence—albeit perhaps an unfairly extended one—was awkward to say the least. Not to mention she was already more curious about him than she should be. Now she’d be exposed to him around the clock. The whole thing was too unsettling for her liking.
“Hey, Jake.”
A very attractive African American woman hurried toward them as they neared the library, throwing her arms around Jake’s neck and giving him a big hug.
“Hey, Sharee. Good to see you. Annie, this is Sharee DeMarco, our school counselor. Sharee, this is our new fifth-grade teacher, Annelle Shepherd.”
The woman quickly transferred the hug to her, wrapping her in warmth and a scent of spearmint. “Welcome to Jefferson. I’m so glad to meet you. It’s always so nice to have new faces around.” She turned back to Jake. “How was Belize?”
“Hot but rewarding.”
“Amen to that. You two had better scoot. The meeting starts in a few minutes.” She winked, waved and sauntered down the hall, toward the office.
Annie frowned as she looked at Jake. “Belize?”
“A mission trip. I just got back a few days ago.”
She followed Jake into the library, struggling to process the discovery that he’d gone on a mission trip. The more she learned about him, the less it added up. He introduced her to the fourth-grade teacher, Linda Bain, and then walked off to join the other male teachers. Despite his words that working together wasn’t a problem, she suspected he didn’t like it any more than she did.
She turned her attention to Linda, who welcomed her warmly, introducing her to a couple of other faculty members before they took their seats.
“So, you know Jake already?”
Annie searched for an appropriate response. “We’ve met.”
“He’s a great guy. And a great sixth-grade teacher. He coaches junior high football and baseball too.”
Her heart sank into her stomach. Jake was the sixth-grade teacher? The twins were in the sixth grade. That meant they’d have Jake as their teacher. This whole situation was getting more and more complicated. She didn’t think she wanted her sons being taught by a man with his background. The people here didn’t appear to have any issues, but then they probably didn’t know about the accident. Maybe she should switch the twins back to their normal school. Annie muttered a polite response. “He sounds very dedicated.”
“Totally. There are a few female teachers here who’d like him to dedicate some personal time to them.” She grinned and chuckled. “He is a good-looking rascal, but he’s quiet and mysterious. It’s like he has some deep dark secret. I can’t help but wonder what it is.”
Annie didn’t have to speculate. She knew his secret.
Thankfully the meeting started and she put her full attention on the principal and the information she would need to do her job. With so much to go over, she was able to keep thoughts of Jake in the recesses of her mind. She caught sight of him briefly during the lunch break, and he appeared to be avoiding her the way she was avoiding him. If that were the case, then working at the same school might actually be tolerable.
It was mid-afternoon when Principal Winters concluded the business portion of the meeting. “The last thing on the agenda is our fall carnival. Y’all know what a significant event this is for the school and the community, so I know you’ll make it a success. Sharee has agreed to serve as the carnival chairman and she’s assigned everyone to a team.”
He stepped aside and Sharee took over. She spoke of the importance of the event in providing necessary equipment to the school, and reminded them that there was a lot to do before the end of October, when the event would be held. “Be sure and pick up your committee packets in my office.” She began calling out names and their committee assignments. “Jake and Annie, you’re the publicity and advertising team.”
Laughter rippled through the room. Someone spoke up. “Oh, no. Jake, buddy, what did you do to deserve that?”
Annie didn’t hear anything after that. Principal Winters dismissed them and Annie found herself unable to move from her chair. Why was this happening? She had expected to face Jake once a year, and now he was living across the street, working at the same school and teaching her sons every day. She could avoid him during the school day, but how in the world was she supposed to work with the man on a committee? Simple. She couldn’t. She would remove herself from this situation. Let someone else work with him.
Her ingrained sense of responsibility swelled. She’d never shirked her duties, but sometimes things just couldn’t be helped. She’d be happy to serve on any committee, just not the one with Jake.
She gathered up her belongings, her decision wavering. What would she give as her excuse? That she didn’t want to work with him because he killed her cousin, or because he makes her feel uneasy. Not in a threatening way, but in a way that reminded her she was a woman.
Where had that thought come from? She slammed a lid on that and stood. Why had her sweet, perfect new life turned into a minefield of roadblocks? Great, now she was mixing her metaphors. She’d put an end to this assignment, and then she could reclaim her nice peaceful life with a little less Jake Langford.
She looked up to see Jake standing across from her. Her heart sank.
Or not.
Chapter Three (#ufb580a37-d379-545f-9443-273f0c0af837)
Jake stole a glance at Annie and she lingered at her table. Apparently there was no way to avoid Annie Shepherd. Truth was he didn’t want to avoid her. Despite his best efforts to put her out of his mind, she kept slipping back in. He wanted to know more about her. His biggest question was why was she continuing his sentence?
Jake had kept an eye on Annie throughout the meeting, but particularly when Sharee announced the committee teams. The look on Annie’s face had said it all. She was not happy about the assignment. It bothered him more than he wanted to admit that she was uncomfortable around him. He wasn’t the monster she probably had imagined him to be. He hated to think what her aunt had said about him. Unfortunately, they were now neighbors and colleagues. For whatever reason, they’d been thrown together, and the only way to deal with that was to get along.
He approached her as she was gathering up her things. “Looks like we’re partners.”
She shook her head. “This isn’t going to work. We can’t be on a committee together when we have this... I mean, since you’re...because of...”
Jake knew what she was trying to say. She couldn’t see past the accident. “If this is too uncomfortable for you, I’ll speak to Sharee and have her put you on another committee.”
Annie touched her temple as if trying to sooth a headache. “No. That would only create questions neither one of us want to answer.” Her eyes held confusion and doubt. “How much work will this committee require? I have two boys to take care of and a house full of clutter that’ll take a year to clear out.”
Jake sympathized, but working on the carnival was something expected of all the teachers and staff. “This carnival is a big deal around here. Everyone pulls their weight. Unfortunately, the publicity committee is one of the most important and takes the most time. There are permits to acquire, flyers and banners to design, and then we’ll have to canvas local businesses for donations and sell ads.”
Annie sighed, her shoulders sagging. “I had no idea.”
“That’s why everyone laughed when we were put on the committee. We drew the short straw.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “When do we have to start?”
“Right away. We have to have the permits in place sixty days before the event. That means we’re already pushing the clock.”
She pressed her lips together in a tight line. “All right. Where do we have to go?”
Even irritated to the max, she was a very attractive woman. “The courthouse, and it closes at 4:30 p.m. It’s already three.”
She frowned. “Can’t you take care of that and we’ll tackle the other things in a day or so?”
