Chapter Eight

Tanner

I know Margot Ashton well enough. She's a fan of cozy detective novels, and while I'm aware she frequents the library far more than she does my bookstore, there are authors of whom she's particularly fond, and whenever they have a new release, she'll buy it, rather than borrow it.

She looks up at me, but doesn't say a word, and although I know I ought to at least acknowledge her, I can't think of a single thing to say. I'm far too preoccupied, wondering how the Kindergarten teacher beside her seems to get more and more beautiful every time I see her.

I'd be happy to swear that the blue of her eyes is even more intense than it was yesterday when I walked straight into her, and she gazed up at me, and flipped my world around with just one smile. It's strange… I thought her hair was honey-colored then, but I'm sure there are some blonde streaks in it now. I obviously wasn't paying attention. More fool me.

Margot Ashton says something, and turns around, going back into the school, and although her colleague and I have already said ‘hello' to each other, I'm not sure what to do next.

I'm aching to kiss her, but this isn't the time or the place.

I'm also desperate to ask her to have dinner with me. But how? I imagine everything is done by phone or online these days. Do people even go on dates like they used to?

I'm making myself sound – and feel – ancient, which I know isn't the case, but the last time I did this was more than half a lifetime ago. I'm seriously out of practice, and can't think how to form a sentence that includes the words ‘have', ‘dinner', ‘with' and ‘me'… preferably in that order.

Before I can contemplate that, though, I've got a slightly more pressing problem that needs resolving, and I move just a little closer, noticing that her eyes seem to widen, although I'm disappointed when she takes a half step back, putting some space between us.

"I know this is gonna sound odd," I say, refusing to be deterred. "But having already caused you bodily harm, established you live in Maple Street, introduced my son to you, and had a couple of conversations, I've realized I don't even know your name."

She smiles, tilting her head, which is too cute for words.

"You didn't cause me any bodily harm… and my name is Miss Howell."

I nod my head, moving closer again, and smiling when she doesn't step back, but stares up into my eyes, like she can't look away… or doesn't want to, which is a nice idea.

"And is Miss Howell permitted to reveal her first name while she's on the school premises?" I ask.

"I guess it can't hurt," she says, biting on her bottom lip, which is enough to test any man's resolve. "It's Zara."

"That's pretty," I say, and she blushes, surprising me.

"Thank you."

I have to clench my fists to stop myself from reaching out for her, and I take a breath, needing to prolong our conversation, even if I still haven't worked out how to ask the burning question.

"How was your first day?" I ask instead.

"Okay, I think."

"Are all your students still alive, with their limbs intact?"

She smiles. "They are."

"In that case, you had a great day."

She laughs, and my cock responds. I'm bone hard in an instant. No-one's ever done that to me just with their laugh, and by no-one, I mean Sabrina. She's the only woman I've ever been attracted to, so there's no point in pretending there have been dozens of opportunities to test my reactions to laughs, or giggles, or blushes, or smiles… or anything else, for that matter.

Even so, I never responded to Sabrina like this. Not once. Not even at the beginning, when I thought she had it all, and that no-one on earth could ever compare to her.

I had a lot to learn back then… clearly.

Still, Sabrina's in the past, and she's best left there.

Relieved to know Zara's name at last, I edge even closer to her, and hear her breath hitch in her throat. Does that mean anything? It's been so long since I had that effect on anyone, I can't remember now. And I've got more important things on my mind.

"Would you like to have dinner with me?"

The words pour out of my mouth in a torrent, and I wonder if any man has ever sounded less cool in his life. It seems not, because Zara frowns, clearly unimpressed, and then steps back, putting a chasm of space between us this time.

"Don't be ridiculous," she says, her voice little more than a whisper, her eyes darting around, as though she's worried someone might have overheard my suggestion.

"Ridiculous?" Okay, so I know I'm out of practice, but seriously? "It may have been a while since I've done this, but is that the normal response these days? Is that what young women usually say when a man asks them out?" My voice sounds loud and harsh, but I can't help it. No matter how uncool that was, I don't think I or my invitation deserved to be laughed at.

"I have no idea. But surely you can't expect me to welcome the attentions of a married man," she says in that same whisper, and I struggle not to smile.

"Attentions?" I thought I was the one who was behind the times, but now I'm starting to wonder.

"Yes, and stop making fun of me."

"I'm not. Honestly." I'm more intrigued than anything else, and I step closer to her, noting that her breath hitches again. It makes me think my attentions might not be as unwelcome as she claims. "Although I'd love to know why you think I'm married."

She glances over my shoulder and I turn, noticing Nash, who's leaning against the wall, talking to that same little girl he was with earlier, their heads bent close together. He spotted me a while ago and gave me an enthusiastic wave, although he didn't come over to see me. It seems I'm not as interesting as his friend… and for the moment, I'm okay with that.

I've got an interesting friend, too.

At least, I'd like for Zara to be my friend… and a lot more besides.

"I think that's a big enough clue, don't you?" she says, and I look back down at her, surprised by the sadness in her eyes. "Now, would you mind leaving me alone?"

I shake my head. "I'm sorry, but I can't do that."

"Yes, you can."

"No. I really can't."

She narrows her eyes. "I see. And what do you think your wife would have to say about that?"

"She's my ex-wife, and I gave up caring what she said, or thought, or did, quite some time ago."

Zara tilts her head again, although the effect isn't so cute this time… probably because she's frowning at me. "Oh, she's your ex-wife, is she? How convenient."

The sarcasm in her voice is unmistakable, and it wipes the smile from my lips.

"Believe me, there's nothing convenient about my ex. She and I separated three years ago when I found her fu—" I stop talking and cough. "Sorry. I should say, when I found her having sex with another man. The divorce took a long time before it was finally legal, but we are definitely no longer husband and wife, and there isn't a day that goes by when I'm not relieved about that."

She raises one hand to her mouth, a blush creeping up her cheeks, while she reaches out and grabs my arm, worried perhaps that I'm about to leave. I'm not. I'm in love with her. There's no way I'm going to let a misunderstanding come between us, even if I am offended that she didn't believe me.

"I'm so sorry," she whispers.

"It's okay."

She shakes her head. "No, it's not. I should have believed you. Better still, I should have trusted you not to lie in the first place, rather than accusing you of cheating on a wife you don't have anymore."

"It's okay," I repeat.

"But I was so rude."

"You can make it up to me, if you want."

She looks up into my eyes, hers glimmering in the sunlight. "How?" she asks.

"By agreeing to have dinner with me tonight?" I say, sounding a lot calmer than I did earlier, and she sucks in a long breath, letting it out slowly as a smile forms on her lips. "Unless my attentions are still unwelcome?"

She blushes a little harder. "No, they're not. I'd love to have dinner with you."

"Good. If you give me your address, I'll call for you at seven… or is that something else that's not done anymore?"

She shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know, and I don't care."

I smile, and she recites her address. "Hold on. I'd better put this on my phone, and I'll need your number, too."

She releases my arm, and I feel a little lost without the contact, although I focus on the job at hand and pull out my phone, putting her details into my contacts list.

"Do you want to take mine, too?" I ask, looking back at her.

"I don't have my phone with me. It's in the teachers' lounge."

"Okay. I'll send you a message, so you can get in touch if you need to."

She nods her head, and I can't help focusing on her sparkling eyes and rose-pink lips, and how much I want to kiss them.

Stop it, you idiot. This is no place for thoughts like that. Save them for later…

"I'll see you tonight," I whisper, leaning down so she'll hear me.

"Yes… and I'm sorry about earlier."

"Don't worry about it."

"Dad?" I look down to find Nash standing beside me, his head tilted to one side. "Where's Mom?"

"She's at home. I offered to come get you."

He nods his head and puts his hand in mine.

"Am I coming back to your place?" he asks.

"No. I'm taking you back to your mom's."

"Okay," he says, and I smile at the disappointment in his voice. I might be scoring points, but I feel like I'm owed a few.

I glance down at Zara, who's still beside us. "I guess we'd better get going."

She nods her head, although neither of us says a word… not in front of Nash.

He pulls me away, toward the school gate, and although I notice we're not the last to leave, there are only a couple of other parents left, most of them with older kids, who are playing in the schoolyard, while their moms talk… or probably gossip.

Our walk home is brief and silent. I've got a lot on my mind and it seems Nash has, too. He's clearly preoccupied, and I have to stop him from walking into the street without checking for traffic first. I don't make a big deal of it, and smile down at him, taking him around behind the bookstore and opening my car. Nash climbs in the back, and I close his door before getting in myself.

Before we set off, I pull out my phone and tap out a quick message to Zara…

— Can't wait to see you tonight. T

At least she's got my number now, if she needs it, although I wonder if I should have put my name in full and quickly type out a second message.

— This is Tanner, by the way. I thought I should make that clear, in case you know a lot of people with the initial ‘T'. And I still can't wait to see you. T

I smile to myself and put my phone on the passenger seat as we set off.

"How was your day?" I ask, looking at Nash in the rear-view mirror.

He's gazing out the window, with a dreamy look on his face.

"It was great," he says.

"Really? It went better than you thought?"

He nods his head, although he still doesn't look at me… not even at the back of my head.

"Yeah. It went so much better than I thought."

There's something about the tone of his voice and the look on his face that makes me wonder what I'm missing, but to be honest, I'm having a pretty good day myself, and I have to smile as I pull out onto Main Street… because I'm taking Miss Howell to dinner tonight.

And like I just said to her, I can't wait.