After reviewing several other applicants, I decided that Angela’s application was the best one ─ the only one worth considering, in fact. I hoped she worked out because with her education and experience, she would be a great teacher for the boys.
I picked up the phone and dialed her number.
“Hello,” a quiet female voice answered.
“May I speak to Angela Barret?”
“This is Angela Barret,” the voice replied. “Who’s calling, please?”
My ears perked up at the sounds of her soft sensual voice. “This is Brad Hunter. I’m calling about your application to be a homeschool teacher here at my resort.”
“Oh, Mr. Hunter, I’m so glad you called,” Angela replied excitedly.
“Great. Can you come up to the resort for an interview with me and my boys? Your application says you live in town?”
“Yes, I live in Blue Haven. I’d love to come up to the resort for an interview. I’m available this afternoon if that’s good for you?”
“How about tomorrow afternoon? I have a truck coming in today, and the boys are off doing their thing, so I think tomorrow would work out better.”
After agreeing to a time and giving her directions on where to meet, we wrapped up the call. I was feeling hopeful that she would be a good candidate. She’d sounded nice and intelligent on the phone, two things I hoped would translate in person.
When I replayed her voice again in my head, my brain conjured up an image of what I thought she might look like. And I very much liked where my brain was headed.
Stop right there, tiger, I told myself. She’d be my employee, my kids’ teacher, and I still considered myself a married man, widowed or not.
I shook my head and tried to get back to work.
Why did the sound of her voice leave such a huge impression on me?
* * *
I spent a couple of hours placing orders for the week and going over the staff’s upcoming schedule when both boys came running into my office, out of breath.
“Whoa,” I said, “What’s the rush?”
“Dad, Bryce took my hat and won’t give it back!” Reid griped, glaring at his brother.
“Really, guys?” I asked disappointedly. “Bryce, do I have to ask you to give back Reid’s hat? You guys aren’t little kids anymore.”
“He said I could borrow it,” he replied sullenly.
“I said you could borrow it for a day. Give it back!” Reid yelled, reaching to yank the hat off his brother’s head, which would inevitably start a fight.
“Stop!” Both boys looked at me, frozen. “Bryce?” I said sternly.
“Fine! I’ll give him back his stupid hat!”
“What’s so special about this hat?” I asked Bryce.
“Nothing. I just like it and don’t have one like it.”
I sighed, trying to imagine how Sam would handle this. “How about I take you both into town to look for some new things later in the week. I know it’s been a while since we’ve been shopping.”
They glanced at each other, smiling, and I suspected the little argument over the hat might have been a ploy. “I need some new summer clothes, too,” Bryce informed me.
“We can do that.” I asked Reid, “You need anything?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, probably.”
“It’s lunchtime,” Bryce noted.
“Oh, yeah, I guess it is,” I said, looking at my watch. “Let’s go to the kitchen and see what Gram made for us today.”
“Okay,” both boys sang in unison as they hurried out the door toward the kitchen.
I followed and found my mom laying out tuna fish sandwiches and carrot sticks. “We’re eating healthy today,” she informed the boys.
“Eeeew, tuna fish,” Bryce started to complain. When I gave him the look, he stopped whining but didn’t stop pouting.
“Bryce, you like tuna fish,” I reminded him. Geez, he’s gotten so picky lately.
“Not anymore,” he reported, scowling. “But I guess I have to eat it.”
“Yes, you do,” I informed him, knowing he really did like tuna fish. Shit, he’d eaten it just last week.
“Did you find a good applicant for the homeschool position?” Mom asked me.
“I’m not certain, but I think I did,” I told her.
“You did?” Reid asked with a mouthful. “What’s her name?”
“Her name is Angela, and she’s coming tomorrow at one o’clock to meet us.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t find someone, but okay.”
“Reid, we talked about this. It’s what your mother wanted for you boys. If you still want to play baseball in the spring, I’ll find a select team, you can try out, and hopefully make the team. I’ll make sure you have the same access to extracurricular activities,” I assured him.
“Okay,” he reluctantly agreed and began to munch on his carrot sticks.
Harley came into the kitchen, singing completely out of tune. The boys laughed at him as he grabbed a sandwich and gobbled it down in three bites.
“Harley!” Mom exclaimed. “Where are your manners?”
“Oops, sorry, Mom. I’m in a hurry,” he told her. “I got a lesson starting in twenty minutes and still need to change.” He looked at me. “Did I hear you guys talking about that homeschooling crap again?”
“I have an interview tomorrow. Hopefully, this will be the one,” I said.
“I think it’s odd not going to school and being around other kids their age,” he commented slowly, as if he wanted to express the thought without causing an issue.
“Harley, Sam and I discussed this and decided it was the right choice for the boys. I’m honoring her wishes,” I told him.
“I know,” he admitted, though I could tell he didn’t like it. “I still think you’re being over-protective, but hey, they’re your kids.”
“Yes, they are. I’d appreciate it if you’d respect that.”
“Whatever, man. I was just saying. It’s weird.”
“You’ve made your point clear, bro.”
“Alright. Well, there is one good thing,” he announced, changing the subject in the face of my ire. “The boys will be around to work more often,” he said, jokingly, nudging Bryce in the arm.
Bryce chuckled, not realizing that Harley probably meant it. He was always looking for ways to expand the business, which meant more hands on deck most of the time.
“I’m out. See you guys later,” Harley said, waving with one hand as he shoved a second sandwich into his mouth with the other. He missed Mom’s look of disapproval.
“That boy!” she exclaimed, shaking her head of greying curls.
“What do you think of homeschooling?” I asked her slowly. While my brothers’ opinions mattered, now that I was widowed, my mom’s was the most valued.
She tilted her head to the side, looking into my eyes as she thought. “I see Harley’s point, but I also see Sam’s point. And you hear all that awful stuff on the news these days about school violence. Maybe homeschooling is the way to go. As long as they have opportunities to socialize.” She shrugged and smiled at the boys. “Plus, I’m happy to have them around all day. I love the idea of spending more time with them.”
“At least someone gets it,” I grumbled. Though I wasn’t entirely sure anyone in my family really got it.
It’s what Sam wanted, and I’m determined to honor her last wishes, I thought.
Angela
It’s Monday, and I’m still very much jobless.
I had spent most of last week putting in online applications for various teaching positions. I was hoping to secure a low-key teaching job, such as homeschooling or online, a job that wouldn’t put my name out there too much.
I’d just moved here the week before last and was pretty well settled in. There wasn’t too much to do in Blue Haven with a population of 1,100. But, hey, that’s why I chose this place, I thought. And the locals had been very welcoming, which was great.
BANG…CRASH…
A loud noise startled me. I jumped up from my seat at the dining room table, spilling hot coffee on my hand and the newspaper I was reading.
Quietly, shaking slightly, I peeked out of the peephole of the front door. I couldn’t see anyone out there, so I went to the living room window and stole a glimpse through the closed blinds. I saw what had made the noise; a cat had knocked off the metal trash can lid onto the concrete walkway beside the porch.
Geez, I thought, I’m so jumpy!
I’d come to this quiet place to get away from the things that made me jumpy. I was reasonably sure I was safe here, but one could never be too careful. I slipped outside to shoo the cat away and pick up the trash can lid. I looked up and down the quiet street. Some children were riding their bikes in the road a few houses down, and a woman was walking her dog on the sidewalk across the street. When she saw me, she waved, and I waved back.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
I went back inside and closed the door and locked it. Even though I was certain that John wouldn’t find me ─couldn’t find me─ I still felt better having the door shut and locked, which was a shame on this beautiful spring morning.
Sighing, I wiped up the spilled coffee from the dining room table when my cell phone rang. I jumped again and told myself that I really needed to chill.
This is getting ridiculous.
“Hello?” I answered the number I recognized.
“Hey, Angela. How’s it going?”
“Hi, Hope. It’s going well. How are things in Garden City?” I asked. Then added, “I miss you guys.”
“Same ol’, same ol,’” Hope answered. “I’m just calling to check in on you. I tried to call last evening, but you didn’t answer.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I took a drive to a Walmart about forty-five minutes from here.”
“Ugh, forty-five minutes?” she asked. “That’s crazy!”
I chuckled, nodding my head. “Yeah, I needed to get some things I couldn’t find in the stores around here. I got home late and was going to call you back today.”
“No problem. When you didn’t answer, I was a little worried. I hate that you live alone and so far away,” Hope said, worry in her tone.
“I know, but what else can I do?” I asked, but I kept talking so she didn’t answer. “At least I found this small house, and the landlord was willing to accept cash with no background check or anything. Plus, all utilities are included. I got lucky.”
“Yeah, but you can’t run forever, you know? I wish there was a better way to deal with all of this,” Hope replied.
“Me too,” I said with a sigh. “But the police won’t do anything, so what else could I do? My family was at risk. It has to be this way, for now, at least.”
“I know. But I still hate it,” Hope grouched. “I miss my best friend.”
“I miss you too,” I told her, a pang of sadness in my heart.
“So, how’s the house?” she asked, changing the subject to a happier one.
“The house is so cute,” I told her, injecting some happiness into my voice. “Small but perfect for me. It has a big, fenced-in backyard so I can do some gardening this spring. And it’s on a quiet street, just off Main Street so I can walk to the local shops and diner. It’s nice, really. Not Garden City, but nice.”
“So you really like it?”
“The more time I spend in Blue Haven, the more it grows on me. I love the small-town charm,” I assured her.
“Well, that’s good to hear,” Hope said, more cheerfully now. “I’ll come and visit as soon as I can get a few days off work.”
“Promise?”
“Promise! I miss my bestie!” Hope said, giggling.
I chuckled. It was good to hear Hope laugh again. Especially after I was forced to leave in such a hurry. The tension had been hard for both of us.
“How’s job hunting?” she asked.
“I put in tons of applications, so keep your fingers crossed,” I told her.
“Will do. You’ll find something soon. There should be some summer teaching opportunities opening up for online college classes,” Hope suggested enthusiastically.
“Yep, that’s what I’m hoping for. I put in for a local homeschool teaching position I think I might have a good chance of getting.”
“Sounds perfect!”
“Yeah, it does. I’m hoping to hear back on that one,” I said. “The ad said they needed a teacher to start right away, so that would be perfect for me. I’m going stir crazy sitting around here,” I told her, thinking about the jumpiness.
I’m not going to tell her about that, though. She’s worried enough about me.
“Well, keep me posted. I have to run. Time to work,” Hope replied.
We said our goodbyes and promised to touch base again soon before hanging up. Feeling a little lonely, I wondered what I was going to do with myself all day when the phone rang again.
At first, I thought it was Hope calling back. But when I looked, it was a strange number.
“Hello?” I asked quietly, trying to disguise my voice but still sound normal.
“Hi, I’m looking for Angela Barret?”
After a short conversation with Mr. Hunter from Hunter’s Mountain Resort, I was invited to an interview for the homeschooling position I had applied for. The conversation went well, and I felt confident about getting the job.
The day is looking up, I thought, feeling a lot better.
I hoped the answers I had prepared for the questions about my personal life I was sure he would ask would appease him. Because there was no way in hell I was telling him the truth.
Brad
I was in my office when my intercom beeped. Katie from the front desk informed me that Angela Barret was here for an interview.
12:40…she’s early. That’s a good sign, I thought.
I grabbed Angela’s application I’d printed out and left my office to go to the common room to meet with her. I entered the room and stopped in my tracks. Angela’s back was turned to me as she gazed out of the large front window, but from what I could see, she was beautiful.
Angela was tall with long, flowing, sandy-blond hair that hung down her back. I’d always had a thing for blondes. She was wearing a light blue dress that hugged her slender curves perfectly. A black belt accented her slim waist. Her tanned, long legs looked sexy as hell in black high heels.
When she turned around, my heart skipped a beat. She had the heart-shaped face of an angel, which lit up when she saw me. She walked toward me and smiled, and I saw that the shade of her eyes was a gorgeous greenish-blue, accented by long, dark lashes. Her smile was contagious, and I immediately grinned back at her like a dumbstruck schoolboy.
“Hi, I’m Brad Hunter,” I managed to blurt out, hoping I wasn’t blushing. I couldn’t take my eyes off her.
“Angela Barret. It’s nice to meet you,” she answered, holding out her hand.
I stepped forward and took her extended hand in my own. Our eyes never left each other, and I awkwardly held on to her small, soft hand for too long. I finally let go and motioned to the couch in the center of the room, “Let’s have a seat.”
“Wow, the fireplace is beautiful,” she commented as she sat down. I took a seat in an armchair across from her.
“Yes, my father built it,” I told her, watching her marvel over the structure. “It always reminds me of him.”
“That’s impressive,” Angela stated, turning her gaze back to me. Our eyes met once again, and I was my tongue-tied.
What’s wrong with me? I thought. Then it dawned on me. The last time I’d been rendered speechless with butterflies in my stomach was when I’d first met Sam when I was a teenager.
This isn’t happening, I thought, sitting up and glancing down at the application to give myself a moment, a feeling of guilt washing over me.
Angela was looking at me expectedly, waiting for me to begin the interview. I cleared my throat and tried to think of what I should ask her even though
I had a list of questions already planned out.
“So, um, you said in your application that you were a college professor? That’s impressive,” I added, not waiting for her reply. She nodded her head and smiled. “How long did you teach?” I asked, even though it stated in her application that she taught high school for five years and was a professor for the next two.
“After I graduated from college and received my bachelor’s and teaching certificate, I began teaching at the high school in Garden City, Kansas. I continued my education to get my master’s while teaching and was able to secure a job as an English Literature Professor at Garden City University after grad school. I taught there for the last two years.”
“Why did you quit teaching at the university?” I asked.
“Becoming a college professor is what I had always wanted to do. It was my goal to teach at the university. After I achieved this goal, I realized my path would take me in a different direction. My heart was in a different place.”
“Okay, so your heart told you to move to Blue Haven?” I asked, chuckling at her vague answer.
“Kind of,” she replied, shaking her head. “I’ve always dreamed of living in a place like this ever since my family took a vacation to the mountains when I was a kid. We came to the Blue River area, and I fell in love with it,” she informed me.
“Was moving to Blue Haven worth giving up your teaching career? It can’t be an easy decision to make.”
“No, it was not an easy decision to make,” she answered. “In fact, it was a very difficult decision to resign from the university. But I knew if I didn’t do it now when I was young that I might never do it. I realize that this sounds odd, but you love your work here at the resort, right?” she asked me, leaning forward.
“Yes, I do. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
“You see, that was the problem. Even though I worked hard to get to the university, I wasn’t entirely happy there,” she said, her emphatic tone surprising. “I wasn’t happy in the city anymore, actually. Too many people, fast-paced, always on the run. I was tired of all the hustle and bustle and wanted a slower pace for my life, to stop running. I wanted to enjoy my surroundings.” She gestured around her. “So, I decided to take the leap and move to the Blue River area. It I found the perfect house for rent right here in town,” Angela informed me, grinning.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 2