“Suitor? What are you? Ninety?” She should have known Hayley would tell him about Thorne, but she hadn’t expected it. She sighed as she pulled out a couple pans and started water running in one to cook pasta. “He’s not a suitor. He’s just another teacher.”
“Who’s taken a liking to you.”
“It seems so, yes.”
“Has he asked you out yet?”
“No, and I don’t think he will.”
Warren watched her cook for a few minutes. Quiet. She wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or bad. He was obviously thinking about something, he was either going to tease her or ask her something else. The question was if he what he asked would be something she wasn’t ready to answer.
“How much does he know?” Her brother’s voice had gone soft, almost careful.
“Most of it. Not in a ton of detail of course, but he asked about the kids last week. I don’t see the point in trying to hide anything. Some student will find out, probably sooner rather than later, then it will be the talk of the school. But if I’m open from the start, no one will care.”
He was quiet a moment. “You really told him about Thomas?”
“I did.” She dumped a package of ground beef into the skillet and started chopping as it sizzled.
“That was last week? And he’s still interested? What’s his name?”
“Thorne. I’m not so sure he’s interested as much as friendly. His class is right across from mine and he seems to be just being friendly.”
“Thorne what?”
“Why, so you can do a background check on him?” She rolled her eyes but didn’t answer him. He watched her, one brow tilted in a way that meant he thought she was being naive.
“When’s dinner?” Tommy’s voice made Nancy look up, she found her oldest boy standing in the doorway watching her and his uncle.
“Half hour or forty-five minutes, you starving?”
“Just curious. Can I play Mario while I wait?”
“Is your homework done?”
“Didn’t have any.”
She looked at him, one brow lifted.
“Fine, it’s done. It was done before I left school.”
“What about Mia and Mason. Did they have any?”
“In kindergarten?” He looked at her like he thought she might be losing it.
“All right. Thirty minutes and let your brother and sister play if they want.”
“Okay, thanks.” He took off like a shot, racing for the family room and the tv she let them play video games on.
“Back to you,” Warren said as he picked up Jasmine and set her on his knee as he took a seat at the kitchen table.
“I’d really rather not.” She did her best to ignore his pushing about Thorne. Thorne was nice, he’d seemed to care that she was tired and wanted to help, but it was just friendly, at least that’s what she kept telling herself.
There was no way she was ready for more. Not yet. It was too soon. She wasn’t ready. She might not ever be.
The days blurred together and before long Nancy and the kids settled into a routine. She got up and got them ready for school, at the same time, getting herself ready. By the time Suzette arrived each morning, Nancy had the three school age kids ready. Often Jasmine was just waking up as she left. The kids were headed in the opposite direction to the elementary school so they rode the bus. She’d work all day, seeing Thorne as often as not, then go home and make dinner, get the kids in bed and grade papers until her own bedtime.
On the weekends, she’d often see Warren or Hayley. Sunday afternoons she would video call her parents. They got to talk to the kids and watch them grow, even if it was from a state away.
Those calls made her sad, but she did her best to keep the kids from seeing it. Nancy loved that her family, her parents and Warren wanted to be a part of her children’s lives. It made her wish Thomas’s family felt the same. She’d tried to keep in touch, but a few months after Thomas’s death his mother had told her to stop calling.
It had broken Nancy’s heart when the woman she’d thought of as a part of her family for the last eight years accused her of killing their son. She didn’t understand where that had come from, but she knew better than to try arguing, and instead had done as the older woman had asked. She hadn’t called since.
She still found it heartbreaking that they didn’t want to know their grandchildren, but that was out of her control. Instead she focused on what she could have an impact on. Like making sure her kids knew how much they were loved. By her, by her brother, by her parents and anyone else who wanted to be in their lives.
The kids were happy and that was what mattered.
Before Nancy knew it, Labor Day had slipped by them and the rest of September.
“Is it that time already?” She eyed the sign-up sheets from three different teachers for parent teacher conferences as she knew it had to be, she’d been working on getting grades in so report cards could go out herself.
On top of that the students were all a chatter with talk of homecoming only a little over a week away and it was all they wanted to talk about.
Who needed tests? Who cared about grades? Not them. She scanned the sheets and signed up for 3 spots each afternoon, writing on each sheet she needed a spot after school let out as she was a teacher as well, then put them back in folders and in each kid’s backpack to be taken back to their teachers. All she could do was hold her breath and hope she got appointments that wouldn’t be too hard to make.
With a sigh she called the kids down for breakfast, hoping they’d gotten dressed like they were supposed to. Usually they were good about it but Mia had started lingering, and half the time had to be reminded to finish getting dressed so they could get to school.
A wave or relief washed through her as one by one they appeared, dressed, shoes on, hair combed and ready to go.
“Come on and eat. Suzette will be here any time then I’ve got to get to work.” She kissed the top of each one’s head and just as she finished, Suzette came in the front door.
“Sorry I’m running a little late this morning. I got caught by a train.”
“No problem. They’re all ready to go, their lunches are packed and their backpacks are ready. Jasmine’s not up yet but she should be any time. I’ve got to get running I’ve got an appointment before the first bell.” She grabbed her own lunch, as well as her purse and the leather briefcase she carried papers back and forth to school in and headed out the door, shouting goodbyes at the kids as she hurried out to the car.
She had a student who was struggling, but wanted to do better, so Nancy had scheduled this early meeting. Now she just hoped she wasn’t late.
Nancy sighed and relaxed into her desk chair for a moment. It had been a long day, but a good one. The student she’d met with before class had worked hard and while they were talking, something clicked and suddenly she got it. The girl’s excitement had been contagious. Nancy couldn’t help but laugh and celebrate with her as the girl danced around the classroom.
This was why she’d become a teacher.
Now though, the early morning, the rushing around getting the kids ready, the full day of classes, it was all coming back to haunt her. What she wouldn’t give for even a fifteen minute nap. Instead she’d have maybe five minutes here while the students left then she’d need to get moving again. There was a staff meeting, and she wanted to be ready to head home as soon as it was over.
Tommy had been asking to go to the Homecoming game next week and Nancy didn’t know what to tell him. There was no way she’d let him go alone, not at only eight. But she didn’t have the energy to take all four of them. She’d have to talk to Warren and see what he was doing. Maybe he’d like some time with just him and his nephew.
Or maybe she would see if he and Hayley would watch the younger ones and take him herself. She could use the time with him. Besides, it had been years since she’d been to a football game. She and Thomas used to enjoy them once in a while, when he was in
town during the season. Neither of them had much interest in pro sports, or even college but they enjoyed watching the local kids play. It would be fun to take Tommy and show him the fun they used to have.
“About ready for the meeting?” Thorne’s voice pulled her from her ruminations.
Nancy shook her head to free her mind from the clingy thoughts and stood. She grabbed the stack of papers she needed to work on tonight and shoved it in her briefcase with a few other things then slung the heavy bag over her shoulder, tucked her water bottle into her purse and looped it over the other shoulder.
“Sure, let’s go.”
“You want me to carry some of that?”
“I got it.” She was used to carrying it by now. She’d even cut it down some. Her empty lunch bag was stuffed inside the briefcase, just to make it a little easier.
“Have you considered a cart?” Thorne led the way out the door then waited for her to catch up so he could walk beside her.
“What do you mean?”
“Those wheeled crates with a retractable handle. A couple of the teachers use them. They’re great if you’re taking much home.” He fell silent for a couple minutes. “Are you doing a test or essays for mid-terms and finals?”
“Essays, why?”
“Cause that’s a lot to haul. Unless you move to an online system. It would mean you just log in from wherever and grade, no hauling stacks of essays around, no keeping them straight about which ones go to which class.”
“You sound like you’ve put thought into it.” She watched him a second before turning back to pay attention to where she was going.
“I went digital for a lot of stuff, especially homework, last year. It’s not as easy for math as it would be for English though. I have a lot of things that need to be worked on paper, processes and that kind of thing where I need to see each step so we can find where the problem is, when there is one. But with essays and that kind of thing, those are easy to have submitted to you online, you read, grade, send it back with comments. It’s a little complicated to set up, but I’d be happy to help. The school has a preferred system, it works in the grading system too, so you don’t have to enter things over and over. You enter the grade and it transfers over.”
“I’ll have to check into it. I knew we used an online system for my classes at MNM but I didn’t even think about using the same thing for high school. I guess I’m still thinking a little old fashioned.”
“We are a little slow moving into the times, but it’s there if you want to use it. Not all the teachers do yet.”
“Thanks.”
They arrived at the teacher’s lounge where the meeting was being held and went inside. Nancy couldn’t wait to get this over with and get home.
Chapter 6
Thorne walked into his empty apartment, set the bag with the papers he needed to grade tonight on the table next to the door and carried his lunch bag into the kitchen. After dealing with his dishes and putting the freezer pack back in the freezer, he leaned against the counter and took a deep breath.
The evening stretched in front of him with little to look forward to but grading and maybe binge watching something online. The same thing he’d done the night before, and the one before that. What an exciting life he lived.
He wanted to ask Nancy out but he’d already picked up that she was a little skittish. He didn’t blame her. She’d been through a lot. Instead, he’d worked on being friendly, just getting to know her and letting her get comfortable around him. In time he’d see if he could take it a little farther. Small steps. He should see if she was planning to go to Homecoming next week.
The phone ringing pulled him from his thoughts. He pulled it from his pocket and found it was his brother.
“Hey, Frost, what’s up?”
“Hey, bro. I’m in town and thought you might like to have dinner.”
“What are you doing in town?”
“Had to come take care of some paperwork at the courthouse. You hungry?”
“Of course I’m hungry, where do you want to go?” He wasn’t letting the bit about the courthouse go, he was just biding his time. Thorne would find out when he was face to face with his brother and could judge what he was hiding a little better.
They ended up at Angie’s Diner not quite an hour later, face to face as they waited their turn to order.
“Tell me what’s really going on.” Thorne looked up from the menu he’d grabbed of the counter on his way in to watch his brother.
“I told you, nothing much. I just had to do some paperwork at the courthouse.”
“What kind of paperwork do you have to go in for? Most of it you can file online, can’t you?”
Frost looked away.
Now Thorne really wanted to know what had made his brother make the trip, over an hour each way from Garrett. Thorne didn’t push, just looked at his brother, one brow lifted until the waitress arrived.
“What can I get for you boys tonight?”
“Oh, Becky. You’re working late tonight. I didn’t expect to see you.” Thorne didn’t see her often when school was in session as usually Becky worked an earlier shift, while he was at school.
“Had a server call in and someone had to cover. How are you doing? Looking forward to Homecoming?”
“I am. I’ve been helping out a couple of Mario’s players to make sure they make the grade and don’t get cut from the team.”
“I’m sure he’s grateful. Now, what can I get for ya?”
He and Frost placed their orders, which Becky promised to put in right away, then left to get their drinks.
Thorne didn’t say anything right away, just looked at his brother again, that brow lifted. It didn’t take long, just like he knew it wouldn’t, till Frost cracked.
“Fine I was talking to the county attorney about a case they want me to testify for.”
“What’s it about? I don’t mean your testimony, I meant the case.”
“I spotted some rustlers a couple months back and called and reported them. They want me to testify about what I saw.” Frost squirmed in his seat then leaned back and stared out the window.
Thorne shook his head, not sure why Frost hadn’t wanted to admit that.
“Why hide that from me?”
“I haven’t told anyone yet. But I guess it will come out soon enough.” Frost didn’t look happy, even though he was doing the right thing.
“What aren’t you telling me? What are you leaving out?”
“It’s Charles and Simon Hughes.”
“Preston’s boys?” Thorne blinked. “That’s going to go over like a lead balloon.” Preston Hughes owned the ranch next door to his parent’s place, the ranch where Thorne and Frost had grown up. Now it sat between that same spread and the place Frost had bought a couple years ago, well, leased to buy. He was making payments and eventually it would be his, but he had a long way to go.
“You’re telling me.” Frost flipped his hair to one side in a move Thorne had seen enough to know it was an unconscious movement for his brother.
“Does old man Hughes still resent you beating him to your place?”
“Deeply. And this isn’t going to make it any better. He’s started complaining to people we’re trying to run him off so one of us can have his place and we’ll have the whole mountainside.” Frost rolled his eyes.
Thorne fought not to let his jaw drop. “You’re kidding?”
Frost shook his head.
“Who does he claim is gonna take over his place?”
“Yeats.”
This time Thorne couldn’t keep his mouth from falling open. “Yeats is sixteen. Last I heard he’s planning to go to MNM then onto New Mexico State to get his degree.”
“That’s the plan.”
“What about Charlie, she’s more likely to want it.” Charlie was their sister, and the only one of the group that had ended up with a real first name. Charlotte, though the only one who used it was Mom. Thorne still couldn’t figure out what his pa
rents were thinking when they’d decided to name them all after poets. His name was officially Hawthorne, though he’d shortened it to Thorne in grade school and refused to answer to anything else. Frost and Yeats, though, how could you improve those? Well, Frost wasn’t totally horrid and a lot of people assumed he’d been named after Lane Frost, a world champion rodeo rider who’d been killed by a bull in the late 1980s. But Yeats? People had trouble pronouncing it, then half the time they asked where the hell it came from. Thorne didn’t envy his brother that one.
“Charlie might be interested but not for a while yet. She’s been working with the horses at Ma and Dad’s place and she’s happy there. I don’t know that she’d even thought about having her own place, at least not until Preston started running his mouth around town.”
“And now?”
“I asked last week, she’s not ready.”
“But why didn’t Preston say she wanted it? Why go to the kid?”
“Because Charlie’s a girl, therefor, in his eyes at least, not capable of running a ranch.”
Thorne coughed, glad he hadn’t been taking a drink. Charlie had managed to knock them all on their ass, even him and he was nearly ten years older than her, at one time or another. She had more brains than all the boys put together and she didn’t hesitate to use them.
“That’s just one of his mistakes, at least as far as I see it.” Thorne shook his head. Old man Hughes wasn’t going to be happy about his boys, but they’d been in trouble before. This time though, unless something came up to save them, they were likely going to be doing some prison time. Rustling was still taken seriously in this part of the country.
“It is. But my testifying against the boys isn’t going to help things.”
“No, I guess it isn’t.”
“Enough about me. Tell me what’s new with you.”
They paused while Becky brought their dinners, thanked her and dug into their meals. While he ate, Thorne wondered if he should tell Frost about Nancy. What was there to tell him? That he liked her? That he wanted more, but she was still hung up on her dead husband? No, better to keep it to himself. “Just work. Mid-terms are coming up and that’s never a slow time.”
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