The Widower's Second Chance. Jessica Keller

on back and help Maggie clean up. If I made you late, just tell them you were humoring Ida and everyone will understand.”

      Paige jogged into the parking lot with two minutes to spare. She joined the line of teachers near the end of the gymnasium.

      A woman with spiked black hair, who looked about her age turned around and offered a smile. “I’m Bree. You must be the new English teacher.”

      Maybe she looked as out of place as she felt.

      Paige clutched the strap on her bag. “Am I the only new person this year?”

      “Yes, and it’s been the talk among the teachers for the past week.”

      They arrived at the temporary desk set up near the front of the large room. Portable tables and chairs arranged in four rows occupied most of the space in the gym. Paige and Bree each gathered a training manual and a teacher binder.

      “Want to sit with me?” Bree snagged a table two rows back, near the edge.

      “Definitely. I don’t like feeling like the only one here no one knows.”

      “You’ll be fine.” Bree opened her binder. “I hope you slept well because these teacher-institute days are boring, but you probably know that from your last position.”

      The principal strolled up to the microphone near the front of the gym. “This is your warning. We’ll start reviewing safety protocol in five minutes, so if you want to grab a bagel or coffee, I’d do so now.” In jeans and a hooded sweatshirt bearing the school’s name and a roaring panther on his chest, the man didn’t look his age.

      Paige leaned closer to Bree. “In Chicago, I sat through a training with five times as many teachers crammed into a smaller room with no air-conditioning.”

      Bree scrunched her forehead. “Well, that explains it. We knew whoever got hired must have amazing experience.” She jutted her thumb to indicate a woman seated in the back row. “Steer clear of Amy Lambert, okay? She works as a part-time aide and applied for your position. To say she was angry about getting passed over for the job would be an understatement.”

      Paige peeked over her shoulder at Amy. The woman’s head was bent down as she read something on the table in front of her. Her brown roots showed along the part of her bleached blond hair. She wore a deep purple suit, which made her the best dressed person in the room.

      A couple of teachers shuffled by with plates full of fruit and Danishes.

      Paige pressed her hand over her stomach when it grumbled. “I think I’m going to go grab a bagel. Do you want anything?”

      Bree yawned. “A cup of coffee would be great.”

      When Paige made it to the back of the room she found a couple of onion bagels and a pile of energy bars. The bars looked like freebies that had spent the better part of a year stuffed in the back of someone’s filing cabinet. An onion bagel would have to do. Next, she made her way to the coffee machine.

      “If everyone could please take your seats I would like to begin.” Principal Timmons’s voice boomed over the loudspeaker.

      Paige snatched her plate and Bree’s cup of coffee and whirled around to rush back to her table.

      Instead she smacked into the man standing behind her. Caleb. Of course.

      Coffee splattered across his shirt and ran down her arms. Caleb yelped and all the papers he’d been holding fluttered to the ground.

      The foam cup hit the floor with a loud, hollow thunk.

      Was everyone staring at them? Klutz. That would be the first impression she made to all her coworkers.

      Paige rapid-fire blinked. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

      “So you pour coffee on me?” Caleb laughed.

      “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Paige grabbed a wad of napkins and dabbed at his soaked oxford shirt.

      Caleb caught her hand and held it. “Hey, I’m kidding. The coffee’s not even hot.”

      “Still. Your shirt is ruined. Coffee doesn’t come out easy.”

      “It’s fine.” His hand over hers was warm in a comforting way. She finally met his inviting chocolate gaze and he winked at her. A girl could get used to those eyes...lost even.

      Except, Paige had promised herself she wouldn’t let another man into her life.

      Breaking eye contact, Paige tugged her hand away from his and took a step backward.

      She needed to be careful around Caleb. Much more careful.

Chapter Three

      “Careful.” Caleb reached for Paige as she skittered backward into the table.

      Her blundering caused a landslide of power bars to fall in a crescendo of crinkling plastic onto the gym floor. Her bagel bounced off the toe of his boot. He grabbed her arm before she toppled over, as well.

      Coffee dripped down his side, and the front of his button-down was wet enough to wring out. Good thing the pot of coffee had been sitting out for so long that the liquid wasn’t hot enough to burn him. Or Paige for that matter.

      “I’m such a klutz.” The woman turned toward him again. Paige froze when her crystal-blue eyes locked with his. She frowned, drawing his gaze to her lips. They had something shimmery on them that made them inviting.

      He shook that thought away.

      “We’ll have to stop running into each other like this.” He let go of her wrist.

      She glanced over her shoulder and he followed her gaze. The entire room had gone quiet. All the teachers turned in their seats and stared at them. Some of them smirked and whispered to each other. There were gossips in the crowd and people who liked to cause trouble for fun. Most of them had grown up in Goose Harbor. While tourists were welcome with open arms in the shopping district, the locals weren’t always as cordial with newcomers when it came to the other aspects of town.

      Something inside told him to step in front of the new teacher and block her from their scrutiny. Shield her from pain like he’d done for his wife, Sarah, and sister, Shelby.

      Although a lot of good that had done them.

      Principal Timmons cleared his throat over the microphone. “Caleb, I see you’ve met our new English teacher, Miss Paige Windom. She’ll be teaching freshman English and will also teach some of the senior level classes in our advanced-placement track.” Timmons pulled a stool over the floor, the metal legs clanking. “Everyone—Paige comes to us from the big city of Chicago, and I’m confident she’ll be an asset to our school.”

      The woman’s cheeks turned a candy-apple red as the principal continued to talk.

      Caleb reached around Paige and placed a fresh bagel on a paper plate and held it out to her.

      “Peace offering?” he whispered.

      “Shouldn’t I be the one making amends?” She worked her bottom lip between her teeth. “Are you sure the coffee didn’t hurt you?”

      Caleb shook his head. “I was the one in your way.” He leaned closer. “I didn’t like this shirt anyway.”

      Paige tilted her head. “Really? I thought you looked nice.” Then she eyed her shoes, as if they were suddenly the most fascinating things in the world. “I mean—dressed up.”

      A chuckle rumbled in his chest before he had a chance to rein it in. “You know, if we don’t sit down they’ll never stop staring.”

      “Right.” She spun around, but then turned back and touched his forearm before he could leave. “Would you be willing to do me a favor?”

      Goose bumps raced up his arm. Probably