More Than This Page 20

  He clicked the mouse a couple more times. Quinn’s body shielded the screen, so Ryan saw nothing, but Quinn’s posture stiffened again.

  She shook her head. “They’re not any better the second time.”

  Click-click. “There. All deleted.”

  “Please empty the trash and secure it.”

  Click-click.

  “Thank you.” Quinn turned and headed for the door. She nodded at Ryan. “We’re done.”

  Ryan stood but waited for Quinn to reach the hall before he moved. He spoke quietly to Xander. “If those photos ever resurface, I will make sure she sues you for every penny you have and I’ll beat the shit out of you.”

  He strode out without looking back.

  Quinn was waiting in the hall. When he closed the door behind him, she asked, “Do I want to know what you said to him?”

  “Probably not.” He grabbed her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. “What are you up to today? Want to grab breakfast?”

  They walked side by side, holding hands down the stairs. “Breakfast sounds great, but I can’t. My principal asked me to come in today.”

  Outside in the late-morning sun, he assessed her face. Her color was back and she was more relaxed. “It’s summer. Why would he call you?”

  “I usually teach summer school. This is my first summer off and the teacher who took my place is having problems.”

  “How is it your problem?”

  She blew a breath that puffed her bangs. “You sound like Brian. It’s not my problem, but I’m a team player, and I do care about the kids.”

  “Okay. Will I see you later?”

  She shifted and stared at the ground. “Yeah, I’m doing speed dating tonight.”

  Mary had been right. Quinn signed up to legitimately find a date. Now she was nervous. If he said the wrong thing, she’d run away again. “Okay, see you then.”

  “See you.” Although she raised her eyes, they didn’t meet his. She turned and walked quickly down the street.

  Indy was wrong. Ryan confirmed it. He was okay with her participating in speed dating. Furthermore, he’d told her not to give up on her adventures. He’s a guy. Guys do casual.

  Her speed walk back to her loft left her breathless. The sun beat on her head, and beads of sweat made her scalp itch. It was almost eleven. The morning summer-school session would be over soon. If she wanted to catch Ackerman and Carlson, she’d have to move fast.

  She looked down at her clothes. The clothes she’d slept in. God, I let Ryan and Xander see me like this. She needed something more appropriate for school. Although, Carlson would definitely get the impression she was on vacation if she walked in like this.

  No, she couldn’t do that. Vacation or not, she was a teacher when she entered the building. She took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of cropped khakis and a loose blouse. She had to make some concessions to the heat.

  Within thirty minutes, she parked in front of the school. She didn’t bother pulling into the lot. She didn’t plan on staying long. The bell rang as she yanked the heavy door open.

  Halfway down the hall, she pushed open the door to the main office. Two standing fans whirred and clicked as they oscillated. When the door thunked closed, Louise looked up.

  “Quinn, what the heck are you doing here? I thought you were disappearing for the summer.” Louise was mother hen to everyone and was one of the most lovable women Quinn knew.

  Quinn leaned on the counter separating the two of them. She spoke quietly. “I’ve been summoned.”

  Louise’s mouth made an “O” and she added, “I didn’t think it was that bad.” She picked up her phone. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”

  While Louise buzzed Carlson, Quinn checked and cleared her mailbox. Catalogs and junk mail cluttered the box. Mixed in the middle of the mess was a plain white envelope with “Ms. Adams” scrawled on the front. She hadn’t brought her purse, so she folded the envelope and tucked it into her pocket. The rest went into the recycle bin.

  “You can go in now,” Louise called.

  “Thanks, Louise. How’s it going this summer?”

  “Same old.”

  The corner of Quinn’s mouth lifted. She eased around the counter to the back office. She tapped on Carlson’s closed door to announce herself and pushed it open.

  Mr. Carlson sat behind his desk. Quinn’s first thought was always what an imposing man he was. His body completely filled the leather desk chair, and she knew he stood a foot taller than her. His head was bald, the dark brown skin smooth and shiny. When she entered, his thick lips parted and white teeth gleamed.

  “Quinn, I’m glad you could make it. Have a seat.” He pointed to the chair directly in front of him.

  “Hi, Mr. Carlson. What’s going on?” She pulled her keys from her pocket so they wouldn’t jab her thigh when she sat.

  “Did you get my message about Shari?”

  Quinn crossed her legs and clasped her hands in her lap. “Yes, but I’m not sure I understood it.”

  He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, locking his hands behind his head. “She’s struggling. Discipline is an issue, and she feels swamped.”

  “I gave her all of my daily lesson plans. All she had to do was follow them. They easily fill the three hours.” She tamped down the irritation that rose.

  “It’s more than the material. It’s the caliber of students working against her inexperience.”

  Quinn looked into his wide brown eyes. I was inexperienced once too. No one handed me anything. I had to figure it out. The nasty thought fought its way to her lips. Instead, she asked, “What do you want from me?”

  He leaned forward and put his elbows back on his desk. “Talk to her. Give her words of encouragement. Maybe observe her and offer some tips.”

  Quinn raised her eyebrows at the last statement. She was all for being a team player, but she wouldn’t work for free.

  “Spend a day or two with her and I’ll give you comp time.”

  Quinn smiled. “I thought comp time was a big no-no these days with the board.”

  “We’ll figure it out. I think Shari’s still here. Do you have time to talk to her now?”

  She nodded. Shari Ackerman wasn’t her favorite person. She didn’t dislike her. They were different, especially in the way they taught. Quinn wasn’t surprised Shari struggled with her lesson plans. They were designed to suit Quinn’s teaching style. Shari wasn’t adept enough to know how to pick and choose and adapt what would work for her.

  Quinn grabbed her keys and headed to the classroom to make the rescue she swore she wouldn’t.

  CHAPTER 15

  Quinn tossed her keys on her side table inside her door and took a moment to absorb the silence. She couldn’t believe she’d spent five hours talking to Shari Ackerman.

  She’d been able to scrounge enough change together to get a Snickers bar from the vending machine in the lounge. She’d eaten nothing else all day and was paying for it now. A headache throbbed behind her eyes. Food became her priority as she dragged herself through her apartment.

  Peanut butter and jelly sounded perfect. Too bad she didn’t have any squishy white bread. That would be the ultimate. Instead, she sat down with PB&J on whole wheat. Her body sighed as the comfort settled in her stomach.

  Her phone rang. Was there anyone she wanted to talk to right now? Not really.

  “Hey, Quinn. It’s Brian. I hear you caved.”

  Quinn snatched up the receiver. “How did you know? I just walked in the door.”

  “I have my ways. I thought we agreed you weren’t going to answer your phone.”

  She picked at the crust of the bread. “I didn’t. Carlson called and e-mailed. I figured if I didn’t make an appearance, he’d never leave me alone.”

  “So what happened?”

  “I went to talk to Shari, see where she needed help, and ended up spending five hours poring over lesson plans to show her how to make them work for her.”


  “You’re crazy.”

  “Carlson offered comp time. When you’re slaving away on a hot September day, I’ll be able to take the day and lounge without losing a sick day.” Maybe take in a Cubs game.

  “Like that’ll happen.”

  “I think it might. My hooky day proved to be pretty successful.” She tossed the remaining piece of sandwich in the trash and took a swig of water.

  “How is everything else going? Find Mr. Romance yet?”

  She sighed and debated telling him about Ryan. No real need to. “I’m going speed dating tonight. Maybe I’ll have luck. Nothing else has worked quite the way I’ve wanted it to.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “I hope it is. I need to go get ready. I’ll call and let you know what happens.” She disconnected and went to find something to wear.

  She settled on a sundress similar to the one she’d worn to her photo shoot, except this one was deep blue. Kind of matched Ryan’s eyes.

  Before tossing her clothes in the hamper, she emptied her pockets and discovered the envelope from her mailbox. She sat on her bed in her underwear and opened it.

  The writing was round and bubbly. She glanced at the signature—Tamika. Quinn had an immediate image of a girl with pitch-black, chemically straightened hair with hot-pink tips. She’d just completed sophomore English with Quinn last year. The girl talked too much in class on a daily basis, but she was engaging and wrote some heart-wrenching poetry.

  Dear Ms. Adams,

  I’m in summer school to make up my freshman English class. I have Ms. Ackerman now. I wanted to tell you that your class was the best one I had. I didn’t know it then, but you made it easy and fun to learn. This summer I’m not sure if I’ll finish. I wish all teachers were like you.

  Tamika Holmes

  She didn’t need a guilt trip. Why should she feel guilty? She did her job and did it well. Everyone deserves time off and a personal life.

  The facts didn’t remove the sting.

  Quinn dressed quickly, applied her makeup, and fished through her closet for a light sweater. Indy wanted to meet at O’Leary’s so she’d have her car if she got bored. They agreed to arrive early to check everyone out.

  Butterflies bounced in her stomach. She should’ve eaten more. Maybe she and Indy could go out for a late dinner.

  Quinn entered the bar and was surprised to see it looked no different. Tuesday nights were not big for bar hopping, so the crowd was light. She started to wend her way around tables when she was tapped on her shoulder.

  She spun around to see Indy. “Hey, you just get here?”

  “Yeah,” Indy responded. “Let’s get a seat and do reconnaissance.”

  “You seem suddenly excited.”

  Indy looped her arm through Quinn’s. “I’m trying to be supportive.”

  “And?”

  “And nothing. I plan to help you find the best guy here.” Indy led her to the dance floor.

  The space had been transformed. Small, square, linen-covered tables fanned out to form two circles. Taller bar tables with stools lined the perimeter of the room.

  Indy chose a table with a good view of the center of the room.

  Quinn scanned the room and found Mary bustling around with a clipboard. “I need to check in.”

  Mary looked up from her list. “Hi. You’re Quinn, right?”

  Quinn nodded, hating that her fight with Ryan had left a lasting impression.

  Mary handed her a sticker name tag, which she stuck to her dress. “We’ll start in twenty minutes. You can get a drink while you wait.”

  Quinn returned to Indy’s table. Indy had ordered a beer for herself and a Diet Coke for Quinn.

  “Thanks. I can’t drink tonight. I’ve hardly eaten today.” She slid up onto the stool. “These past two days have been the longest in my memory. I don’t know if I can even focus on this.”

  “What happened today?”

  Quinn told her about Ryan and Xander, and spending the afternoon with Shari Ackerman.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” Indy asked.

  “Do what?”

  “This,” she said, pointing to the smaller tables.

  “I guess. I can’t back out now.”

  “I think you can. Walk straight back to Ryan’s office and plant a big sloppy kiss on him.” Indy turned her bottle in her hands. “I’ll take your place in the datefest.”

  “What?” Indy either really wanted her to be with Ryan or she really wanted to find someone new.

  Indy’s eyes met hers. “He took care of you today. If it was just sex between you, he wouldn’t have gone to the photographer.”

  “He did it because he cares about me as a friend. I’m not discussing this anymore. I thought you were being supportive.” Quinn twirled her seat around. “Who looks interesting?”

  People milled around, drinks in hand. Participants and their guests clustered together in hushed conversations, conducting recon like Indy.

  “Look at the one at two o’clock. He’s tall and good-looking. He’s smiling but doesn’t look cocky.”

  Quinn’s gaze moved to the man in question. “He’s wearing a suit and he’s got to be pushing fifty.”

  “So? Maybe he came from work. Having a job is a bonus.”

  “He’s too old.” She twirled her straw in her drink.

  “What about him? Straight behind you. Don’t turn too fast. He’s too short for me, but height doesn’t matter to you.”

  Quinn slowly spun her seat with her glass in hand. She saw the man Indy indicated. He was less than six feet, which was short in Indy’s eyes. He wore Dockers and a navy button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. “He’s not wearing a name tag.”

  “So?”

  “He’s a friend, not a speed dater.” Quinn tapped her own name tag as she turned back to Indy.

  Indy continued to scan the room. Quinn’s eyes watched a small group of men enter. Two went to see Mary; two found a table behind Indy. When the two received their name tags, they turned to find their friends. Quinn followed one with her eyes.

  “Find someone interesting?”

  “No, this guy looks familiar.”

  Indy shifted her position. “He’s kind of young for you, isn’t he?”

  “Yes. He’s cute, I guess, but I swear I know him from somewhere.”

  Mary tapped the microphone on the stage. “Hello, everyone. Can I please have your attention? Welcome to O’Leary’s Speed Dating. I need all of our female participants to come forward and take a seat in one of our two inner circles.”

  Quinn stood, as did a bunch of other women.

  Indy touched her shoulder. “Get a seat on this side, so I can see.”

  As the women took their seats, Mary gathered the men at the other side of the room. They were at her back, so Quinn couldn’t see anyone. She focused on the friends of the guy she thought she knew. None of them looked familiar. She refocused on the table in front of her. A small pad of paper and a pen sat on each side of the table. Mary had thought ahead, giving participants paper to exchange numbers. A long metal stem sat in the middle of the table with a plastic card sticking out of the top. She sat at table five.

  Mary entered Quinn’s line of sight with the men following her. Each man had a number below his name. Before she led the line all the way around the table, Mary brought the microphone back to her face. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to start. I will lead the men to the table corresponding to the number on their tags. The numbers are arbitrary, a way for us to have a starting point. I will lead the line around to show the men the path they will take as they maneuver around the tables. Please wait for my signal before you take your seat to begin.”

  She moved around Quinn’s table and the men followed like a line of preschoolers on a field trip. In a moment, Quinn had the tall man with a suit in front of her table.

  Mary’s voice echoed around them. “Men, take your seats. When you hear the bell, you will move one space to the right.” D
ing.

  The man pulled the chair out in front of him, but extended his hand before sitting. “Hi, I’m John.”

  “Hi, I’m Quinn.”

  He sat in the chair and immediately began firing questions at Quinn. “What do you do for a living?”

  “I’m a teacher. How about you?”

  “Lawyer. Where do you live?”

  “Here in the city.”

  “How long did your last relationship last?”

  The question shook her. Nothing like diving right in to the nitty-gritty. “I was married for three years.”

  His brows crinkled. “Kids?”

  Quinn shook her head.

  “How long have you been divorced?”

  “Five years.” All of her preparation the day before with Indy went out the window. This guy talked fast and plowed ahead without giving her a chance. She began to pray for the bell. Three minutes was longer than she thought. Luckily, she didn’t have to think anymore. John began telling her about his life. He droned on for a full minute.

  Ding.

  He stood. “It was nice to meet you.”

  “You too.” Her eyes wandered briefly to Indy. Indy shrugged.

  The next man slid comfortably into the seat. Quinn’s eyes moved back to find Griffin sitting across from her. She couldn’t stop the smile. “Hi, Griffin. It’s nice to see you again.”

  “Yeah, you too. How are you feeling? Last time I saw you, you weren’t doing too well.”

  “About that . . . thank you for everything.”

  “Everything? Something happen I don’t remember?”

  “You bought me drinks and food and let me lean on you.”

  “I figured it was the least I could do since I bought the drinks that got you drunk.”

  She shrugged.

  “Why are you here tonight? I didn’t expect you.”

  “Mary asked me to step in. She was short a couple of guys.”

  Quinn leaned forward. “So you’re not really on the hunt? Many, many women will be disappointed.”

  He leaned farther back in his chair. “I hear you’re going to New Orleans this summer.”