CHAPTER SEVEN

  ALLIE

  There’s been little joy in the last year of my life, and zero laughter. I’ve been metaphorically soaking in despair, and I’m tired of it. Even though I don’t know what the future holds, I do know that I’m ready to feel alive again.

  Rolling over in bed, I look at the clock. I didn’t sleep well last night so I’m not surprised to see that it’s an hour past my normal wake-up time. I only have forty minutes to get dressed and get to work.

  Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I sit up and look around my old bedroom like I’ve never seen it before. With renewed determination, I stand up and walk into the bathroom knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s time for me to move out of my parents’ house.

  After taking a quick shower, I pull my hair back into a serviceable ponytail. I used to spend a lot of time and money on haircuts and blowouts, but ever since Brett left, I consider it a win if I run a brush through it once a day.

  I normally wear jeans and a t-shirt to work, but today I put on a pair of khakis and a sweater. I don’t exactly look like the height of fashion, but I’m pretty sure I look good enough to be an English teacher. I’m going to stop at Elk Lake High after work and try to convince Mr. Cooke of that.

  Happily, my parents have both started their day and neither is lingering around the kitchen. My dad is probably already on the golf course, and my mom is most likely meeting friends for coffee before taking her standard three-mile walk through town. She claims the latter is for exercise, but I’m more inclined to think she does it to keep an eye on the goings on of Elk Lake. My mom likes to be kept in the loop and while not exactly the town gossip, she is always very well informed.

  Instead of making coffee at home, I get into my car and go right into work. I arrive ten minutes early. Walking into the front of the shop, I notice the early rush has already come and gone—except for a few tables in the process of finishing up.

  Faith looks up from the cash register and smiles. “Good morning! You look nice today.”

  It’s a commentary about how bad I normally look for her to suggest such a thing. “Thanks,” I tell her while strapping on my apron and taking over the counter. Once my boss walks into the kitchen, I start to reflect on recent events.

  When I lived in Madison and worked at the publishing house, I was filled with anticipation over new books that I got to read and acquire for publication. I plotted and planned releases, and I encouraged authors to be the best storytellers they could be. My life had meaning, even outside of my desire to become a mother.

  I have not had that sensation since coming back to Elk Lake. Which is no one’s fault but my own. I moved in with my parents. I took the job at the bakery. But in one hour last night, I realized I’m done holding my finger on the pause button. I’m ready to take on a new challenge.

  I don’t need someone to share my life with to feel like I’m alive again. In fact, I’m still on the fence regarding the whole institution of marriage and how I fit into such a scheme. But I do want to make a difference. I want to feel like I’m helping people beyond facilitating their morning caffeine buzz. And honestly, who needs my help more than kids do?

  I may have formed something of a grudge against babies—due to my lack of being able to have one. But high school kids are far enough away from infancy that they’re safe from my resentment.

  After months of heaviness, I practically skipped home from the high school last night. Noah offered me a ride, but I didn’t want to share my bubbling sensation of purpose with anyone else. I wanted to keep it all to myself, like a newly found treasure.

  When I walked through the front door, my parents were sitting in the living room. As per their nightly routine, Dad was drinking decaf coffee while my mom sipped on a soda. Historically, they use their evenings to chat about their day, which has become a little bit boring to witness as they now spend most of their days together.

  My mom stared at me like I was an apparition who just walked through the wall. “I didn’t realize you were out. I thought you were upstairs.”

  “I went for a walk.”

  My dad grunted, “You sure do walk a lot. Don’t you get bored with all that walking?”

  “It helps me think.”

  “Are you thinking about anything interesting?”

  I hadn’t planned to tell them anything until I knew for sure I wanted the teaching job at the high school, but I found myself blurting out, “I’m thinking about quitting Rosemary’s.”

  “Thank God!” My mom jumped to her feet in obvious excitement. “Are you moving back to Madison to get on with your life?”

  I always thought mothers wanted their kids to stay close, but mine doesn’t seem to be wired the same way. It’s not that she doesn’t enjoy seeing me, it’s just that in her mind there’s no future for me in Elk Lake without a husband. And the kind of man she sees me with is someone who has a profession that requires living in a bigger city.

  I shook my head. “Not yet.”

  “Then what in the world are you going to do? Please don’t tell me you’re going to sit around all day and feel sorry for yourself.”

  “Margaret …” my dad practically hissed, his tone heavy with warning. Unlike my mom, he’d be happy if I stayed home forever. I’ve always been a daddy’s girl, and I suspect I always will be.

  “What?” my mom demanded. “I’ve been supportive of Allie. I’m just trying to encourage her to move on.”

  “And I appreciate that, Mom. I really do.” It didn’t seem prudent to tell her that her form of encouragement was about as pleasant as getting a tooth filled without proper numbing. “I’m thinking about taking a substitute teaching job at the high school.”

  “You’re what?!” As offensive as it is, my mother has always subscribed to the old saying that people who can, do, and people who can’t, teach.

  “They need an English teacher and a girls’ basketball coach,” I told them. “I just came from basketball practice.”

  “Good for you, honey.” At least my dad sounded sincere.

  “A teacher?” My mom started to pace across the room with the determination of an Olympic sprinter on the cusp of setting a world record. “You’ve never said anything about wanting to teach.” She acted like I just told her I was going to become a pole dancer at a strip club.

  “I’ve been experiencing a lot of things that I never thought about before. Life has a way of taking you places you never thought you’d see.”

  “Move to Chicago!” she declared. “Or how about New York City? That’s the place to go for publishing.”

  I walked over to her and took her hands to force her to stop moving. “I’m going to meet with Mr. Cooke tomorrow and if he offers me the job I’m going to take it. It’s only a substitute job, so I’m not declaring a lifelong change of career, just a temporary one.”

  She looked relieved and worried at the same time. “But teaching?”

  “Why not?” I asked.

  “How will you meet any eligible men at a high school? They’re all children there.”

  Noah’s face immediately popped into my head, and I forced it out again. My mother is a one-woman band regarding my social life.

  Faith returns from the kitchen and forces my attention back to the present. “You look like you’re a thousand miles away,” she says. “Anything you want to talk about?”

  I surprise myself by blurting out, “I need to give my notice.” And even though I don’t have the teaching job, I realize my time at Rosemary’s is over.

  “What? No!” My boss seems truly sad. “Are you leaving Elk Lake?”

  “I’m applying for a job at the high school. They need an English teacher.”

  Faith’s energy suddenly shifts. “Good for you!”

  Picking up a cloth to wipe the already-clean counter, I tell her, “I don’t have the job yet, but I think it’s the perfect next step for me.”

  “Then you’re sure to get it,” she tells me. “And we’ll always be here if you want to pick up any shifts.”

  I stop my busy work and look at my new friend closely. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Faith. You and Rosemary’s have been lifelines.”

  I can tell she’s touched by the sentiment because she looks like she’s going to start crying. “Are you going to stay at your parents’?” she wants to know.

  “Funny you should ask,” I tell her. “I’ve actually decided that I need a break from my mother. As soon as I know I’ve got steady work, I’m going to look for an apartment.”

  Her eyes pop open wide as her expression brightens. “The tenant in the apartment upstairs gave notice last week. He got a job in Chicago, and he leaves tomorrow. You should take it!”

  Even though my confidence has wavered in the last year, I’ve always believed that the universe provides. That certainly seems to be what’s happening now. “I’d love to see it,” I say.

  “I’ll show it to you tomorrow. You just let me know when.”

  Shifting from foot to foot, I tell Faith, “I’m going in to meet with Mr. Cooke this afternoon. How much notice do you need me to give?”

  With a wave of her hand she replies, “Today can be your last day, if you want. Things slow down in the fall when all the tourists leave, so we can make do.”

  My eyes suddenly well up with unshed tears. There are people in this world that my grandmother always referred to as “the helpers.” Faith is that person for me. She gave me a job when I needed one; she’s letting me out of that same job with no notice; and now she’s providing a place for me to call my own, even if it is temporary.

  “Thank you, Faith,” I tell her sincerely. “I will always think of you as a friend.”

  “That sounds so final. We are friends, and with you living right upstairs, I plan on seeing you all the time. Promise me!”

  “I promise.” I feel a definite shift happening in my life and I love it. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to think of my future, and even though I don’t know what it holds, I do know that I’m ready to start moving forward again.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  NOAH

  Last night’s basketball practice has given me a fresh sense of rightness regarding taking this job in Elk Lake. I had started to despair that my decision to leave Chicago was the worst thing I could have done. But now, there might really be something here for me. Seeing the boys’ spark of competitiveness last night has really given me something to hold on to.

  “Mr. Riley,” the principal’s voice booms as loudly as ever across the entrance to the school. “How’s our basketball team?”

  I take three long strides until I’m standing right in front of him. “Better than they’ve ever been.”

  His grin spreads across the expanse of his wide face. “Excellent!”

  Before he can walk away, I add, “But only because they practiced against the girls last night. They had to work hard not to be shown up.”

  Johnathan’s face crinkles in confusion. “What girls were they practicing against? We don’t have a girls’ team.”

  “The girls I told you about yesterday,” I remind him. “The girls that want a team.”

  “Ah, yes. Well, we still don’t have a coach for them.”

  “Allie Rogers is coming in to talk to you today,” I remind him. “She’s the one I recommended for the English teacher job.”

  “Good, good! I’d like to fill that position ASAP.”

  “She also played basketball here at Elk Lake High back in the day. She coached the girls last night.”

  Jamming his hands deeply into his pockets, Johnathan asks, “Did the girls take a horrible beating?”

  For the life of me I can’t figure out why this man is so resistant to a girls’ basketball team. We’ve had them in the past and they’ve done well. “They beat the boys by two points,” I tell him.

  The look of surprise on his face could be a meme for a super strong laxative taking effect at an inopportune moment. Seriously, the man looks like he’s about to explode. “They did? Well, how about that!”

  “The boys played harder than I’ve seen, which makes me optimistic they can improve.” I’m not ready to promise they’ll be contenders for any important wins, but last night was certainly a step up from where they’ve been.

  “You say Allie’s coming in today?” It seems that he might finally be getting on board with giving the girls an equal opportunity.

  “That’s what she told me.”

  “Would you mind being part of the interview process?” he asks me.

  Being that I recommended Allie for the job and now have more faith than ever that she’s right for it, I tell him, “I’d love to. Just call me when she gets here.”

  I head into the gym after Johnathan walks away. My class is already there so I blow my whistle before instructing them to start warming up. When the freshmen are running around the court, Leah Flynn breaks ranks and jogs over to me. “Hey, Coach,” she says expectantly like she’s waiting to hear some good news.

  “Leah,” I say. “Nice job last night.”

  “Thank you.”

  After a few beats, I ask, “Is there something you need?”

  “Are we going to get a team or not?” she demands.

  “I don’t know yet. But I’m working on it.”

  “You mean with Miss Rogers? We really liked her.”

  I like her too, but I don’t tell Leah that. Instead, I say, “She’s coming in to interview for Mrs. Bailey’s job today. We’ll see how that goes.”

  Leah jumps up and down like I just told her that she’d been drafted by a division one university. “That’s great! Then I’d have her for English and basketball!”

  I watch as she runs back to join the rest of the class. Allie has made quite an impression, which after last night’s game appears to be well-earned. The girls were already good, but having an encouraging coach is make or break for how well a team performs in competition.

  The rest of the day flies by and at three o’clock the office calls over the intercom, “Mr. Riley to the front office.”

  I practically skip there like a schoolgirl. I see Allie before she sees me, and I stop dead in my tracks. She looks so happy and hopeful, I almost don’t recognize her as the same person who was in my upstairs hallway yesterday.

  “Allie!” I call out as I approach her. When she turns her head in my direction, I ask, “You excited?”

  Her expression shifts from surprise to pure sweetness. “I don’t have the job yet, Noah.”

  Mr. Cooke walks out of his office and veers toward us. “Allie Rogers!” he gushes enthusiastically. “It’s been at least a decade since I’ve laid eyes on you. How are you?”

  Sticking her hand out to shake his, Allie tells him, “I’m good, Mr. Cooke. How are you?”

  “It’s Johnathan now,” he booms. “Why don’t we go sit in my office and have a chat?”

  Allie turns to me as though to say goodbye, but I follow along. Leaning in, I whisper, “Johnathan asked me to join your meeting.”

  Her head tilts as a look of curiosity crosses her features.

  Once we get into the principal’s office, Johnathan sits on his big black chair behind his desk and motions for us to take the two seats across from it. When we’re settled, he tells Allie, “Noah is a big fan of yours.”

  She side-eyes me briefly before responding, “That’s very nice to hear. We had fun last night watching the girls and boys play basketball.”

  “Basketball isn’t my biggest priority, Allie,” he says.

  While he’s made this abundantly clear, I still have the urge to reach out and smack the side of his head. Basketball might not be his priority, but having a sport can make or break a kid’s high school career. It can also be the deciding factor on whether or not they get to go to college.

  “I graduated college Phi Beta Kappa with an English major,” Allie tells him.

  “That’s very impressive, but without a license I can’t hire you full time. In fact, even to substitute we’d have to file for a special permit.” So much for my thinking she could sub without credentials.

  “How long does a special permit take?” Allie asks nervously.

  Johnathan answers, “It shouldn’t take long. We’ve posted the job and have yet to get any applicants, so I can file for emergency coverage.”

  “I thought you just found out that Trish was leaving,” I interject. “How long have you had the job posted?”

  Johnathan smiles somewhat deviously. “Two days, but I can fudge my way around that if Miss Rogers is the right candidate.”

  “And how will you know if I’m the right candidate?” Allie asks.

  “You’re here, aren’t you?” Johnathan’s laughter reverberates around the room.

  “So you’re offering her the job?” I ask, looking for clarification.

  He trains his gaze on Allie. “I can’t pay you what I could if you were certified, but I can offer enough extra that if you take on coaching the girls in basketball, I can get you pretty darn close to Trish’s salary.” Finally, Johnathan is addressing the girls having their own team.

  “What do you say, Allie?” I ask her. “Are you interested?”

  She looks between me and the principal. “Don’t you have any other questions to ask me before offering me the job?”

  “You’re a hometown girl with a degree. What more do I need to know?” Johnathan replies.

  Allie snort/giggles before shaking her head. “I could think of a thousand things you might want to know, but honestly, Mr. Cooke, if you want me, I’m yours.”

  “Johnathan,” he reminds her.

  “Johnathan,” she repeats.

  The principal points to me. “Noah will take you to meet Trish. She’ll give you a tour of her room and a rundown of your responsibilities.”

  “Just like that?” Allie seems to be having a hard time grasping the ease with which she’s being offered employment.

  “Just like that,” Johnathan assures her. “I’ll leave the girls’ basketball team up to you.” Standing up, he tells her, “I should have contracts for you to sign in a few days.” Then he pushes a note pad across his desk along with a pen and adds, “Write down your phone number and I’ll give you a call when everything’s ready.”