Snow Days (The Hope Falls Series) Read online

  Nikki was a beautiful, free-spirited woman men tripped over themselves to be with. She’d always not only attracted the opposite sex but also known how to handle that attraction and use it to her benefit. As much as Amy loved Nikki and admired her, she wasn’t exactly known for her empathy. So without having any experience with what Amy was dealing with, she probably wouldn’t relate or sympathize.

  Taking all of those factors into consideration, Amy still came back to her fundamental base that the truth was the truth. There was just no getting around it.

  “Online.” Amy gripped the arm of her chair to brace herself for what she was sure to be a string of questions followed by her sister’s inevitable disapproval.

  “Oh, that makes sense,” Nikki said without even a hint of sarcasm in her tone. “I was wondering because, let’s face it, the dating pool in Hope Falls is nonexistent. I figured maybe you were going down to Tahoe on the weekends and meeting these guys at the casinos or clubs or something.”

  Amy blinked twice and shook her head in disbelief at what she was hearing. Her sister hadn’t made even one negative comment about her chosen venue to meet eligible men. “I do go to Tahoe on my dates but not to randomly meet people. They are all pre-planned dates,” Amy explained.

  “Yeah, that sounds much more your speed. Well, all I have to say is don’t take any shit off of anyone and don’t settle. Never settle. And have fun. That’s what dates are for. They shouldn’t feel like work. If you’re not having fun, get the hell out of there. Don’t let anyone waste your time.” Her sister sounded uncharacteristically serious. “I have to say I like this new adventurous Amy.”

  Amy felt emotion well up inside of her as she began to get a little overwhelmed by her sister’s kind words. Although Nikki was Amy’s little sister by two years, she definitely knew a lot more about dating and men than Amy did. She decided to take her sister’s advice to heart.

  “Listen, Ames. I have an international flight out of SFO tomorrow and will be gone for ten days. Can you watch Scrappy?”

  Amy inwardly sighed. She didn’t mind helping her sister out when she had to be out of town for her job. Which was all the time. Nikki was a first-class airline attendant, so she was practically gone more than she was at home. Amy just got tired of being the only one in their family who helped out.

  “Have you asked Mom and Dad?”

  “Mom says that Scrappy is still humping Laverne so she has to separate them.”

  Amy knew that if, in fact, Laverne, which was one of Amy’s parents Corgi’s—the other one was named Shirley—was getting humped, there was no way their mother would let Scrappy in the house.

  “But,” Nikki continued defensively, “he hasn’t been humping anything since I got him fixed so I think she’s just being dramatic.”

  Amy had always found it amusing that both her sister and mother were fond of calling each other “dramatic” when the truth was they were two peas in a pod. The apple had definitely not fallen far from the tree.

  Amy didn’t waste her breath asking if Nikki had called either of their brothers to help. Eric, their oldest brother, had just been promoted to Chief of Police and his schedule was insane. He’d also just gotten engaged to an amazing girl who had had a fairly troubled past. From what Amy had observed, Eric was doing everything in his power to not just make up but to make her forget it had ever happened. So, needless to say, his plate was full.

  Then there was Jake, whose only real interests were women and his job. He was a firefighter. He did love his dog, Lucky, who was a yellow lab, but had never been particularly fond of small breeds. And you couldn’t get much smaller than Nikki’s yippy little Chihuahua.

  “I can keep him. What time do you want to drop him off?”

  “Eight.”

  “All right, see you then.” Amy disconnected the call, resigning herself to the fact that, for all intents and purposes, she had not one but two dogs—her Great Dane, Scooby Doo, and her sister’s Chihuahua, Scrappy Doo.

  Glancing up at the clock hanging in the back of the mid-sized classroom, she saw she still had three more hours of teacher in-service day. She didn’t have any more papers to grade and her lesson plans had been carefully structured through the new year. So, after the conversation with her sister, she decided to use the remaining time she was mandated to be there to go over the last few months’ “New Amy” project data and see if she needed to rethink her plan.

  Pulling out her notebooks, she flipped through the several that were dedicated to her dating life. One zero, three twos, and four threes. If her dates didn’t start scoring better, Amy had no idea how she was going to move past phase one.

  When she’d originally come up with her system, she’d only allotted one month in which to meet and vet a suitable candidate, ideally someone with an average score of eight or above, for phase two, which was when things got physical. But next week she would be entering the third month of her system and she hadn’t even come close to finding anyone who met her criteria.

  Of course, she could lower her standards. That was always an option. But the main reason she was doing this was to build her self-confidence. She felt it would be counterintuitive if she lowered the bar a few rungs in phase one when the stakes weren’t even high.

  She’d honestly thought phase one would have been a piece of cake. All she needed to do was meet someone she felt she was attracted to on all three criteria she had laid out—Personality, Smell, Chemistry—then move on to phase two. Not fall in love with. Not marry. Not start a family with. Just someone she could have a fulfilling sexual relationship with.

  In her twenty-nine years, Amy had never had a satisfying sexual encounter. She’d lost her virginity in high school to her then boyfriend James. He’d also been a virgin, and although she didn’t have horrible memories of the experience, it was certainly not something she’d found pleasurable or exciting. It was uncomfortable and awkward.

  Then, in college, she’d had two steady boyfriends. With one, the sex was over almost as soon as it started—he’d never lasted more than a minute or two. With the other, it had been pleasant—just pleasant. Not toe-curling. Not spine-tingling. Not hot.

  Amy wanted hot.

  --- ~ ---

  “Mr. Kellan, we are so happy to have you here. Henry speaks very highly of you, and your resume speaks for itself. We’ve needed someone to take over AP history since Mrs. Jenkins retired last year. Mrs. Coolidge has been filling in, but she has not been happy about it. And although there is some additional paperwork that needs to be filed in order to have you teaching on an emergency credential while you are able to fulfill the reciprocal credential requirements for California, that is more than worth it for a school the size of Hope Falls High to garner a teacher of your caliber. Two-time Teacher of the Year in Phoenix? We are lucky to have you.” Principal Walters leaned back in his leather high-back chair as he twirled a pencil in his fingers.

  “I’m glad I can help. I’m happy to be here.” Matt realized as the words left his mouth that he actually was. Over the last five years, when people had asked him if he was okay or how he was doing, his answers had been “fine” or “good”—but he was never “fine” or even close to “good.”

  But right now, he was happy to be there. He’d arrived two days ago and had immediately felt welcomed by the community. Of course, most of the time he’d been out and about, he’d been with his uncle, who was the mayor, so all of the kindness and goodwill he’d experienced might very well have been a product of association. But whatever the reason, he really liked the small-town vibe and the people he’d met so far.

  As he’d driven through the town the first night he’d gotten there, he’d almost felt like he’d been transported to another world. He had never been to a town that gave the impression it could pop right off the canvas of a painting, but that’s exactly what Hope Falls looked like. The downtown strip, which could only be described as quaint, boasted a café, a bookstore, and an ice cream parlor, and it was lined with
wooden sidewalks that added even more character and charm to the atmosphere.

  Arriving at his rental house, he’d immediately noticed that the air smelled clean and fresh. It was a mixture of pine leaves, wild flowers, and well…just outdoors.

  The weather was a different story. He definitely had not adjusted to the climate change yet. Even in December, Phoenix regularly hit the seventies. Matt had been freezing since he’d been here. The temperature when he’d left to come to the school this morning had been below thirty degrees.

  “All right, well, let’s show you around.” The principal’s voice boomed as he stood and walked to open the door. “I’m sure you met Mrs. Arnold.”

  “Yes, briefly.” Matt waved at the secretary who sat in front of the principal’s door. If Mrs. Arnold was a day shy of eighty, he’d be surprised.

  She turned slowly in her chair and her voice shook as she said, “Of course I met him. I already friend requested him on Facebook.”

  “Oh, I never go on there.” Matt had forgotten he’d even had an account at the social networking site.

  “Well, you better now.” She pointed her wrinkly finger at him. “Because you need to accept my request.” Then she turned back to her desk without waiting for a response.

  Matt smiled to himself as he followed Principal Walters out of the administrative offices and through the halls of the stately, old brick building. Principal Walters kept up a steady stream of patter about the facilities and the faculty and staff. It was clear to Matt that the man felt a considerable amount of personal pride in the school.

  “And over here are our art and science labs. You know, this building is the original structure of the Hope Falls school, dating back well over a century. At that time, it housed all grades, kindergarten through twelfth. Although now, of course, we are a dedicated high school.

  “Ah! Mr. Gardine!” Principal Walters called to a scruffy-looking man in tan corduroys and a faded plaid button-down. “Come meet your new department partner!”

  The man ambled slowly over, and Matt couldn't help but wonder how his feet weren't frostbitten in the scant covering of socks and Birkenstocks he wore. When Mr. Gardine finally drew even with Matt and Principal Walters, he eyed Matt up and down suspiciously.

  Thinking he would try to break the ice, Matt extended his hand with a warm smile. “Hi, I'm Matt Kellan.”

  The aging hippie's eyes narrowed as he stared at Matt's hand, and he finally mumbled, “Art Gardine,” as he quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked past them down the hall. Matt awkwardly withdrew his hand, where it had still been hanging in space, pointing at no one since Art Gardine's quick departure.

  Principal Walters laughed and said, “Mr. Gardine is a unique one, that's for sure. Also, if you had any questions about why you were being brought directly in as department head when we already had a history teacher on staff, I'm sure those questions have now been answered. Mr. Gardine doesn't trust the establishment or anyone in authority, and he certainly would never consider taking on that role for himself.”

  Matt nodded. He had no idea what to make of the man he’d just met, who clearly viewed him with nothing but suspicion and disdain, who was going to be the sole faculty member reporting to him in his department. But he took a deep breath and decided not to borrow trouble. Best to just let that situation play out how it would.

  “Moving along!” Principal Walker said brightly and took off down the hall. Matt followed. Almost immediately, a pale woman with a thick mane of curly bright red hair, her cheeks flushed and her manner flustered, rushed from around the corner. She bumped directly into Principal Walters and seemed too distracted to even notice.

  “Sorry, Jim!” she called as she moved off quickly down the hall, almost stumbling in her haste. Matt stared after her in amazement. She was clad in a layered ensemble that could only be described as truly physics-defying. By Matt's estimation, the scarves and belts alone—before you even got to calculating basic pieces of clothing—brought the count of pieces up to well over two dozen. Not only that, but each of the pieces was brightly colored, fringed, bedazzled, spangled, or otherwise embellished. The overall effect was one of shock and awe, and Matt was duly impressed.

  Principal Walters chuckled. “There goes Autumn Canela, our art teacher. She's one of a kind as well. We really prize individuality here at Hope Falls High.”

  “I can see that,” Matt agreed, not quite sure what else to say. Sure, in his years of teaching, he had met some quirky characters. That went with the territory. But he thought that the two people he had just encountered might actually be two of the most extreme he had ever come across—and to find them both on the faculty of one small high school was incredibly unusual.

  Wow.

  Principal Walters looked at Matt's face then turned and began walking quickly down the hall as he spoke. “Well, yes, there will be time enough for meeting the rest of the faculty at our next regular staff meeting. For now, let me just introduce you to Ms. Maguire. Since, as we discussed over the phone, you are going to need to be floating to various classrooms for each period for just the next few months while the renovations are completed on your classroom—an unfortunate side effect of housing the school in a grand old history-rich building such as this, I'm afraid—you will also need a place to conduct your prep period. Since your prep period and Ms. Maguire's overlap, she has generously offered her classroom as a temporary prep home. And here we are.” The principal stopped abruptly. “Let's go in and meet her.”

  Matt smiled and nodded. He appreciated the gesture, he truly did. Most teachers guarded their prep period with their very lives. For her to volunteer to open up her domain to a virtual stranger and welcome him into her space during the one—short and precious—hour per day she was allotted for planning, grading, student conferences, parent contact, and…well, anything else that needed to be done…was a seriously generous act.

  By the same token, if the two individuals he had just met were any indication of the kind of “individuality” prized in the faculty here at Hope Falls High...what the hell was he about to walk into?

  “This will be where you will be in the afternoon.” The principal pushed the door and walked through it, holding it open for Matt to enter. “This is Ms. Maguire. You will be sharing this room fifth period in which you both have prep.”

  Matt stepped into the classroom and brushed his shoulder against the corner of the wall. As he came around it, he saw wavy brown hair on the top of what he assumed was Ms. Maguire’s head as she bent down.

  “Hi,” Matt said, hoping to alert her to their presence.

  She sat up straight in her chair and Matt was instantly struck by the wide blue eyes peeking up at him beneath long, dark lashes. Her olive skin and red lips stirred up thoughts and images in Matt’s mind that he hadn’t had in a long—a very long!—time.

  “Hello.” Her sweet voice washed over his senses like a light breeze.

  “Hi,” Matt repeated and felt the simple greeting vibrate in his chest. His heart began thudding against his ribs and his palms had grown damp.

  Principal Walters cleared his throat. “Ms. Maguire teaches honors English. Mr. Kellan will be taking over our AP history classes.”

  “Well then, it looks like Christmas came early for Mrs. Coolidge. She is going to be ecstatic to unload those classes.” The young, pretty teacher’s perfect white teeth shone as her lips turned up in a genuine smile.

  Matt felt the earth shift on its axis. He took a small step back at the sheer power of her smile. Only once before had he been knocked off balance by such an innocent gesture. His right hand automatically reached up and rolled the golden band that sat on his ring finger around in a circle.

  “Well let’s continue with the grand tour, Mr. Kellan.” Principal Walters turned and grabbed the doorknob. “Please excuse the interruption. We’ll let you get back to work, Ms. Maguire.”

  “Nice meeting you.” Her voice sounded strong, but Matt clearly detected a slight blush cree
ping up her cheeks.

  “You too.” Matt nodded and lifted his hand before turning to leave.

  Stepping back into the bright hallway, Matt tried to concentrate on what Principal Walters was saying to him. But he was having hard time focusing on anything except the brief interaction between him and the young, pretty teacher he would likely be spending a lot of time with. It kept playing over and over again in his mind.

  The soothing, melodic quality to her voice. The soft, wavy brown hair that framed her sweetheart face and made his hands itch with a desire to run his fingers through it. And her smile—the perfect smile that had almost knocked him on his ass.

  He hadn’t had this kind of reaction since…Jess. They’d been high school freshmen, and the moment she walked into his algebra class, he’d been rendered speechless. As an adult, he’d chalked it up to being a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Now, he wasn’t so sure.

  Chapter Three

  “No, no, no, no. It has to be here,” Amy said under her breath as she crouched down to look under the wooden table in the middle of the tiny teachers’ lounge.

  Not there.

  Lifting the cushions of the tattered mauve couch that sat tucked in the corner, frantically searching even though logically she knew there was no way her bag could have gotten wedged there. It was too big.

  Putting her weight against the corner, she shoved the couch about a foot away from the wall to see if it had fallen down behind it.

  No luck.

  Adrenaline rushed through her veins like a flash flood. The pounding of her heart was so hard she thought it might actually come right through her chest. She spun slowly in a circle as her eyes scanned every surface, corner, and crevice of the small space.

  It’s not here.

  Trying to calm herself down, she concentrated on steadying her breaths. It was quiet—almost too quiet. The only sound in the room was her labored breathing. Her mind raced with the consequences of her careless actions.