You boys are much too loud, Shay said in quiet counterpoint to their shouting. Its disrespectful to Mrs. Cree and to everyone else in the office.
Roberta looked up, including Shay in the pursed-lip censure shed bestowed on the arguing boys. I can handle this if youd prefer to go check your email.
No doubt whatever those mothers outside the office were flustered about would be explained by the contents of Shays in-box. Bypassing the coffeemaker, Shay left the boys in Robertas custody and made a beeline for her office. Once inside she shut her door and entered her password, braced for the worst.
Whatever shed been expecting, it certainly hadnt been a plea from a student, soliciting dates for her father. Apparently, an email had gone out to the hundred and fifty or so families on the PTA mailing list. At least eleven parents had forwarded Shay a copy. The letter appeared to have come from Dee Riggs, the chairperson in charge of both the schools autumn and spring book fairs. But the subject line of the email stated, From Victoria Hathaway. It seemed that Victoria was trying to boost her fathers love life in hopes of eventually getting a new mother.
Did Dee Riggs even realize yet that her email account had been hijacked in this manner? Given the number of parents who had already contacted Shay, surely someone had emailed Dee or planned to call her. Shay would talk to the woman today. First, however, she needed to have a few words with Victoria Hathaways father and sole guardian.
Shay leaned forward and pressed the intercom button on her phone. Roberta? I need you to get me
Hes already on his way.
Chapter Two
Most days, Marks employer was in Colorado, oblivious to Marks daily schedule. So why, the one day when Bennett was in town and wanted to see for himself how things were at the store, did Mark get a call from Woodside that would delay opening this morning? Did that qualify as irony or just lousy luck? Mark wasnt even sure why hed been asked to come up to the school.
Is Vicki sick? hed asked as soon as the woman on the phone said she was calling from Woodside.
No, sir. We dont need you to pick up your daughter. Principal Morgan just needs to speak with you.
The new principal, Shay Morgan. Mark had received the same cheerful letter of introduction as the other Woodside parents, but hed never met Shay face-to-face. Maybe this wasnt such bad luck after all. Hed been meaning to talk to her anyway about the Fitness Fair.
Before he disconnected the call he asked, more as a parental reflex than an actual concern, Vickis not in trouble, is she? His daughter had been eerily well behaved since his wife died. Aside from her growing exasperation that Mark showed no signs of remarrying, she rarely fussed or challenged any of the rules. Rosycheeked Mrs. Norris said she was a dream to babysit for: So quiet you hardly know shes in the house.
Instead of promptly assuring him that Vicki hadnt broken any rules, the secretary said primly, Youll have to take that up with the principal. Then she hung up, leaving him perplexed for the duration of his fifteen-minute drive.
As it had in the past, walking through the schools front doors gave him a twinge, reminding him of how much it had stung, after Jesss death, to bring Vicki here on her very first day of kindergarten without her mother there to see it or help her get ready. Mark didnt often find himself on campus, except for periodic performances or the August orientation held each year so that students could meet their teachers for the first time. On those occasions, he was usually part of a noisy crowd. This morning, the front hallway was quiet. The only person he passed was a woman who appeared to be signing in her tardy son. Recognizing her as someone whod shopped at the store before, Mark offered a small finger wave. Inexplicably, the woman smothered a giggle and glanced away sharply.
Oookay. Dismissing her strange behavior, Mark turned in to the main office. The school secretary, Roberta Cree, stood at the copy machine, feeding paper into the tray. Even though hed seen Roberta before, he was struck anew by how short she was. Over the phone, she was much taller.
The secretary dipped her chin by way of greeting. Mr. Hathaway. Ill let the principal know y
Mr. Hathaway? A blonde poked out of the office behind the front counter. Mark Hathaway? Im Shay Morgan.
Wow. Mark didnt recall any school principals looking like that during his childhood. Was she unusually young for a principal, or had his perspective of age simply adjusted now that he himself was an adult? Even without the added height of her black boots, she would be tall for a woman, and she was noticeably curvy beneath a soft aqua sweater that matched her eyes.
Unfortunately, those blue-green eyes were narrowing at him in displeasure.
Had he been caught ogling? It had been so long since hed ogled that he really wasnt sure.
I didnt mean to stare, he defended himself. Youre just not what I expected. I guess Im so used to seeing Principal Ridenour come out of that office, and youre, uhnot him. Physically, it was hard to imagine how she could be any more unlike the stout, balding former principal.
So Ive been told, she said with a tight smile.
She ushered him into her office and shut the door, indicating one of the padded chairs that sat around a small round table. Thank you for coming up to the school so quickly. It had been my intention to discuss this on the ph She broke off, frowned and started over. Im glad youre here, Mr. Hathaway. We need to talk about Vicki. Are you, by any chance, aware of an email that your daughter sent?
My daughter? Thats impossible. Aside from the fact that she obviously doesnt have an email account, she never uses my computer without close supervision.
ShayPrincipal Morgansettled into one of the other chairs. She crossed her legs, displayed to flattering effect beneath her black skirt and thin hose. It caught him by surprise that he even noticed. Over the years, many women had come into the store, some of them athletic and, he supposed, quite pretty. But hed have better luck describing what any one of them had purchased than what she looked like. Feeling off balance, it took him a moment to focus on what the principal was saying.
A number of parents forwarded me this. She pushed a sheet of paper toward him.
Curious, he picked it up and glanced at the subject heading. From Victoria Hathaway?
This is my sister-in-laws email address. Vicki He trailed off, recalling how pleased he and Dee had been that Vicki and Bobby were getting along so well. During the past two family dinners, the kids had shut themselves in the study with no discernible bickering or tattling. Which should have been enough to make you suspicious, dummy. Vicki has a cousin who must have helped her. She wouldnt know how to send an email by herself.
Bobby Riggs, Dees son? Shay nodded. Earlier this week, I presented him with a trophy from the council-level science fair. Clearly a smart boy. It makes sense that Vicki would have dictated her letterthe punctuation and spelling are far above the normal first-grade level.
With growing trepidation, Mark began to read.
My name is Victoria Hathaway. People call me Vicki. I am six years old and in the first grade at Woodside Elementary school. I am the only girl in my class who doesnt have a mommy.
Marks heart stuttered. Hed known Vicki was growing more resentful of her single parent status, but seeing her unhappiness articulated like that on the paper in front of him He was shocked that, instead of trying to talk to him more about it, shed decided to share it with the population of Woodside! What had Bobby been thinking to help her with this?
My daddy is Mark Hathaway. He is a good man, but a not so good cook. My mom went to heaven. He needs a new wife, but he never ever goes on dates.
Was it possible to keep ones face from turning red through sheer force of will? He kept his gaze locked on the humiliating paper in his hand and away from the lovely blonde who watched him silently.
I think my dad is shy. Can you help us? It will be Valentines Day soon, and he is very lonely. If you are a lady who is not too old and dont already have a husband, maybe you could be Daddys valentine. Please let him know if you would like him. He is gone at the store a lot, but he is fun when he is home. It would also be good if you have a dog. I really want one. But not as much as I want a mom.
Thank you,
Victoria Kathryn Hathaway
Mark was mortified. And aching for his daughter. And fully prepared to ground both her and her cousin for the rest of their natural lives. Well, she had tried to warn him that morning. Dont worry, Daddy, I have a plan. He was flooded with reactions, from grudging admiration of his daughters problem-solving ingenuityhell, maybe she could help brainstorm ideas on how to save the storeto renewed anger that his wife had been taken from them so young.
He heard his own rusty chuckle. In his struggle to formulate a response, hed unconsciously chosen laughter. Maybe I could just get her a puppy?
Im not sure making jokes is the best way to handle this, the principal countered gently. Your daughter obviously
Have you even met my daughter? he asked. Mark wasnt normally rude, but he was still reeling at the idea of Vicki feeling so desperate that shed taken action behind his back. He always read the weekly notes from her teacher, Mrs. Frost, and Lord knew hed listened to hours of advice from Dee because he accepted that his sister-in-law had Vickis best interests at heart. But he resented the condescending tone from a woman who might not even recognize Vicki if she saw her.
Shay squared her shoulders, rigid in her chair. I go into all of the classrooms, occasionally reading stories to the kids or picking a table to have lunch with, but no, I have not been individually introduced to your daughter. And, before you ask, no, I dont have any children of my own. What I do have are years of classroom experience working with kids and a Master of Education. I may be younger than Principal Ridenour, but I assure you Im qualified for my job.
Mark shoved a hand through his hair, aware that hed botched this meeting so far. Of course you are, Ms. Morgan. I apologize. I got defensive because this is personal.
Her posture eased slightly, but her expression didnt soften. I understand why you would feel that way, but this email was sent to everyone on the PTA mailing list. I havent spoken to Vicki yet, or her aunt, for that matter. I wanted to make sure that you, as the responsible parent, were fully aware of the situation first. But I am going to send out a concise email addressing the situation.
In other words, Mark translated, his personal matter had become quite public.
Before we call her into the office, though, the principal added, I wanted to talk with you for a few minutes. Are you aware that theres a community support group for single parents that meets in the school cafeteria the first and third Wednesday nights of every month?
I appreciate that youre trying to help, but Im not going to give up another night with my daughter. Tuesday evenings she has ballet, and Friday, inventory at the store sometimes goes pretty late, so
That would be the store mentioned in Vickis letter, when she says youre away a lot? Mr. Hathaway, as someone whos never been married, I cant know precisely what its like to lose a spouse. But I realize it must be very difficult for you and Vicki. Maybe this wasnt so much a plea for a new mom as a cry for more attention.
Vicki knows how much I love her. Doesnt she? I tell her every single day. Shes the most Shes my world, Ms. Morgan. He recalled a promise hed made to Jess, when theyd known how little time shed had left. Hed told her that hed love Vicki enough for both of them. Was he failing?
I dont doubt that. Radiating sympathy, the principal laid her hand atop his on the table. Then she blinked, as if she were as surprised by the physical contact as he was. She withdrew immediately. Maybe it would help if you supplemented your words with actions, with your time. The first-grade classes have already been on a couple of field trips this year. Were you able to chaperone any of those?
I have a store to run. This woman had no idea what kind of pressure he was under to keep the place afloat and to keep Vicki here in Braeden. Was he really being condemned as a bad father because he hadnt accompanied a bunch of six-year-olds to a petting zoo?
You also have a daughter who needs you, she said. There are numerous studies that show how much a child benefits, both emotionally and academically, when a parent is able to volunteer at the school.
Those studies werent going to pay his mortgage. But he tamped down the sarcasm. If his showing up for the occasional field trip would help Vicki, hed find a way to do it. But it seemed that Ms. Morgan had even bigger ideas.
She handed him a blue folder. That contains information on different ways you can get involved in the classroom. Were always in need of parental support for our activities. Our fall book fair, normally a week long, only ran three days this year because we couldnt staff all of the available shifts. And the Campside Girls whove traditionally had their weekly troop meetings here had to disband this year because they couldnt find a leader.
A shame, he muttered. I would have been happy to give the troop discounts on gear for
Mr. Hathaway! Were discussing your daughters well-being, not your store. Study the list Ive given you. There must be something on it that youre suited to, a way you can chip in and show Vicki that shes just as important to you as your job.
Maybe the two could dovetailhis principal-mandated community service and his promise to Bennett to boost business.
Actually, its a funny coincidence, Mark said, flashing her a smile. He tried for charm but it was difficult to gauge whether or not he succeeded. I wanted to talk to you about getting involved with Woodside this spring.
Really? Her tone was suspicious.
Honest. I know Woodsides hosting that Fitness Fair and as you may know, at Up A Creek, we
Thats the name of your store?
Its the store I manage, yes. Im not the owner. And if he didnt find a way to boost profits enough to appease the owner, then
Mr. Hathaway, I believe you are missing the point. Her tone was wooden. Your daughter needs you.
This judgmental blonde didnt think he was aware of that fact every second of every day? Vicki needed him to braid hair, which he couldnt do, and provide dinner, which he usually messed up; the matter-of-fact criticism in her email that he was a not so good cook stung more than he would have predicted. But she also needed him to provide food and shelter and the clothes she seemed to outgrow every other week.