He thought he could come up with a few pairs of
quilted pants and more parkas and gloves. “The lost and
found is full of gloves. And hats.”
No surprise; those were the small items easy to
misplace. She could lose a glove at home or in her car.
When she was done eating, she insisted on carrying
her own dirty dishes to the sink and then he showed her
the laundry room. “I’ll get a load running,” she said with
a nod. “And I’ll organize the kids to wash dishes. You
shouldn’t have to wait on us.”
He opened his mouth and closed it.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Just…you don’t look like a
schoolmarm. But you have it down pat.”
“I’ve been teaching for five years now.”
“You don’t look old enough.”
Two personal observations in a row. Were either
compliments?
“I’m twenty-seven.”
“So you started teaching right out of college.”
Fiona nodded. “I’ve been working on my master’s
degree at Portland State for several years. Summer
quarter and sometimes an evening class.”
“Better salary?”
She sighed. “Of course. But also, I’m learning. I
used to think I wouldn’t be interested in administration,
but maybe someday.”
This was when the conversation was supposed to
become reciprocal. Yeah, I thought about minoring in
education but…
Even though he didn’t say anything in response, he
didn’t seem in any hurry to leave the small laundry
room. In fact, she was suddenly aware of how close he
was to her, and of how alone they were even though she
could hear the kids’ voices coming from the kitchen.
Not that she wasn’t aware of him every time she saw
him, but now she found herself noticing the deep chocolate shade of his eyes, the fact that he’d apparently nicked himself shaving that morning—and how fresh
and puckered that scar was.
When her gaze touched on the scar, something flared
in his eyes and he took a step back.
Before he could speak, Fiona said hurriedly, “What
about you? Before…Iraq. Were you career military?”
For a moment he didn’t answer, and she thought he
wouldn’t. Then, with obvious reluctance, he said, “No.
National Guard. Before, I was an engineer.”
“Really?” Oh, no; had she sounded surprised?
Please God he hadn’t noticed. “What kind? Did you
design bridges?”
“I was a mechanical engineer. Mainly robotics to
increase workplace safety.”
“From that to innkeeper.” She’d meant the words to
be light, but she could tell he didn’t take them that way.
A muscle spasmed in his jaw. “That’s right. Now, if
you’ll excuse me?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
“Nothing to be sorry for.” He walked away, his limp
pronounced.
Why had her asking about his past distressed him?
Had he had some kind of breakdown when he got back
from Iraq? Like the Vietnam vets who’d gone to live in
the woods? Was the only difference that he’d been able
to afford to buy this place?
The kids were all in the kitchen, Willow as usual
looking shy and apart from the group, Erin equally apart
but serenely so. John was nowhere to be seen. Fiona
carried a basket upstairs and collected dirty clothes.
Going back through the kitchen, she said, “Boys,
you get KP duty this morning. When everyone’s done
eating, it’s your job to wash the dishes.”
Inevitably Hopper grumbled, “Why us?”
“Because we’re all going to take turns.” She surveyed
the table. “Tabitha, Erin and I are going to make lunch.
Willow, Kelli and Amy will do the lunch dishes. Dinner
we’ll discuss when it gets closer.”
Smiling, she left them groaning and whining. Some
of them had looked shocked enough, she had to wonder
if they were required to do chores at home. That was
the thing with a ritzy private school—the kids came
from a whole different world than the one in which
she’d grown up. They were more sophisticated in many
ways than the teenagers with whom she’d gone to