A Man Worth Marrying

by Phyllis Halldorson

  Eve glared at him. "You told her about me?"

  He sighed. "I had to. She saw me fixing the coffee things, and asked who was coming." The corners of his mouth raised in a small smile. "I don't usually use the best china and silver when I serve coffee to neighbors or the gang I work with."

  Eve had to admit that sounded reasonable. "What did you tell her about me?"

  "Only that we had some business to discuss," he assured her. "She didn't think anything of it. In my profession you meet a lot of new people, so she's used to strangers coming and going."

  Eve fidgeted with her purse. "I really don't see any advantage to meeting her until you've told her about the tutoring sessions." She hemmed.

  She was surprised to discover that she'd actually been looking forward to seeing Gray's little girl. Eve was curious about how the youngster looked, how she was progressing with her schoolwork, and how she and Gray got along together.

  "Please, Eve, stay for just a little while. I always introduce Tinker to my guests. She expects it, and if you run off without even saying hello to her, it's going to hurt her feelings."

  Gray caught himself up short. What was the matter with him anyway? He'd wanted a graceful reason not to hire her. Now here it was, handed to him on the proverbial silver platter, and he was practically pleading with her to stay and get acquainted!

  Meanwhile, Eve could see it was important that she stay at least long enough to meet Tinker and have a cup of coffee. She relaxed and leaned back against the leather upholstery. "All right, if you really think it's best, I'd love to meet her. But make it plain that I'm just a business associate."

  "I'm sorry it has to be that way," he said sadly, "but I understand."

  He stood up and headed for the hall. "Now, if you'd like to pour us some coffee I'll go get Tinker."

  Gray returned in a few minutes with a young girl in tow. She was wearing a black skirt and white cotton blouse: the private school uniform. And she showed promise of blooming into an attractive teenager in a few years, but for now she was all arms and legs—bigger than most children her age and lacking the gracefulness of a smaller child.

  Eve felt a twinge of empathy. She'd been too big and awkward at that age, also. She didn't know what Bambi looked like, but she could see a lot of Gray in his daughter. The girl had his dark brown hair and blue eyes.

  "Tinker, I'd like you to meet Ms. Costopoulos," Gray said.

  He turned to Eve. "And Eve, this is my daughter, Sarah, but everybody calls her Tinker."

  The child hung back and looked at the floor shyly, so Eve took the initiative. "I'm very pleased to meet you," she said softly. "May I call you Tinker?"

  "I…I guess so," Tinker said unenthusiastically, still not looking up.

  "Fine," Eve answered, keeping her tone friendly. "My name is Evangeline, but everyone calls me Eve. I hope you will too."

  Tinker didn't respond, but for the first time she raised her head and looked up at Eve. There was a strong negative emotion in her eyes. Fear? Resentment? Eve couldn't tell.

  "Are you going to be my teacher?" Tinker asked angrily.

  That stunned Eve. What was going on here? Gray had just told her that Tinker didn't know he was making plans to have her tutored!

  Her head jerked up to scan Gray's face, but he looked as shocked as she was. He scowled and shook his head, then hunkered down beside Tinker and put his arm around her. "Honey, Ms. Costopoulos—Eve—is a teacher, but she teaches third grade at a school on the other side of town. Who told you she was going to be your teacher?"

  Tinker looked at him. "Mom did. She said I'd have to study all summer because you were going to get a teacher to—to come to the house and make sure I did."

  Her face contorted and there was a sob in her voice. "Please, Daddy, don't make me do that. I do study. Honest I do, but it's so hard. I'll never learn all that stuff."

  Gray muttered an oath under his breath as he drew his daughter closer. Bambi! If he didn't know better he'd think she was deliberately sabotaging his efforts to bring Tinker up to the learning level of the rest of her class.

  Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple. Bambi didn't mean any harm; she just didn't understand how important it was to tread softly so as not to further damage Tinker's already low self-esteem. He should have known better than to tell her what he was planning to do until it was an accomplished fact.

  "Tinker," he said gently, "I'm afraid your mom misunderstood. What I want to do is find a teacher who will come here for just a couple of hours several afternoons a week, and help you catch up with the rest of your class. She won't push you, but she'll teach you all you've missed because of your dyslexia. When school starts again next fall, you'll be able to read, write, and do the arithmetic along with the others."

  Tinker scrutinized Eve, and there was fear in her eyes. "No, I don't want her to teach me," she cried, and threw her arms around Gray's neck.

  Eve was getting more distressed by the minute. Tinker didn't want to be tutored, but she clearly needed the one-on-one help.

  Eve spoke before Gray had a chance. "Tinker, you don't need to be afraid of me. Your father thought you and I should get acquainted because I can help you—but only if you want my help."

  She glanced around and picked up the glass of cola and ice she'd poured for Tinker. "Here, honey," she said, and held it out to the youngster. "Your dad said this glass of soda is for you."

  Tinker hesitated, then raised her head and looked back at Eve. After a moment, she twisted out of her father's arms and walked across the floor to take the beverage.

  "Why don't you sit beside me here on the couch," Eve said, making it a suggestion, not a command.

  Tinker said nothing, but finally did sit down.

  Next, Eve deliberately shifted her attention from Tinker to Gray, giving Tinker a chance to observe her. "How do you take your coffee, Gray? Cream and sugar?"

  "Black," Gray said, and stood to walk over and get the cup and saucer.

  He pulled up an upholstered occasional chair and sat down next to his daughter.

  For a few minutes there was strained silence, then Gray spoke. "Tinker, I bought cookies at the bakery and put them in the cookie jar, then forgot to bring them out. Would you mind getting them?"

  The child's eyes lit up. "Peanut butter with chocolate chips?" she asked.

  Gray nodded. "Your favorite."

  "All right!" she said excitedly as she jumped up and headed for the kitchen.

  Gray let out his breath. "Now where do we go from here?" he asked anxiously.

  "Nowhere," Eve said firmly. "It's out of the question for me to tutor Tinker now. We got off to an impossible start, and she'll never trust me. I'm sorry to say this, but the first thing you must do is undo the damage her mother has done. Then you'll have to find another tutor."

  His cup clattered in the saucer as he put it down on the low table. "Unfortunately, I made the mistake of discussing my plans with Bambi." There was bitterness in his tone.

  "Did you tell your wife you didn't want Tinker to know you were making plans to have her privately tutored?" Eve asked.

  Gray ran his hand over his face. "Ex-wife," he corrected her. "And of course I did, but when did that ever stop her. She gets upset if I make plans for Tinker without telling her, but when I do tell her, she broadcasts it all over town. If the kids at school hear Tinker's being tutored, they'll undoubtedly tease her, call her dumb or stupid. Children can be so cruel without ever meaning to."

  Eve knew all about that, both from her experience as a child when she'd been teased about her long, Greek, al-most-unpronounceable last name, as well as her height, and now as a teacher whose pupils constantly fought for recognition and didn't care how they got it. They often taunted those who were different, or spread vicious rumors about a student who was smarter or had a few more possessions than most of the others did.

  She shuddered. "Yes, I know," she murmured softly, wishing there was a way she could shoulder some of his child's pain.
<
br />   Tinker's young voice came from the kitchen. "Daddy, I can't find the cookie jar. I think it's on the top shelf, but I can't reach it."

  Gray jumped out of the chair. "Just stay where you are, and I'll get it," he called as he hurried into the other room. "I don't want you to climb up on something and fall."

  They were back in a few seconds with a plate of cookies that Gray passed around. Tinker took two, then picked up her glass of soda. "I'm going back to the office and watch television," she announced sharply, and turned to walk away.

  "Just a minute, young lady," Gray said in a tone that stopped his daughter in her tracks. "I didn't hear you ask to be excused."

  "Please-may-I-be-excused." She ran all the words together, her back still turned to them.

  "Not until you ask politely," Gray reprimanded, and it was clear that it embarrassed him to have to discipline his daughter in front of a third person. Being caught in the middle of it embarrassed Eve, too, but she admired him for not letting Tinker get away with being disrespectful.

  "Oh, Daddy," she said mutinously, but she turned to face them, and once more asked—politely this time—to be excused.

  Gray looked relieved. "Yes, you may," he answered crisply. Tinker turned around and headed for the back of the house.

  When they heard a door slam shut, Gray sighed and dropped down on the couch beside Eve. "I don't know what to say, how to apologize for my daughter's behavior." He sounded more concerned than humiliated. "I know you'll find it hard to believe, but she's usually too meek rather than too aggressive."

  Eve wished she could touch him in a reassuring gesture, but knew that would be a big mistake. There was too much magnetism between them. Neither of them had admitted it, but it had been building since their chance encounter in the hallway of her school the previous afternoon.

  That sort of thing had never happened to her before. The attraction she'd felt for men had usually taken time to build, and had never really gone anywhere. Except with Damian, and she wasn't going to think about him…

  "I'm not a bit surprised or offended by Tinker's behavior, Gray." she told him. "The poor child is terrified."

  He looked at her and blinked. "What do you mean, 'terrified'?"

  "She's afraid of trying something new and failing again," Eve said gently. "Apparently her mother isn't very supportive of the idea of having her tutored, and let Tinker know it. Then you sprang me on her—"

  "I admit that was a mistake. I should have listened to you. You warned me—"

  "But you couldn't have known your ex-wife would be so…so…" How could she put it without criticizing?

  "I think insensitive is the word you're looking for," he said harshly. "But I should have known. I lived with her for eight years…" His voice trailed off.

  Eve wondered what he meant by that, but she wasn't going to prolong this conversation. She took a sip of her now-cold coffee, then put the cup down and stood.

  "I'm truly sorry this happened," she said. "It will make the process of having Tinker tutored much more difficult. But I urge you to keep trying to find someone she likes and trusts. Have you tried counseling? That might help."

  Gray stood also. He didn't answer her question, but posed one of his own. "Eve, are you sure you can't work with her? I'll have her counseled if that's what you suggest. You and the counselor could work together, but I have a gut feeling that you can handle my daughter better than anyone else."

  Eve shook her head sadly. "You don't even know me, Gray, and I don't know Tinker. I'm sure, though, that any help I could have given her has been spoiled by her mother's interference. Both Tinker and your ex-wife would resent me if I tried, and it would only harm Tinker further."

  Eve picked up her purse and headed for the door. "May I have my coat, please."

  "Are you sure there's nothing I can say to change your mind?" He was surprised to hear himself ask the question as he followed her to the closet by the door and took out her coat. The object wasn't to change her mind, dammit, it was to agree with her that the situation was hopeless.

  She shook her head. "No, but I really am sorry."

  She shrugged into the coat Gray was holding for her, then turned to face him. "It's been nice meeting you, Gray," she said, and stuck out her hand. "Tinker too. I wish you the very best of luck with a different tutor."

  Gray took her hand and cradled it in both of his. His were warm and strong, and there was a tingle of electricity that flowed from them into hers. He felt it, too. She could see it in his eyes. The blue of his pupils darkened and softened.

  "You haven't seen the last of me, Ms. Evangeline Costopoulos," he murmured as he squeezed her hand and released it.

  She turned and, not even sure why, she fled.

  Chapter Three

  The weekend came and went, and Monday morning was sunny and bright. But the nape of Eve's neck tingled, so she wasn't surprised when storm clouds began gathering by noon. Ever since she was a little girl, she'd been forecasting the weather by paying attention to a tightening at her nape. But she no longer bothered to mention it. Nobody believed her.

  By the time she was ready to dismiss her class, the skies had opened up and were pouring rain onto the roof, which in turn dripped water through the ceiling and noisily into buckets strategically placed by teachers and students in hope of keeping themselves and their school supplies dry.

  It was maddening, and Eve clenched her jaws in frustration. The fund that had been started for a new roof was increasing, but much too slowly. If only there was something she could do! Eve thought. But on her salary she could only make token contributions. If she'd accepted the summer job Gray Flint had offered her, he would have donated money to the roofing fund…

  Tinker. Eve tried not to think about the child, because that led to thoughts of Gray, and she didn't want to reflect on him. She'd been right when she refused to go ahead and tutor Tinker in spite of the child's objections. A student had to be willing in order to learn.

  Eve was just getting ready to dismiss the children when Jessica, the school secretary, came into the room, positively glowing with excitement.

  "Eve, you have a phone call," she said. "It's Gray Flint. He says he has to speak to you, that it's urgent. You never told me you knew him!"

  Jess was the consummate hero-worshiper, and anyone in the public eye was hero material for her. Eve couldn't help grinning, even as her own stomach filled with fluttering butterflies and tickles rippled up and down her spine. Gray projected her into orbit, too, but it wasn't hero worship. It was a much more perilous attraction than that.

  "Thank you, Jess," she said without satisfying the other woman's curiosity. "Will you keep an eye on the kids? I won't be but a minute."

  Without waiting for an answer, she left the room and headed for the office. Why was Gray calling her? After all, they'd agreed that she couldn't tutor Tinker. Last time they saw each other, he'd sort of indicated he might be in touch with her again, but that was four days ago. Besides, she hadn't actually believed he meant it.

  She walked into the outer office and picked up the telephone. "Gray, this is Eve Costopoulos."

  "Eve," he said, and sounded relieved. "I'm sorry to bother you at school, but I neglected to get your home phone number."

  "That's okay," she replied. "Is something wrong?"

  "No. Actually something's very right. Tinker has agreed to be tutored, and she wants you to do it."

  "Oh?" Eve said skeptically. That sounded somewhat suspicious given the way the youngster had objected when first approached about it. "Are you sure you didn't coerce her into it—?"

  "I swear, I didn't put any pressure on her," he interrupted. "Bambi and I just explained to her why it was so important that she have help in catching up with the rest of her classmates."

  Eve's stomach muscles knotted. "You and Bambi?" Her tone betrayed her uncertainty. "And how did you get her approval?"

  He chuckled. "I don't blame you for being skeptical. I admit Bambi's pretty scatterbrained,
but she does want what's best for her daughter. Once I went over the situation with her, she understood why it was necessary—and helped me convince Tinker."

  "Well, I think that's great," she assured him. "I know several teachers who are looking for summer employment. If you like, I can give you their names—"

  "No. Wait," he interrupted. "Didn't you hear me? Tinker wants you to tutor her. I didn't even mention you. It was her own request. She asked for you."

  Eve felt her eyes widen. "Really?"

  "Really," Gray assured her. "Look, we don't have time to discuss this now—I know you have to get back to your students. I'm calling to ask if you'll have dinner with me tonight. We can work out the details then. I have a baby-sitter I can call."

  Common sense told Eve that she should say no to a social engagement disguised as a business meeting, but then, when had she let common sense stand in the way of something she wanted to do as much as she wanted to go to dinner with Gray? After all, she wasn't his daughter's teacher—yet.

  "I'd like that," she admitted. "I usually get home by three-thirty."

  "Good," he said, and he really sounded pleased. "Okay if I pick you up around six-thirty?"

  "Fine," she agreed. "If you have a piece of paper and a pencil handy, I'll give you my address and phone number."

  Eve was bathed, dressed and ready to go early, so she used the extra time to straighten up her already immaculate apartment. It consisted of a living room, kitchen/dining area, bedroom and bath in one of the city's newer apartment complexes. This one had been built by her dad's construction company.

  She heard the doorbell ring, and a wave of warmth swept over her. That would be Gray! She hurried to the door, and a glance through the peephole revealed him standing on the other side. Quickly she unlatched the locks and opened the door.

  For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. Gray was wearing a dark blue suit, and looked suave as always. She was glad she'd selected her above-the-knee burnt-orange long-sleeve chemise—very plain but elegant. With the addition of a glowing amber necklace and earrings, she could go anywhere and be appropriately dressed.