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“What was Dawn Patterson doing here?” Mandy asks me at lunch.

She didn’t go to Denver, and I’m disappointed in her.

“Before I answer that, why are you here? I thought you were going to Denver.”

She shrugs. “I couldn’t seem to work up the nerve.”

“Why?”

She purses her lips. “Because I’m falling in love with him, and I think I screwed it all up.”

“All the more reason to get your ass on a plane, my friend.” I raise both eyebrows pointedly, but it doesn’t escape me that she said she’s falling in love with him.

“Yeah, I know, I know. And don’t think you’re getting out of telling me about your night, too, but first I need you to spill why a district director was here,” she says, not just changing the subject but leaping far, far away from it.

I clear my throat. “She got my application and was coming to shadow me for a bit.” I cover my eyes with both hands. “Except it’s like the one morning I showed up late and I spent my entire morning scrambling and I shouldn’t be in here now, I should be in my office working, but I wanted to know what you were doing here.” I somehow manage to bring it back to her.

“Why were you late?” she demands.

I press my lips together, and then I run my tongue over my teeth. “Morning shenanigans.”

Her eyes widen. “Like what?”

“Shower.” I shift uncomfortably.

“Damn, girl.” She shakes her head a little. “How was it?”

“The whole night was…” I close my eyes as I try to come up with a word. “Spectacular.” It’ll do, but it doesn’t quite encompass everything that happened. “Electric.”

She claps her hands together with excitement, and I giggle.

“And you’re going to think I’m crazy, but…I’m uh—I guess if things work out, I’ll be moving out of your apartment sooner rather than later.”

Her brows dip. “He asked you to move in with him?”

“Sort of. I mean, not exactly.” I shrug. “He asked me if I’d look after Harper when he’s in season. He’s been looking for a live-in nanny, and considering we go to the same school, it’s not a big deal to help get her to and from, you know?”

“I thought you said his place is small,” she says.

I pick at my salad with my fork without taking a bite. “He found a place he wants to buy.”

“I thought you said he wasn’t buying until he had a long-term contract,” she points out.

I nod. “I did. But he wants to set down roots for Harper, and I guess he decided he wants to do that here.”

Her brows shoot up. “Wow. So he’s buying a house with the intent of having you move in?”

“It has an attached casita that I’ll be staying in. It has its own bedroom, kitchen, living room…so it’ll be like my own apartment attached to his house, and when he’s gone I’ll keep the door open and spend more time in the main part of the house watching Harper. Or she can stay in my suite with me. We haven’t figured out the logistics just yet.” I shrug at the end.

“So you’re telling me you agreed to move in with this guy you just started seeing and the daughter who freaking idolizes you?” she asks. “Isn’t that a little…”

“Soon?” I fill in. “Yeah, probably.”

“That’s not what I was going to say. My word was going to be risky .” She finishes her yogurt and tosses the cup in the garbage can.

“Risky?” I echo.

She sighs. “There’s a kid involved, Vic. I know you want to help, and I know how much you want kids and a family and all that, and I know I’ve also been rooting for you to get down and dirty with T. Woods, but it isn’t just your heart on the line if things go south.”

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch, but I’m not quite done with this conversation.

That’s what I get for answering him in the after-sex glow.

I suppose I could still back out, and maybe I will…

Or maybe I don’t want to. Maybe I’m not as convinced as Mandy is that things will go south. Not after last night, and not after this morning.

It might not always be easy. It might not be unicorns and glitter all the time.

But there’s that little chance it will be easy and good and right, and that’s what I’m choosing to hold onto right now.

My office phone rings a few minutes before I’m getting ready to go pick up Harper for our Friday afternoon tutoring session, and I pick it up.

“Victoria Hartley,” I answer.

“Hello, this is Hillary from Dawn Patterson’s office calling to set up a time next week to interview you for the reading specialist position.”

“Oh hi, Hillary!” My voice is probably a little too enthusiastic. I didn’t think I left the best impression on Mrs. Patterson, so I’m thrilled to be getting this call. We schedule the interview for next Tuesday after school.

Change of plans.

I’ll be spending my weekend preparing, practice interviewing, and going over my notes of all my ideas for improving the district’s reading program.

Or so I thought.

As it turns out, that’s not at all what happens.

Instead, as I walk Harper out to the car on Friday after school, Travis rolls down the window. “Ms. Hartley! Lovely to see you again. Are you able to come over for dinner this evening?”

I can’t think of any immediate plans I have, so I nod. “Sure, I’d love to. Do you need me to cook?”

“I can just order something,” he says.

“Noooo!” Harper protests. “I love Ms. Hartley’s cooking. Can you make us something? Maybe spaghetti?”

I wink at her in the backseat. “I sure can. Meatballs?”

She shakes her head. “My mom used to make it with, like, the little chunks of beef.”

“Ground beef?” I ask.

She nods.

“You got it, girl. I have an amazing recipe. And I’ll bring some crusty bread, too.” I glance back at Travis. “Around five?”

He nods. “Sounds good. And I might have some good news by then.”

I narrow my eyes at him a little, not sure what his good news is, but I do have my suspicions. I just didn’t realize he was going to be letting Harper in on it quite this fast. I just barely made the decision myself, and Mandy’s words have been echoing in my brain all day.

Should I stop and think it over?

Or should I go through with it?

I don’t have much time to think it through now. I have to get to the grocery store.