I don’t understand.”
“Don’t blame Mr. Bloomhurst. He didn’t want to do it. The school board made the decision. It’s because of the baby,” she said, placing one hand protectively on her abdomen. “Actually, that’s not entirely true. It’s because I’m not married to the baby’s father.”
“Any woman who marries that jerk should have her head examined.”
“Don’t start, Mike, or I’ll be forced to bring up Bambi.”
“Her name was not Bambi. It was Jennifer.”
“Same thing,” Kelly said. Suddenly she was exhausted. “I’m going to sit down. If you can be supportive and appropriately sympathetic, you’re welcome to join me in the living room. If not, go away.”
“Come on,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the sofa in front of the red brick fireplace.
Mike sat down beside her. He had been relieved when he heard Kelly’s car come up the drive and saw the lights go on in the guest house. As far as he knew, she hadn’t missed an appointment for anything since he and her brother, Jim, had kidnapped her for breakfast on her eighteenth birthday and she hadn’t shown up to get her hair cut
Mike half turned so he could see Kelly’s face, just as she tucked a dark strand of hair behind her ear. Over the years, he’d seen her with long and short styles, but he decided he liked this sophisticated, page boy look best. Her thick mahogany hair hit her just about chin length and drew his attention to her face. Purple smudges darkened her skin, just below her green eyes. She looked delicate and fragile. He hated that she was losing her job, because she was a fine teacher, and she had a lot to offer her students. Mostly he hated it because of what it was doing to her.
He knew Kelly, and he would bet there was more to the story. She still hadn’t explained to him about the boxes.
“Why are you packing?” he asked.
“That’s usually what you do before you move.”
His gut tightened. Move? Why? Especially now. “Just a damn minute. Bloomhurst might be able to can you, which is an issue I’ll get to in a minute, but he can’t run you out of town.”
“Who said anything about leaving town? I’m taking an apartment on Walnut Street,” she said, looking down. She folded her hands in her lap.
The movement pulled her oversized navy blue top across her gently curved abdomen. She had no business moving in her condition.
“I want the whole story, Kelly. This isn’t like you. You’re not exactly a spontaneous person.”
“There you go with the flattery again—”
“Don’t change the subject. Spit it out.”
“You won’t like it,” she said, glancing at him.
“I already don’t. How much worse can it get?”
“There’s a rumor that you’re the baby’s father.”
“What?” He sat forward. “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard. We’re just friends.”
She nodded. “I said you wouldn’t like it. I’m pretty sure Liz McCutcheon mentioned it to Mr. Bloomhurst, but I can’t say I wouldn’t jump to the same conclusion myself. After all, I live a stone’s throw from your front door.”
“But we’re just friends.”
“You said that already.” She sighed. “I know it and you know it, but think how the arrangement must look to everyone else. That’s why I have to move.”
“No, you don’t.” Mike was surprised at how angry he was; he didn’t want Kelly to move. Not because she was pregnant and it would be hard on her and the baby, and not because he hated knuckling under to gossipmongers, but because he liked having her across the driveway from him.
Kelly and her mother had moved in about six weeks before Mrs. Walker had died of cancer. Several years before the woman he thought of as a second mother had refused Mike’s offer of a loan to help her son, Jim, establish his accounting business in Phoenix. She had -mortgaged her home instead. When she had become ill, she hadn’t wanted Kelly and Jim to have to deal with a large payment, and had sold her property. Kelly had moved back from Arizona to take care of her mother, and Mike had insisted the two of them live in his empty guest house. They had agreed, but only if he would let them pay rent. After her mother had passed away, Kelly stayed. She didn’t know the money went into a bank account for her. If he couldn’t talk her out of moving, she might need it sooner than he’d expected.
“Don’t you see, Mike? I won’t let any of this hurt you. If I move, the rumors will go away.”
“If people already think I’m the father, your moving won’t change anything.” Mike stood up and started pacing. “I’m going to see Cliff in the morning and set him straight. I’m going to get your job back and raise so much hell an 8.0 earthquake will look like a walk in the park.”
“Don’t, Mike. First of all, Mr. Bloomhurst was told to fire me, and it was his job to do it. Besides, he didn’t start the rumor. Second, his hands are tied and he doesn’t deserve to have you come down on him. I’d prefer to go quietly.”
Mike saw the slight tremble of her lip, just before she caught it between her teeth. Then he saw red.
“I may not be able to do any good, but he’s sure as hell going to know how I feel,” he said.
“And what good will that do? What if you get fired, too?”
“I made enough money playing pro ball. I don’t need their job. And I sure as hell don’t need an ulcer. Someone needs to tell that uptight McCutcheon that she can’t mess with people’s lives.”
“She can and she did. But that’s my problem. If you get fired, what’s going to happen to your football team in the fall? You’ve been teaching and training your senior players since they were freshmen. That was your first year here. They have a chance at the league title for the first time in years. You can’t abandon them.”
“And you’re not abandoning your students?”
“I don’t have a choice. You do.”
“You’re a gifted teacher, Kelly. You can’t let a narrow-minded group of people run you off without a fight. The kids will be the real losers.”
“I haven’t got tenure. I have no weapons to fight with. And you’re right about the kids being the losers. The football program brings in a lot of revenue. Just think what would happen if you give the community a championship.”
As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. He had some talented young men who he had taken as skinny fourteen-year-olds and molded into fine players. If he left now and had to be replaced, this year’s football program would be sacked big-time. It could scrap the season for these guys, and more important than that, it would affect their chances to be looked at by colleges for athletic scholarships.
“Okay, you’ve got a point. I won’t give McCutcheon a piece of my mind.” He stopped pacing and pointed at her. “Don’t you
