She couldn’t quite interpret his tone, and his expression was hard to read. Maybe because of the dim light. “What about you?” she asked lightly. “Are you planning a vacation before school starts again?”
“Not this summer. Cassie and I have made a tradition of going to a beach for a week or ten days during summer vacations, but what with the wedding and all, there really hasn’t been a chance this year. I won’t have time to get away after the wedding, so I’m just enjoying a ‘staycation’ this summer. I’ve had a few teaching-related obligations, but for the most part I’ve had time to recharge and hang out with friends, which always makes it easier to face a new school year in the fall.”
“When does your school start again?”
“I have to report back the last week of August. The students return the following week.”
“We haven’t talked much about your job,” she realized aloud, propping her chin on his chest. “Do you like teaching?”
“Most of the time, yes. I teach calculus and advanced algebra, so I have mostly juniors and seniors who are on the college-bound path. A few of them even want to be there most days,” he added with a wry chuckle.
“I bet you’re their favorite teacher.”
He laughed. “They like me well enough, but that honor generally goes to Ms. Lancaster, the speech and drama teacher. Let’s just say she’s attractive. And a genuinely nice person to boot. A natural-born teacher.”
Despite his modesty, she suspected that Paul, with his warmth and humor and infectious smile, was high on the list of student favorites. She pushed her tousled hair out of her face before asking, “Did you always want to teach?”
He shrugged beneath her and reached out almost absently to twist a lock of her hair around his forefinger. He seemed to like doing that. “I always had an affinity for math. And teaching was a career that ensured me free time to spend with my daughter. It’s worked out well for us.”
Even though every inch of her body felt warm and soft from their lovemaking, she still thrilled a little when his hand brushed her breast as he played with her hair. She forced herself to focus on the conversation. “Do you have any plans beyon
d teaching high school? Moving into administration, maybe, or teaching at a college level?”
He gave a short laugh. “I’ve actually considered moving to China to teach. Or maybe North Dakota. Plan C is to be a beach bum in the Florida Keys.”
Perhaps he’d thought she would laugh, too, at that latter improbable scenario. She tried, but wasn’t quite successful. “You’re moving away?”
The extent of her dismay at the possibility told her she hadn’t been quite as successful as she’d thought in keeping her feelings for him under control. Had she really begun to hope that he would stick around, that maybe he wasn’t looking forward to the freedom of his empty nest as much as he’d implied?
His shrug this time was more of an uncomfortable squirm. “Not anytime soon. I have a contract to teach for another year here. I’ve just been thinking about all the options ahead for me now that I won’t be responsible for anyone but myself for the first time since—well, since longer than I can remember.”
She wasn’t oblivious to the fact that settling down and having more children had not been one of the options he’d listed. He really did see her as just a summer fling, she thought with a hard swallow. It was a good thing she knew that for certain now, just in case she’d secretly started hoping for more.
She had options of her own, she reminded herself, though perhaps hers were a bit more limited considering the hours she spent working. But that was her choice, and she didn’t regret it, even though most of the men she met were either grooms-to-be or honeymooners. With an occasional sexy, contentedly single father-of-the-bride thrown in, she thought with a light sigh.
She rolled and reached for the robe she usually kept at the foot of the bed, finding it on the floor instead. It would take her a few minutes to put the tangled bedclothes back in order, she thought with a somewhat sheepish smile.
“Where are you going?”
Balancing on still slightly unsteady legs, she wrapped the robe around herself and loosely tied the sash. “The bathroom, and then to the kitchen for water. I’m thirsty.”
He pushed a hand through his hair, and she could see resigned acceptance on his face that the evening was drawing to an end. “I guess I’d better head home soon. I know you’ll have an early start tomorrow.”
She didn’t try to detain him this time. “I’ll bring your clothes. Maybe they dried enough before the power went out for you to wear them home.”
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
Suddenly needing to be busy, she turned on one heel and moved a little too quickly away from the rumpled bed.
Paul left not long afterward. His clothes were still damp, but he assured her they were fine for the short drive home. His boots squished a bit when he shoved his feet in them, but he merely shrugged and said he’d set them out to dry when he got home. It was still raining, but very lightly now.
Still wearing her robe, she stood by the door to see him off. “Be careful driving down the mountain on these wet roads,” she said automatically. Compared to the steep grades they’d been on earlier, Bride Mountain was little more than a tall hill, but still the road could be slick when wet.
“Yes, I will.” One hand on the doorknob, he paused. “About the farmers’ market tomorrow morning…”
“I’ll be at the main entrance at just before eight, waiting for any class members who can be there. So far, I’ve heard from two who said they could make it, Nora and Jennifer.”
She saw what might have been the faintest wince from him when she said the latter name, though she couldn’t be sure. “I’m afraid I can’t join you. I have a meeting at school district HQ in the morning. But I’ll be in class tomorrow evening.”