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“Sorry,” Hope said again, answering the phone.

Ava turned to collect her things. She’d walk Hope home in the autumn evening and behave herself. For now, at least.

Chapter Twenty Two

Hope checked her watch but it didn’t make the queue move any faster. She sighed and hitched up the package under her arm and tried to be patient.

“Hope?”

She turned to see Mila grinning behind her, balancing baby Ag on her hip. “How are you doing?”

“Well, my life isn’t as exciting as yours,” Mila said. “But we’re all doing just fine.”

“What do you mean?” Hope shuffled one place further up the line.

“I’m not the one with exotic foreign admirers,” Mila said with a sniff.

Hope sighed. “Is nothing secret around here?”

“Hardly anything,” Mila said. “Have you heard that Ad and Ant are taking Lilian on a cruise?”

Hope laughed. “And the reason things aren’t secret around here is you, isn’t it?” She checked her watch again.

“It’s not my fault people tell me things. And am I not right? Does our fancy American school teacher not have a crush on you?”

Hope felt herself blush and Mila laughed.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop prying. But just so you know, I think it’d be a great choice.”

“If she sticks around long enough for anything to happen,” said Hope, glancing again at her watch.

“In a hurry?” asked Mila.

“Kind of. I didn’t expect the queue to be so bad at this time of day. I only popped out to mail this for the school, but Alice finished a half hour ago now and I really should get back for her. I’m sure she’s fine with Ava, but still.”

“It’s Ava now, is it?” Mila said. “She seems like a jumpy one, was asking me how I knew what I wanted the other day. I told her to be more vulnerable, but she’s like a wounded bird, that one.”

“She’s fragile,” Hope agreed. “But then, I suppose most people are after a divorce, aren’t they?”

“I hope I don’t have to find out,” said Mila, bouncing Ag. “But I suppose so. She just seems like she might be her own worst enemy.”

Hope thought about how Ava could turn from entrancing to infuriating in the space of a second and nodded. It did sometimes seem like Ava was sabotaging things. But as long as Hope knew that, well, she could compensate for it, couldn’t she?

Which was more than she could say about Ava’s job offer. There was nothing she could do about that. Not that she was planning on anything long term. Or anything at all really. She’d meant what she said. What happened, happened, and she’d be grateful for it.

And it wasn’t like she didn’t know that Ava was leaving at some point. In a way, that made things easier. There couldn’t be anything serious.

“Listen,” Mila said. “Why don’t I take that package for you? I’ve got to stand in line anyway, you can get back to Alice.”

“Would you mind?” Hope said. “I wouldn’t normally, but this is the problem with trying to do two jobs at once. Receptionist and classroom assistant.”

“I thought Jake was getting a new receptionist in?” Mila said, taking the parcel from Hope.

“So did I,” Hope said, checking her watch one last time. “Thanks Mil, I owe you one.” And she rushed out of the post office.

THE SCHOOL WAS always so much calmer without the children in it. Calmer, quieter, but also emptier in a way that was more about spirit than actual space. It was always a little sad to see the place without kids, and it reminded Hope that the school might not be around forever. She needed to make sure Amy was on top of the petition.

She burst through the classroom door, an apology already on her lips. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, the post office was a nightmare.”