A Man Worth Marrying. Phyllis Halldorson

the paint peeling off its walls, both inside and out?”

      “No, but—”

      “Is the heating system in constant need of repair?”

      His tone rose with frustration. “No. Damn it all, Eve—”

      “Of course it doesn’t have those problems,” she pointed out, “because its affluent parents and alumni can afford to keep it in good condition. Also, they can raise the tuition anytime it’s necessary to pay for the best teachers, so they draw from the top applicants.”

      Gray finally found an opening into the conversation. “From all I’ve heard, you’re a good teacher. So why aren’t you working at a school like Tinker’s?”

      She was ready for him. “You’re right, I am a good teacher. In fact I’m an excellent teacher. I studied hard in college and learned my lessons well, plus I care about my students. I want to see them learn, but I also want the ones who are capable of it to excel. With all they have working against them, that will never happen if they can’t get dedicated instructors to teach them.”

      “Now surely you’re not the only ‘dedicated instructor’ in the whole area,” Gray taunted lightly.

      “No, I’m not,” she admitted, refusing to acknowledge his teasing. “But it’s easier for me to be noble. I don’t have children of my own to teach and raise, or a husband who needs me to share time with him, too.”

      He eyed her left hand. “You’re not married, then?”

      She shook her head. “No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t need time off from my work. Some of these children will break your heart if you let them.”

      “And you let them,” he said softly as his gentle blue eyes searched hers.

      To her dismay, her heart speeded up at his tone, and she felt all fuzzy and warm. She fought the urge to let herself be drawn closer.

      Watch it, girl. This guy’s way out of your league. And more important, he’s married!

      She stepped back and turned away from him. “I’m sorry but I have to get home. I have papers to grade and a school board meeting to attend tonight, If we can’t get the board to put a new roof on this building this summer, we’re going to be sloshing around in water ankle-deep by next fall. At the rate donations are coming in for the roofing fund, it’s going to be years instead of a month before we collect enough.”

      Gray gazed thoughtfully at Eve. “I have an idea. I’ll make a hefty donation to the school’s roofing fund, in addition to paying your salary, if you agree to tutor Tinker.”

      Eve gasped, unable to believe what she’d heard. “Are you trying to bribe me?” she asked tentatively.

      “That, I am,” he admitted with a twinkle in his eyes.

      Eve laughed. She couldn’t resist Gray’s winning ways—or his offer. In addition, it was an honor to be recommended to him as highly as she had been by the district superintendent. “All right,” she reluctantly agreed. “I’ll consider tutoring Tinker. But I think I should meet her first to establish trust before the tutoring begins. When do you want this meeting to take place?”

      He glanced at his watch. “How about this time tomorrow? I can bring her here, but I’d really prefer that you come to my house. Since that’s where you would be tutoring her, I’d like you to get acquainted with it, too.”

      “Tomorrow at this time and at your house will be fine,” she said, striving for a tone of brisk efficiency, “if you’ll just give me your address and phone number. Oh, and I assume your wife will be there, too?”

      He looked momentarily uncomprehending, but recovered quickly. “I don’t have a wife,” he said. “Tinker’s mother and I are divorced.”

      Chapter Two

      Gray saw the surprise in Eve’s expression, and only then realized that he hadn’t told her he was a single father. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I didn’t intend to mislead you. Tinker’s mother and I have been divorced for three years. We share custody, but she works part-time as hostess at a restaurant, and because of our rather unconventional working hours—I go to work very early in the morning and she works four hours, midafternoon and early evening—I have Tinker from the time she gets home from school until bedtime. Bambi has her throughout the night and until she goes off to school in the morning. We alternate weekends.”

      Now Eve looked confused, and he braced himself for further questions. He didn’t like discussing his private business with others, but he would make an exception in her case if she pressed the issue.

      She didn’t. “I see,” she said instead. “Then I’ll meet with you and Tinker tomorrow.”

      They started walking toward the door, then Eve suddenly stopped and turned to face him. “One more thing,” she said seriously. “Does Tinker know you’re arranging to have her tutored during school vacation?”

      He shook his head. “Not yet. She’s not going to be pleased, and I wanted to be sure I could find an available teacher before I told her. I didn’t want to upset her unnecessarily.”

      Eve looked perplexed. “But isn’t that what you’ll be doing by introducing her to me? It’s not at all likely that I’ll accept the position—”

      He didn’t like the sound of that, but decided to play it lightly. Touching the tip of her slender nose, he smiled. “Ah-ah, there you go again—making up your mind before you’ve explored all the facts.”

      She frowned, and he decided he’d better not press his luck. Reluctantly he withdrew his hand before he could give in to the overpowering urge to run his fingers through her glistening black curls.

      “I’ll talk to her tonight, explain to her why it’s necessary, and tell her I’ve arranged for a teacher to come by tomorrow afternoon to meet her. Everything will be all right. You’ll see,” he assured her.

      He gave her his address and phone number, then thanked her for taking the time to talk to him and left the school building.

      As he drove, his mind shifted back to Eve Costopoulos. She wasn’t at all what he’d expected. She was much younger, for one thing. Erik, the district superintendent. hadn’t mentioned her age, and for some reason he’d pictured someone closer to his own. This one seemed hardly out of her teens—although she had to be in her early twenties, at least, in order to have graduated from college and taught for close to a year.

      He also hadn’t expected her to be such a knockout! Taller than average, possibly five foot eight, with ample curves that couldn’t be downplayed even by the simple gray skirt and matching cardigan sweater she wore with a tailored white blouse.

      She had ebony hair that was a twirling mass of curls swirling around her shoulders making her look like a gypsy, and he’d been disconcerted at his strong urge to tangle his fingers in it.

      He stopped for a stop sign, but his contemplation didn’t even slow down as he started up again and made a left turn.

      As for Eve’s eyes, it was best not to think of them at all. They were black as her hair, and every bit as unsettling, with their deep-set beauty and their way of looking straight into him. They stirred up feelings that he didn’t welcome, called up emotions he’d sworn never to let get the better of him again.

      So why was he so eager to have her tutor his daughter? If his initial attraction to her was this keen, then having her in his house, working with his child several days a week, could be disastrous!

      He swore softly. What had gotten into him? Once he’d finally taken all he could of Bambi’s capriciousness and asked for a divorce, he’d vowed never to get seriously involved with a woman again. He sure had no intention of falling in love!

      He knew there were adequate teachers who would be happy