Page 141 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

“What?”

“I’m going to drive you to the end of the dirt road and make sure you’re headed in the right direction,” he explained.

“I don’t think so.” She shook her head at him.

“You’ll get lost.”

“I will not,” she argued. “You’ve got to have a little faith in me, Jared McLean.”

“I do,” he said. “That’s why I’m letting you go.”

Cat glanced at him and felt herself go still. He’d meant it. What he’d said to his father about marrying her. It was in his eyes like a silent promise. He loved her. He believed in her. He wanted to marry her!

“All right, how do you get home from here?” Jared asked, interrupting her thoughts. Cat described the route in vivid detail. He made her describe it again before he was satisfied, but he finally relented.

Cat didn’t admit that she’d intentionally memorized the way because she’d wanted to know how to get to him. She didn’t think his ego needed that much of a boost.

“Call me when you get home,” he admonished.

“No,” she argued. “I appreciate your concern, but I’m on my own now, and I want to act like it.”

“Oh, darling, I’m going to miss you,” he said.

“I’m going to miss you, too,” she whispered.

Jared took her hand and pulled her close. She wasn’t ready for a commitment yet, he could accept that, but he was going to make damn sure she knew how he felt about her. And if he couldn’t tell her, he would show her. He cupped her chin in one hand and planted a kiss on her that made her knees buckle. He caught her before she fell.

“It’s not over yet, sweetheart,” he promised. “Not even close.”

9

Cat spent the nextfew days preparing her classroom for the upcoming year. Her primary subject areas were to be reading and composition, and she decorated her room accordingly.

Lifting the long alphabet poster, she decided to tack it up over the chalkboard, but she didn’t have a step stool. Pulling a chair over to the wall, she climbed onto it, hoping it would give her the height she needed. Stretching up onto her toes, she laid one palm flat on the poster while she used her thumb to push the tack in. It was like trying to push through concrete. She pushed harder. The toe of her left sneaker slid out from under her and Cat felt herself pitch off the chair toward the floor below.

Clenching her eyes tight, Cat braced for impact. It never came. A strong pair of arms caught her in mid-tumble and swept her up against a hard chest.