Phyllis Halldorson - A Man Worth Marrying

Eve shook her head sadly. “You don’t even know me, Gray, and I don’t know Tinker. I’m sure, though, that any help I could have given her has been spoiled by her mother’s interference. Both Tinker and your ex-wife would resent me if I tried, and it would only harm Tinker further.”

Eve picked up her purse and headed for the door. “May I have my coat, please.”

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can say to change your mind?” He was surprised to hear himself ask the question as he followed her to the closet by the door and took out her coat. The object wasn’t to change her mind, dammit, it was to agree with her that the situation was hopeless.

She shook her head. “No, but I really am sorry.”

She shrugged into the coat Gray was holding for her, then turned to face him. “It’s been nice meeting you, Gray,” she said, and stuck out her hand. “Tinker too. I wish you the very best of luck with a different tutor.”

Gray took her hand and cradled it in both of his. His were warm and strong, and there was a tingle of electricity that flowed from them into hers. He felt it, too. She could see it in his eyes. The blue of his pupils darkened and softened.

“You haven’t seen the last of me, Ms. Evangeline Costopoulos,” he murmured as he squeezed her hand and released it.

She turned and, not even sure why, she fled.

Chapter Three

The weekend came and went, and Monday morning was sunny and bright But the nape of Eve’s neck tingled, so she wasn’t surprised when storm clouds began gathering by noon. Ever since she was a little girl, she’d been forecasting the weather by paying attention to a tightening at her nape. But she no longer bothered to mention it. Nobody believed her.

By the time she was ready to dismiss her class, the skies had opened up and were pouring rain onto the roof, which in turn dripped water through the ceiling and noisily into buckets strategically placed by teachers and students in hope of keeping themselves and their school supplies dry.

It was maddening, and Eve clenched her jaws in frustration. The fund that had been started for a new roof was increasing, but much too slowly. If only there was something she could do! Eve thought. But on her salary she could only make token contributions. If she’d accepted the summer job Gray Flint had offered her, he would have donated money to the roofing fund....

Tinker. Eve tried not to think about the child, because that led to thoughts of Gray, and she didn’t want to reflect on him. She’d been right when she refused to go ahead and tutor Tinker in spite of the child’s objections. A student had to be willing in order to learn.

Eve was just getting ready to dismiss the children when Jessica, the school secretary, came into the room, positively glowing with excitement.

“Eve, you have a phone call,” she said. “It’s Gray Flint. He says he has to speak to you, that it’s urgent. You never told me you knew him!”

Jess was the consummate hero-worshiper, and anyone in the public eye was hero material for her. Eve couldn’t help grinning, even as her own stomach filled with fluttering butterflies and tickles rippled up and down her spine. Gray projected her into orbit, too, but it wasn’t hero worship. It was a much more perilous attraction than that.

“Thank you, Jess,” she said without satisfying the other woman’s curiosity. “Will you keep an eye on the kids? I won’t be but a minute.”

Without waiting for an answer, she left the room and headed for the office. Why was Gray calling her? After all, they’d agreed that she couldn’t tutor Tinker. Last time they saw each other, he’d sort of indicated he might be in touch with her again, but that was four days ago. Besides, she hadn’t actually believed he meant it.

She walked into the outer office and picked up the telephone. “Gray, this is Eve Costopoulos.”

“Eve,” he said, and sounded relieved. “I’m sorry to bother you at school, but I neglected to get your home phone number.”

“That’s okay,” she replied. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Actually something’s very right. Tinker has agreed to be tutored, and she wants you to do it.”

“Oh?” Eve said skeptically. That sounded somewhat suspicious given the way the youngster had objected when first approached about it. “Are you sure you didn’t coerce her into it—?”

“I swear, I didn’t put any pressure on her,” he interrupted. “Bambi and I just explained to her why it was so important that she have help in catching up with the rest of her classmates.”

Eve’s stomach muscles knotted. “You and Bambi?” Her tone betrayed her uncertainty. “And how did you get her approval?”

He chuckled. “I don’t blame you for being skeptical. I admit Bambi’s pretty scatterbrained, but she does want what’s best for her daughter. Once I went over the situation with her, she understood why it was necessary—and helped me convince Tinker.”

“Well, I think that’s great,” she assured him. “I know several teachers who are looking for summer employment. If you like, I can give you their names—”

“No. Wait,” he interrupted. “Didn’t you hear me? Tinker wants you to tutor her. I didn’t even mention you. It was her own request. She asked for you.”

Eve felt her eyes widen. “Really?”

“Really,” Gray assured her. “Look, we don’t have time to discuss this now—I know you have to get back to your students. I’m calling to ask if you’ll have dinner with me tonight. We can work out the details then. I have a baby-sitter I can call.”

Common sense told Eve that she should say no to a social engagement disguised as a business meeting, but then, when had she let common sense stand in the way of something she wanted to do as much as she wanted to go to dinner with Gray? After all, she wasn’t his daughter’s teacher—yet.

“I’d like that,” she admitted. “I usually get home by three-thirty.”

“Good,” he said, and he really sounded pleased. “Okay if I pick you up around six-thirty?”

“Fine,” she agreed. “If you have a piece of paper and a pencil handy, I’ll give you my address and phone number.”

Eve was bathed, dressed and ready to go early, so she used the extra time to straighten up her already immaculate apartment. It consisted of a living room, kitchen/dining area, bedroom and bath in one of the city’s newer apartment complexes. This one had been built by her dad’s construction company.

She heard the doorbell ring, and a wave of warmth swept over her. That would be Gray! She hurried to the door, and a glance through the peephole revealed him standing on the other side. Quickly she unlatched the locks and opened the door.

For a moment they just stood there looking at each other. Gray was wearing a dark blue suit, and looked suave as always. She was glad she’d selected her above-the-knee burnt-orange long-sleeve chemise—very plain but elegant. With the addition of a glowing amber necklace and earrings, she could go anywhere and be appropriately dressed.

She finally broke the spell. “Please, come in Gray.”

There was no foyer; the door opened right into the living room. She stepped back to let him enter. As he walked past, she caught a faint whiff of his expensive shaving lotion. It was heady stuff: understated, but enticing.

She closed the door, and Gray’s gaze roamed over her. “You look lovely,” he said huskily.

“Thank you,” she replied, at a loss for words to express how much his admiration meant to her. “How...how much time do we have? Can we sit down and talk for a while or...”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. I made reservations for seven, and the restaurant is clear across town.”

“Oh, then I’ll get my purse,” she said.