LITMIR.BIZ

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paths weren’t likely to ever cross again. That knowledge should have made her feel better about her bizarre response to him.

      In all honesty, it only made her wonder what she’d be missing.

      When one of the horses splashed some water out of the creek and onto Mike’s polished black boots, he chuckled. “Guess they’re done. Ready to go back?”

      “Not really.” Gazing toward the grand reception hall, she sighed, then looked back at him and forced a smile. “But I probably should. I’ve taken up enough of your time already.”

      “Wasn’t going anywhere in particular,” he assured her in an easygoing drawl. “Like I said, the girls needed a lap around, anyway. I appreciated having some company.”

      “Really? You’re not just saying that to be nice?”

      “I never say anything just to be nice,” he informed her curtly. But there was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, and she laughed as he gave a little bow and helped her back into her seat. She couldn’t tell if the gruff demeanor was his true personality, or if the brief glimpses of humor she’d gotten were more him. Instinct told her he was a blend of the two, which made him the most intriguing person she’d met in a long time.

      Their trip back was much quicker than the one out. Before she knew it, she was standing outside the hall, listening while the DJ talked her sister’s guests through the steps of the latest line dance.

      Turning to Mike, she managed to put aside her misgivings and smile. “Thanks for rescuing me for a little while.”

      “No problem.” Tilting his head, he gave her a worried look. “You gonna be okay?”

      “Sure. This thing can’t last forever, and I’ve been through worse days.”

      That got her a suspicious look. “Yeah? When?”

      There was the day she informed her family she wanted to drop her art classes and become a teacher. They simply didn’t understand why anyone would choose a career she didn’t technically need. But she’d stood her ground, and in the end her independence had won out. So far, anyway. That wasn’t the kind of thing she’d share with a stranger, of course, so she kept it to herself.

      “None recently that I can recall,” she confessed, “but I’m sure there’s been at least one.”

      “So you’re an optimist.”

      There was a distinct growl to his tone, and she frowned. “You make that sound like a bad thing.”

      “Works for some folks, I guess.” His dismissive shrug made it clear what he thought of them, though.

      “But not for you?”

      “Not hardly.”

      She nearly asked him to explain, but his tightened jaw warned her that would be a very bad idea. Determined to make the best of a suddenly awkward situation, she said, “It was great meeting you, Mike. Thanks again for the ride.”

      “You’re welcome. I hope everything works out for your sister.”

      “Me, too.”

      She stepped away as he climbed into the carriage and clucked to the bays before heading toward the gazebo. From this angle, she noticed the subtle gold lettering that arched along the back of the carriage: Gallimore Stables. The poetic name seemed very much at odds with his temperament, and she wondered who’d chosen it. Watching until they disappeared around a bend in the road, she mulled over their unusual meeting. Mike was by far the most puzzling man she’d ever met, by turns thoughtful and brusque. Still, no one could miss the fondness he felt for Penny and Ginger, and that made her suspect there was more going on with him than met the eye. A lot more.

      It was just as well they were going their separate ways, she decided as she squared her shoulders and turned to go inside. She’d shouldered other people’s burdens before, and it had never ended well for her. Building a life for herself would take everything she could give it, and she had no intention of ever taking on someone else’s baggage again.

      For the time being, she had more than enough to worry about—like making it through the rest of this difficult day with a smile on her face.

       Chapter Two

      Monday morning, Lily got to work an hour earlier than was strictly necessary. She had the teacher’s lesson plans for the remainder of the year tucked in her briefcase, but she didn’t really need them. Eager to do a bang-up job in her first solo assignment, she’d memorized the material to be sure she understood everything.

      Anything worth doing is worth doing to the hilt.

      Her grandfather’s voice echoed in her mind, and she paused a moment to smile at the memory. The advice had come with a generous check and a proud smile, as he told her to use the money for her exciting new life. Aside from him, her family and friends couldn’t comprehend why teaching was so important to her, but she was determined to do something that would make a difference in the world. She couldn’t imagine anything better than giving children a solid foundation to build the rest of their lives on.

      Still smiling, she stowed her gear inside the modest wooden desk and took a moment to survey the bright, cheery kindergarten room. Small chairs were neatly clustered around four round tables, and she counted twenty seats. Which meant she had twenty students coming in soon for—she checked her color-coded schedule—show-and-tell.

      Apparently, their veteran teacher had devised a simple and enjoyable way to make Lily’s first day a little easier. Five kids were slated for the presentation, which would allow her to observe them without making anyone uncomfortable. Lily made a mental note to send the thoughtful woman a thank-you email later on.

      The room was located in the front of the old brick building, and she watched as yellow buses started filing in to park diagonally in the lot. Students streamed out, laughing and yelling, while the teachers assigned to bus duty gathered them into groups to head inside. Fortunately, the principal had let Lily slide on that one. She wasn’t proud to admit it, but she had a hunch that if her first day had begun with her facing a screaming horde of unfamiliar children, she might have bolted and never come back.

      As it was, she wasn’t sure where to stand while she waited for her class to arrive. Standing by her desk seemed stiff and formal, but the middle of the reading circle felt goofy to her. In the end, she settled for leaning against the open door wearing what she hoped came across as a welcoming smile. Her students started coming in, and she felt her confidence wavering as they brushed past her and went through what was clearly a well-ingrained morning routine.

      Once they’d put everything away and settled in their seats, she checked the hallway to make sure there weren’t any stragglers. Satisfied, she closed the door and turned to face the room full of fresh, curious faces.

      “Good morning, everyone.” Her voice sounded faint and strained, and she took a bracing breath before trying again. “I’m Miss St. George, and I’ll be filling in for Mrs. Howard while she’s out with her baby. I’ll do my best to learn your names quickly, but there are a lot of you, so I hope you’ll be patient with me.”

      A cute blonde girl with bright blue eyes and freckles quickly raised her hand. “Miss St. George?”

      “Yes?”

      “I’m Abby, and my daddy’s here for show-and-tell.” She pointed toward the window in the door. “Can I let him in?”

      “Sure. Go ahead.”

      Abby sprang up to meet him, and Lily turned to say hello. Any thought of speaking left her mind when she saw that there, framed in the doorway, stood Mike Kinley. The formal gray suit had given way to jeans, a cowboy hat and a faded denim shirt with Gallimore Stables and a stylized horse head embroidered on the chest pocket. Being a woman, she had to admit this outfit suited him much better.

      “Morning,”

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