Blown Away Read online

  He sighed. “I don’t consider it wasted. Kara, come to the city Christmas Ball with me. If you have a miserable time, I promise I’ll get the message. You’re going to have to be there anyway to direct the choir.”

  That was true. The carol chorus had been invited to sing three numbers at the ball during the band’s break—and they were being paid. They were thrilled at the prospect.

  But she didn’t want to go with Loren. He was kind and fun to talk to, and she respected his work as principal, but she felt no spark of romantic interest. How different, she thought, from the way she felt about Cole Winslow. She’d met him only once, but the spark she’d felt had been only too real. Of course, the situation might have been responsible for that, but not completely.

  She smiled at Loren. “I’ll be there,” she said. “Maybe we can have a dance.”

  “Kara…”

  “If you keep this up,” Kara warned softly, “the kids are going to suspect something. Jared’s watching us already.”

  He looked up and saw that she was right. While the others sang on, following Patty’s direction, Jared watched Kara and Loren.

  “It’s Christmas,” Loren grumbled. “I know you have your son, but the season calls for love and romance, kissing under the mistletoe and sleigh rides….”

  She laughed softly. “This is Southern California.”

  “I was going to take you to the mountains, to Big Bear Lake.”

  “I appreciate the thought, Loren. But I’m really not interested.”

  At that moment, Carrie Wolf walked by the door. Carrie was the girls’ track coach and the health teacher. Kara could tell she was interested in Loren, but he didn’t seem to notice her.

  Kara almost laughed out loud. In this junior high, it seemed to be the staff’s hormones that were running wild, not the kids’.

  “Look, Loren,” she said. “I really have to get back to my class.”

  He conceded her point with a reluctant nod, then waved in the direction of the students. “Keep it up!” he shouted over their voices. “I’m very proud of you.” To Kara, he added under his breath, “You know where to find me when you change your mind.”

  “I do,” she assured him, closing the door behind him. She hoped this situation with Loren wasn’t going to become awkward.

  Jared smirked as she took her spot at the podium, but she ignored him and turned to whisper thanks to Patty. The choir was coming to the end of “Santa Baby,” and Kara directed them to a lively finish.

  “Excellent,” she praised as the last note died away. “You’re going to make a fortune for our trip.” The students began to chatter as they packed up for their next class. “But before you go,” Kara said, raising her voice to be heard, “we have to talk about our gift-wrapping venture at the downtown mall.” It was another fund-raising project they’d taken on to make more money.

  “We’re starting next weekend, and we have a few blanks in the sign-up sheet. I know Sunday is a family day, but if anyone can fit in even an hour, it would help a lot. I can pick you up and take you home—just let me know if you need a ride. I’ll bring cookies to munch on if you’ll all buy or bring your own drinks to keep you going.”

  “I’m bringing a six-pack,” Jared said. Everyone laughed.

  “A six-pack of cola would be fine,” Kara replied without giving him the horrified reaction he was hoping for. “I have everything else we need. Maggie, is your mom still willing to let us use her table?”

  Maggie Hutton, small and dark and the backbone of the girls’ basketball team, nodded. Her mother was a caterer and had offered to lend them a banquet-length table to work on. Kara had bought two bulk rolls of wrap—one suited for adults and one for children—and the stationery store had thrown in bows and gift tags.

  “Great! Please thank her for us. Who’s in charge of thank-you notes to supporters?”

  Amy raised her hand. “Mrs. Hutton is already on my list.”

  Kara should have known. She should be as organized as Amy.

  “Everyone remember to wear school colors when you show up to help. We’ll be at the mall every weekend between now and the end of school, and once Christmas vacation starts, we’ll be there every afternoon and evening. I’m counting on everyone to help, okay?”

  Kara might have wished for a more enthusiastic response.

  “Master list is on the board if anyone wants to add their name to it.” Several students complied. “If you want to work with a friend, that’s fine,” Kara reminded them. “Just make sure your behavior is professional at all times. No rough language or shrieky laughter. Remember, you’re representing the school.”

  The bell rang and the students streamed toward the door, some pausing to shout or wave goodbye. Kara waved back, admonishing them to be careful—Santa was watching, and their Christmas-morning bounty depended upon their good behavior.

  That brought loud groans, followed by laughter, as her students hurried off. They were noisy and troublesome…and she loved every single one.

  As she was packing up her briefcase, her cell phone rang. She dug it out and felt a moment of alarm when the caller ID showed a number at Courage Bay Hospital.

  Taylor! Something had happened to Taylor!

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Kara, it’s Cole,” a deep male voice answered.

  Focused as she was on Taylor, she couldn’t imagine why Cole Winslow was calling her.

  “Cole Winslow,” he repeated after a moment. “You remember. Eagle of the Embrace?”

  “Eagle of the…?”

  “Okay, flying squirrel,” he corrected.

  Unable to form a coherent thought, she ignored his teasing and asked anxiously, “What’s the matter? Has something happened to Taylor?”

  “No,” he replied quickly. “Why would you think that?”

  “Because you’re calling me from the hospital. My caller ID—”

  “No, no. I’m sorry if I frightened you—”

  His deep voice sounded sincerely apologetic—and warm. Now that she knew nothing was wrong with her son, that pall of fear left her and she was able to focus on the rich sound.

  “I’m calling from the hospital because I followed an MVA that I had to talk to. And now my shift’s over. I have a little paperwork to do at the station, then I’m heading home.”

  “Oh.” She couldn’t think of anything more intelligent to say. Cole Winslow had finished his shift and had called her.

  Her momentary exhilaration was dashed when he said, “I wondered if Taylor wanted to come over and play with Mel.”

  She was torn between the knowledge that her son would probably be thrilled, and the realization that she’d been conspicuously left out of the invitation.

  “And,” he added suddenly, “if you wanted to bring some coffee cake, I’ll make coffee.”

  Yes! “How did you get my cell phone number?” she asked.

  “From the initial call on you the day you blew off course. Frank had been trying to reach you on your cell but got no response. He gave the number to the dispatcher, who gave it to me.”

  “Oh.” And he’d saved it. She shook her head to clear it, thinking she was going to have to do better than “Oh.”

  “Want to come?” he prodded.

  “Uh…yes. I’m sure Taylor will want to, but I don’t pick him up for another half hour.”

  “Fine. So—forty-five minutes?”

  “Okay.”

  “It’s 673 Sutter.”

  “Got it.” She’d saved his address.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  OKAY, WHAT HAD HE DONE? He’d intended to invite Taylor and then he’d heard the high, slightly breathy sound of her voice and been transported back to that moment on the Embrace when she’d kissed him. Suddenly he wanted to see her again.

  No, that wasn’t exactly right. He had to see her again. Her voice had played over in his brain for the past few days. He’d remembered odd things about her—the little gold sunburst in her irises. The small scar under her r
ight eyebrow. And, much to his consternation, the way it had felt after she’d slammed into him on Gehlen’s contraption. She’d settled into him—her breasts against his chest, the cradle of her hips against him, the curl of her leg around his—just the right fit.

  What had he been thinking? he wondered now as he drove back to the station.

  Calling Kara had seemed reasonable this morning. He’d thought a lot about her son since last Saturday. Taylor sure reminded Cole of himself at that age, fatherless and with a chip on his shoulder. And Taylor was new in town and having difficulty making friends—a guaranteed recipe for loneliness.

  He could help Taylor, Cole thought. The little boy had clearly taken to Mel, and though he didn’t seem to think much of Cole, that could probably be rectified. Cole had a big backyard, a rec room with a pool table, a plasma TV, and enough action films to stock a theater. He and his friends from the department liked to watch police procedural films both to criticize and to learn from them. The methods of investigation in the movies were often faulty, if not downright illegal, but they always provided fodder for great discussions afterward.

  He’d intended to call Kara simply to invite her son over. Then his brain had malfunctioned, and he’d heard himself invite her, too. But that was only reasonable—she’d want to make sure Taylor was in safe hands. He just hoped it hadn’t sounded too much like an afterthought.

  He hurried through his paperwork, changed his clothes, then rushed home to straighten up and put on a pot of coffee. Mel followed him from room to room, aware that something was going on. When the doorbell rang he barked excitedly and ran ahead of Cole to greet the visitors.

  Cole pulled the door open and felt a twanging sensation in the region of his chest. A plucking of his heartstrings? Good Lord! The notion was sappy and completely absurd. So what if she was pretty and he hadn’t had any action in a long time. Well, actually, he’d had a fair amount of it, but it hadn’t been very satisfying. In fact, he’d begun to wonder if the whole process was losing its luster.

  And yet he felt decidedly turned on simply looking at this woman.

  She wore gray slacks and a red turtleneck, and a necklace of silver reindeer with silly expressions. Just above the rounded curve of her breasts rested a silver Rudolph with a blinking red nose.

  Her reddish-brown hair was caught up in a loose knot, and wispy bangs skimmed the tops of her eyebrows. An oddly shaped dark brown leather bag hung over her shoulder, and in one hand she held a plate covered in foil. Her other arm rested on Taylor’s shoulder.

  Taylor sank to his knees in front of Mel, who stood beside Cole, thick tail beating the air as he licked the boy’s face.

  “Hi,” Kara said, smiling into Cole’s eyes. She leaned down to her son. “Taylor, if there’s a person and an animal in the same room, it’s customary to greet the person first. Particularly if you’re a guest in his home.”

  Taylor scrambled to his feet. “Sorry. He’s just such a cool dog.”

  Cole dismissed the need for an apology with a shake of his head. “It’s okay. I think of him as another person. And I like him better than a lot of people I know.” He pointed toward the back of the house to French doors that led outside. “You can go into the backyard if you want. There’s a big red rubber bone out there that he loves to catch.”

  “Okay. Come on, Mel!” Taylor ran through the house and Mel followed, barking in anticipation.

  “Unless you want to have milk and coffee cake…” Cole shouted after him.

  He stopped at the opened doors. “I can have that anytime! I’d rather play with Mel!”

  Cole waved him outside, then ushered Kara in.

  KARA LOOKED AROUND as she followed Cole through a large, rustic living room. The furniture was an eclectic mix—an overstuffed blue and gray sofa and chairs, large oak coffee table almost nautical in style, contemporary bookcases and entertainment unit, and wicker stools pulled up to a bar that separated the kitchen from the dining area.

  Cole’s home was comfortable-looking and smelled vaguely of citrus and Cole’s musky aftershave.

  The kitchen was large and open, the white countertops so clean that she’d wager he seldom cooked for himself. Dark blue curtains hung at the windows, and hardwood floors stretched from the kitchen through the living room.

  “You must have a housekeeper,” she said, placing the coffee cake on the counter. “This is so much tidier than my kitchen.”

  He grinned as he reached into an overhead cupboard for plates. “I’m not feeding an eight-year-old boy, but yes, I do have a housekeeper. She comes once a week. Fortunately, that was yesterday, otherwise you wouldn’t be impressed. Cream and sugar in your coffee?”

  “Do you have artificial sweetener?”

  He winced. “No. Sorry.”

  “That’s okay. Just a little cream.”

  “Two-percent milk?”

  “Perfect.”

  As he dug into a drawer for a knife, she noticed a stack of boxes in one corner of the kitchen, a giant teddy bear sitting atop like a very cheerful Buddha.

  “What’s all this?” she asked, heading over to have a look. As she got closer, she saw what the boxes contained—a Ping-Pong set, several DVDs, a Trivial Pursuit game, a chess set, tools. Bags from department stores were propped up around the boxes, and a framed print leaned against the front of the pile. Skis were propped behind.

  “Christmas shopping,” he said, coming to join her. “I’m almost finished. My aunt’s a problem. My brother and I want to go in on something together, but he’s been pretty busy and we haven’t had a chance to talk about it.”

  She nodded, unable to resist reaching for the bear. “May I?”

  “Sure.”

  She took the giant bear into her arms. It was half her height and wonderfully soft. “Is this for the baby?”

  “Right. You think it’s too big?”

  “Oh, no. Teddy bears can’t be too big. Taylor has one like this, and when he was little, he used to sit in its lap and talk to it. I think he liked it more than he did me some of the time.” She put the bear back on its perch and studied the other purchases. “Are the skis for your brother?”

  “Yes. His wife’s a good skier, so he’s learning. And there’s a down jacket in my closet.”

  She turned to him, amazed and charmed at the same time. “I’ve never known a fun-loving guy to do his Christmas shopping early.”

  “Fun-loving guy?”

  She shrugged. “You know what I mean. Stuffy, organized types tend to shop early, but I used to clerk part-time in a lingerie store, and I swear, most men came in on Christmas Eve.”

  He folded his arms, looking serious. “You’ve probably made some sort of demographic analysis there. It does stand to reason that ‘fun-loving men’ would shop in a lingerie store. What was the hottest selling item?”

  Although he kept a straight face, Kara was sure he was teasing her. “Teddies,” she replied.

  He looked puzzled, then glanced up at the bear.

  “Not that kind,” she laughed. “The bra and panty one-piece. Black lace teddies paid the store’s rent.”

  “Ah. And do you own one?”

  Why should that fluster her, when it was probably just payback for calling him a fun-loving guy? But her cheeks grew warm and she suddenly didn’t know what to do with her hands. Brushing past him, she headed to the counter to slice the cake.

  “No,” she replied as casually as she could. “The shop was exclusive and my allowance wasn’t.”

  “Even with an employee discount?”

  “Even so. I did buy a red slip, though. When I was a teenager, I saw Gone With the Wind, and Rhett Butler bought a red slip for Mammy. So I bought myself one and made believe Rhett Butler gave it to me.”

  He came up beside her to pour coffee into dark blue pedestal mugs. “While you were still a teenager?”

  She sighed, remembering a time when she’d all but given up on Danny. “No,” she said, carrying the plates to the table. “I’d bee
n married five or six years, and Danny had spent the money I’d saved to put toward a house for a membership in a country club. He wanted to have better access to possible investors for his latest deal. In a fit of temper, I bought myself the slip.”

  He carried the cups to the table and said gently, “Kind of pathetic as paybacks go, considering what he’d done.”

  She nodded wryly. “I know. But I had to keep my head or we’d have been in the poorhouse by spring. So I allowed myself just a very small rebellion.” She pulled out a chair and sat down. That was the point where Kara had begun to really give up on him. Before that, she’d been so sure she could save him, salvage the love they’d started out with and keep their little family together.

  “Didn’t work?” Cole asked, passing her the milk.

  Kara shook her head. It had taken a year and a half—and an attempt at counseling—before she realized that Danny had no interest in looking out for his family. On his list, he was number one. After the real estate venture failed, Kara left the marriage and found a job teaching music in Courage Bay.

  One day, if she got to know Cole better, she would tell him the sorry details of her marriage, but for now, she just said, “I stayed with Danny longer than I should have—for Taylor and me.”

  Cole picked up a slice of coffee cake that was redolent of orange and cinnamon and dotted with cranberries. Kara didn’t have a lot of time to bake during the week, but she always kept a stash of her homemade treats in the freezer.

  Cole sniffed the spicy aroma appreciatively, and she tried not to show her pride.

  “Smells wonderful,” he said, tactfully changing the subject. “How did you end up teaching hang gliding?”

  “It was one of Danny’s ventures,” she told him, dismayed at how much of her life seemed to relate back to her ex. Taylor was the only wonderful thing to come out of that marriage. “I learned to ‘fly’ in order to help him out and keep costs down. I ended up running the place by myself for a few months when he lost interest and moved on to marketing video games. Or was it magnetic signs? Anyway, we finally sold the equipment to a local competitor.” She gave a slightly embarrassed grin. “I just quit my job at Fly With Frank this morning. The thought that I might not have come home to Taylor last Saturday scared me.”