contact. “Religious reasons? Or want a day to yourself?”
“I like having a day off here and there. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but grading papers will never be the fun part.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure it’s not. I can only imagine how great it must feel to see a kid catching on to something they didn’t understand. Tommy, from across the street, is excited about science for the first time in forever. Or so he tells me.”
“What? You were talking to one of my kids?” She nibbled her lip, wondering why it seemed he showed up everywhere. Not that she was complaining. In fact, the opposite was true, she was flattered for some lame reason. But a piece of her kept waiting for Kyle’s not-so-good side to come out.
“He saw me helping with your flowers over the weekend, and asked me what I thought of you.”
Her breath caught, her eyes widening. “And you said?”
He grinned. “I told him you must be an excellent teacher, because you were certainly a loving and attentive mother. Then he proceeded to tell me everything Verna told you tonight. Students thrive in your class.”
“I don’t know about all that. They’re all smart kids, well behaved. Better than the kids back home. They weren’t terrible, but it was a rougher neighborhood, with some territorial violence. Not gangs per se, but cliques that were far rougher than they should be.” She felt the heat in her cheeks and had to mentally put the brakes on her runaway rambling streak.
“Tommy seems to believe you’re the best teacher he’s ever had, and he’s not prone to exaggeration.” He brought her one scoop of ice cream, while he ate two. “There’s more if you want it. I always have ice cream around for when my sweet tooth acts up.”
That made her giggle. “Yeah, well you can’t tell by the looks of you.”
“Oh?” One eyebrow rose. “And what makes you say that?”
“All that muscle.” The heat rose in her cheeks. “Not that I’ve been looking, but it’s pretty obvious you keep in shape.” She wished she could hide her face without making the blush more obvious.
“Why, thank you. You don’t do too bad yourself. I’m guessing you have some kind of program to keep yourself fit?”
“Yeah, yoga. Cherish does it with me, I swear that little monkey’s better at it than I am.” A nervous laugh escaped her lips.
He moved closer, his eyes locking on hers. “I don’t know about that, but the kid has some moves. I caught sight of her dancing in the yard the other day. Where did she learn to dance?”
She nibbled her bottom lip. “We like to dance, but I do it behind closed doors and drapes so I don’t make a fool of myself. We turn on videos and have super-secret dance parties.” She fanned herself, feeling her cheeks flame.
“Mila, you move with grace. I’m sure your dancing is anything but clumsy. In fact, I’m betting it’s a blast. One day, when I have kids, I’ll dance with them, without the drapes closed.”
“Yeah, well, you can show off and probably not look like a fool. Not so much for me.”
His eyes narrowed, as he took another step closer. “Why do you beat yourself up? Now don’t take this the wrong way, you’re beautiful, no denying it. I get dressing conservatively as a teacher. And I get not making a big fuss about clothes and makeup, because frankly you don’t need them. But you act like you aren’t worth the attention, and woman, you most certainly are. You’re funny, delightful, and easygoing. A joy to be around. So why put yourself down?” He moved closer, leaning against the island, next to the stool she was perched on.
“I don’t,” she protested, but one dark brow rose. “Much?”
“A lot,” Kyle replied.
“Fine.” She sighed. “Look, I’m not interested in attention. I don’t need it, so I don’t put effort into drawing it.”
He shook his head slowly. “Where the hell are you from? Because honestly, Mila, you’re stunning without the effort. Maybe more
“I like having a day off here and there. Don’t get me wrong, I love my job, but grading papers will never be the fun part.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure it’s not. I can only imagine how great it must feel to see a kid catching on to something they didn’t understand. Tommy, from across the street, is excited about science for the first time in forever. Or so he tells me.”
“What? You were talking to one of my kids?” She nibbled her lip, wondering why it seemed he showed up everywhere. Not that she was complaining. In fact, the opposite was true, she was flattered for some lame reason. But a piece of her kept waiting for Kyle’s not-so-good side to come out.
“He saw me helping with your flowers over the weekend, and asked me what I thought of you.”
Her breath caught, her eyes widening. “And you said?”
He grinned. “I told him you must be an excellent teacher, because you were certainly a loving and attentive mother. Then he proceeded to tell me everything Verna told you tonight. Students thrive in your class.”
“I don’t know about all that. They’re all smart kids, well behaved. Better than the kids back home. They weren’t terrible, but it was a rougher neighborhood, with some territorial violence. Not gangs per se, but cliques that were far rougher than they should be.” She felt the heat in her cheeks and had to mentally put the brakes on her runaway rambling streak.
“Tommy seems to believe you’re the best teacher he’s ever had, and he’s not prone to exaggeration.” He brought her one scoop of ice cream, while he ate two. “There’s more if you want it. I always have ice cream around for when my sweet tooth acts up.”
That made her giggle. “Yeah, well you can’t tell by the looks of you.”
“Oh?” One eyebrow rose. “And what makes you say that?”
“All that muscle.” The heat rose in her cheeks. “Not that I’ve been looking, but it’s pretty obvious you keep in shape.” She wished she could hide her face without making the blush more obvious.
“Why, thank you. You don’t do too bad yourself. I’m guessing you have some kind of program to keep yourself fit?”
“Yeah, yoga. Cherish does it with me, I swear that little monkey’s better at it than I am.” A nervous laugh escaped her lips.
He moved closer, his eyes locking on hers. “I don’t know about that, but the kid has some moves. I caught sight of her dancing in the yard the other day. Where did she learn to dance?”
She nibbled her bottom lip. “We like to dance, but I do it behind closed doors and drapes so I don’t make a fool of myself. We turn on videos and have super-secret dance parties.” She fanned herself, feeling her cheeks flame.
“Mila, you move with grace. I’m sure your dancing is anything but clumsy. In fact, I’m betting it’s a blast. One day, when I have kids, I’ll dance with them, without the drapes closed.”
“Yeah, well, you can show off and probably not look like a fool. Not so much for me.”
His eyes narrowed, as he took another step closer. “Why do you beat yourself up? Now don’t take this the wrong way, you’re beautiful, no denying it. I get dressing conservatively as a teacher. And I get not making a big fuss about clothes and makeup, because frankly you don’t need them. But you act like you aren’t worth the attention, and woman, you most certainly are. You’re funny, delightful, and easygoing. A joy to be around. So why put yourself down?” He moved closer, leaning against the island, next to the stool she was perched on.
“I don’t,” she protested, but one dark brow rose. “Much?”
“A lot,” Kyle replied.
“Fine.” She sighed. “Look, I’m not interested in attention. I don’t need it, so I don’t put effort into drawing it.”
He shook his head slowly. “Where the hell are you from? Because honestly, Mila, you’re stunning without the effort. Maybe more
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