by Mary Manners
Thoughts of Ryne popped into her mind. They’d barely had a chance to talk since the week began. Things had been hectic, and, of course, all the students were new to Ryne, so he had his work cut out. She’d glanced across the hall a few times, only to see him busy with this kid or that. She hated to intrude, so she kept to her classroom.
Still, she remembered the way he’d bared his soul to her as they walked the greenway just a few days ago, and she felt an odd tug as she thought of the wounded look in his eyes. Her heart broke for the poor mother and little sister who’d felt the loss of that teenaged boy the most, and she wondered just what had led him to the hopeless choices of theft and drugs.
Ryne was right. Sometimes the system fails kids. I have to do more to help them, too.
She reached for a stack of letters from “Love’s Lessons” and thumbed through them. One caught her eye, mainly because the writing looked purely masculine. Most of the letters she received were clearly from women, often arriving on perfumed pastel-colored stationery, so this was a rare treat. She lifted the crisp, white envelope and peeled back the flap, removing a mangled sheet of copy paper. She unfolded it and scanned the chicken scratch, frowning—someone needed to work on his penmanship. She slipped on her reading glasses and struggled to make out the abrupt words.
Love’s Lessons,
I should wring my friend’s neck for daring me to write this, but here goes…
I met this amazing woman when she moved into my neighborhood several months ago, and we’ve become pretty good friends. I’d like more, but every time I make a move she shies away like she’s been scorched. Something bad must have happened to her, but I don’t know what it is. I care about her—a lot. How do I get the ball rolling in the right direction without destroying the friendship we share?
OK, that’s it. Write back in your column, if you don’t mind. I’d rather not give you my address. I’ll be watching the newspaper for your advice—if you dare to print any.
Signed,
Looking for Answers
If I dare…Kaci laughed out loud, startling Patches. He scampered from the couch and darted off toward the kitchen. How many times had a reader stated they wrote merely on the advice of a friend? And here was another one—and a guy, to boot. But, she had to admit, she did like the imagery he evoked when he said the woman seemed scorched by his advances. Poor, poor woman. What had happened in her past to make her so jittery?
Maybe that was a good place to start. Kaci considered each letter as if it was a jigsaw puzzle—She started at the edges and worked her way in. Find the pieces that match, and go from there. She’d certainly give Mr. Looking for Answers his money’s worth.
She went to her computer, typed in the URL for the Angel Falls Trumpet and entered the password for the restricted area of the “Love’s Lessons” column. Another quick glance through the letter, and she bowed her head to offer a prayer, as she did with every response she composed, before she began to write an answer. She couldn’t imagine giving advice without consulting a Higher Power, first. And she truly believed she was guided in her answers, just as crusty old Andrew Hart, the owner of Heart’s Haven, believed in the quote that graced the entrance to each cottage in his complex, “May love find all who enter here.”
Kaci tapped out a response, then read it and re-read it. Satisfied she’d offered the best advice she could, she clicked on POST and pushed back from the desk with a satisfied sigh. Her reply to Looking for Answers would be printed in tomorrow’s edition.
She picked up the crumpled copy paper and gave the letter one last look. Upon closer inspection, something about the writing seemed familiar. Where had she seen it before? There was no return address on the envelope, which was odd. She tilted her head to the side, squinting, as she tried to conjure up a clue to this little mystery. When no answer came, she shook her head and tucked the note into a cardboard bin where she filed each letter according to the date she’d received it. The box was full. Soon she’d need to purchase another one. Seems people lost in love ran in droves—her included. Except she didn’t have anyone to ask for advice, no “Love’s Lessons” to guide her through the chaos of a broken heart. She was on her own.
Kaci wondered again about the scuttled print, and drew the letter back out of the file. The scent of pine lingered, and she turned to check the windows, wondering if she’d left one open a crack…allowing the crisp scent of the forest beyond to enter into the living room. But none were open—not even a little bit. She smoothed the crumpled paper and set it beside her computer. Maybe if she thought about it long enough, she’d remember where she’d seen writing like this before.
Besides, if the guy liked what she’d written, maybe he’d return to the well for a second drink. It was best to keep the letter—and her response—handy for future reference. The idea made her think of Ryne. Maybe she’d bring him lunch tomorrow…one of her special Cajun-turkey-on-honey-wheat sandwiches with a side of homemade pasta salad and a thermos of the sweet Texas tea he loved so much.
4
Ryne glanced up as a shadow crossed the doorway of his office. Kaci stood there, wearing one of the flowing skirts she seemed to prefer. The hem caressed her sculpted legs as students rushed down the hall behind her, their movement creating a breeze. Ryne cleared his throat and drew his gaze to the glasses propped on her nose. “Hey, Kace. How are things going?”
“Hi Ryne.” She leaned against the doorjamb. “They’re good. And you?”
“I’m settling in, finding my footing. I like it here.”
“Good to hear that.” She took a tentative step into the room. “This place is really shaping up. You did a good job organizing things. I like your aquarium.”
Ryne’s gaze was drawn to the side table, where a sea of electronic fish swam along a perpetual, life-like ocean current. “The kids seem to like it, too. Who knew the computer world could design something so…soothing?”
Kaci turned back to face him, and he met her gaze as she asked, “Do you have a bit of time in your busy schedule for lunch?”
“Depends on what you’ve got in that sack.” Ryne eyed the paper bag she clutched in her right hand. It was obviously filled with goodies. He caught a whiff of something chocolate.
Kaci rattled the bag. “Oh, just some turkey sandwiches and home-made pasta salad—award-winning, I might add—and maybe a fudge brownie or two.”
“What a tease.” He winked at her. “And what’s that you’re hiding behind your back?”
“This?” She lifted her arm to display an oversized stainless steel thermos. “Just some ice-cold Texas tea, fresh-brewed this morning.”
“In that case…sure, I have time.” He gathered a stack of files from the chair beside his desk and set them on the floor, clearing a space for her. “Come on over and sit down.”
Kaci crossed the room and set the paper bag on his desk, careful not to disturb any of his notes. She removed her glasses, tucking them into the pocket of her skirt, then pointed to the newspaper on his desk. “What’s this?”
“Nothing.” Ryne’s gut lurched as she zeroed in on today’s copy of the Angel Falls Trumpet, folded open to expose the “Love’s Lessons” column. “I was just scanning today’s news earlier this morning, before the students arrived, while I finished my coffee.”
“On page seven? That’s hardly the highlights.” Her gaze narrowed, and then she laughed and tapped the newspaper. “Do you read “Love’s Lessons”, Ryne?”
“I…um.” He nudged the paper aside. “Gabe mentioned it, so I thought I’d give the column a once-over, just for fun. But it’s just what I expected—a bunch of mumbo jumbo.”
“Mumbo jumbo…is that foreign for simply wonderful? Surely you have an ounce of romance in your bones.”
Ryne gulped. Oh, he had more than an ounce…if she’d just give him a chance. “Of course. It’s just—”
Kaci snatched the paper from him and scanned the page. “Let’s see…” She settled on a bit of print and began to read in
the sweet, lilting voice that was becoming so familiar to him.
“Dear Looking for Answers,
Love is like a puzzle. It’s plain to see you need to start at the beginning, working around the edges, instead of jumping right into the middle. Why is this woman so afraid of love? What happened in her past to make her so hesitant to receive love? Have you taken the time to ask? If not, you should. Of course, use a bit of tact when doing so. Remember, patience is better than pride.
Good luck!
Love’s Lessons”
“Sounds like good advice to me.” Kaci glanced up and smiled. “Well, what do you think?”
“Depends…on whether it works.” Ryne took the paper back and crumpled it before lobbing it into the trash can. He’d burned the words of advice into his memory—no point leaving the evidence lying around. “I think we should eat before another kid comes knocking on the door for help. They’ve been streaming in all week.”
“OK.” Kaci’s gaze held his for a moment, and he wondered if she knew, somehow, that he was the instigator of today’s column. No way…She could never find out. It would ruin everything—forever.
He sat in his chair and took the sandwich she offered. He unwrapped it, savoring the nip of Cajun spices. A dab of honey Dijon mustard accented a healthy portion of seasoned turkey piled with plump tomatoes and crisp lettuce tucked between two thick slabs of wheat bread, just the way he liked.
“This is good, Kace.” He bit off a chunk, chewed and swallowed, then delved into the pasta salad she’d scooped into a plastic-saver bowl just for him. “How did you know what type of sandwich I like?”
“You’re not the only one with sharp detective skills, Officer Calvert. I possess a few of my own, too.” She grinned and brushed a curl from her eyes. “Besides, you told me at one of the barbecues, remember? I mentioned that new deli in town, and you told me what you always order, and how much you enjoy it. I figured the sandwich couldn’t be too hard to duplicate.”
“Hmmm…I remember now. Yeah.” Ryne drew a sip of tea, relishing the sweet taste. He imagined Kaci’s lips were just as sweet. Was it her berry lip gloss that made them shine? “But I’m surprised you do.”
“Yeah, well, I’m just full of surprises.” She nibbled her sandwich. “Speaking of which, I have a question for you.”
“Go ahead. Shoot.”
“What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?”
****
Kaci sprang from her seat to slap Ryne on the back as he choked on a sip of tea and then succumbed to a coughing fit that stole his breath and turned his face a pasty-white.
“Are you OK?” Her heart raced as she rubbed his back, ready to offer another quick jolt if necessary. His cheeks were pale, a shadow of stubble black against ashen skin.
“Yeah—fine…” He sucked in a breath, gasping as the color returned to his face. “It just… went down the wrong pipe.”
“You sure?” She eased to the front of the chair and scrutinized him, pressing a palm to his clammy cheek.
“Yeah.” He wiped his mouth with one of the napkins she’d tucked into the paper sack and leaned back in the chair. “Sorry about that. What were you saying…about, um, Valentine’s Day?”
“Oh, that.” Kaci slipped back into her seat, keeping her gaze on his face. She tried not to think about the taut muscles that crossed the length of his back. But the texture was ingrained in her memory. “I need some help, Ryne. Principal Myers has asked me to take charge of the turnabout dance scheduled for the Friday before Valentine’s Day. That’s less than a month away, which isn’t much time. I don’t know a whole lot about this kind of thing, and I thought maybe you did. If we put our heads together, we might come up with something that will draw a huge crowd of kids. Principal Myers has agreed to allow the proceeds to benefit Angel Falls High’s counseling program.”
“Kaci…I don’t know.” Ryne’s eyes flashed blue to gray, a sign that his emotions were in turmoil. Could the prospect of helping with the dance have him so worked up…or was it something else? “I probably know even less about this kind of thing than you do.”
“All the more reason for us to help each other out, right?” Kaci slid a fudge brownie toward him, dancing it across the desk so the rich chocolate scent wafted, tickling her nose. She could tell by the way Ryne tensed in his seat that the sweet aroma had the same effect on him. “Besides, if you agree, you can have my brownie, too.”
“That’s the worst sort of bribery.” Ryne groaned and eyed the dark-chocolate confection. “I sampled your brownies at the last cookout, and I’d have to say they’re even more delicious than your Texas tea.”
“Really?” Kaci lifted the brownie and waggled it beneath his nose. “Well, this mouthwatering treat could be yours…all you have to do is say yes.”
“Kace…”
“Please, Ryne. I need you.”
He slumped in his seat and snatched the brownie. When he sank his teeth into the chocolate, she knew she had him. He chewed and swallowed then washed the crumbs down with a sip of tea while she waited, holding her breath. His grin was contagious as he lifted his hands in surrender. “Well, when you put it that way, how can I possibly refuse?”
5
Ryne rinsed his empty coffee mug and set it in the dish drain to dry then paced the kitchen as he pondered his advice from “Love’s Lessons.”
It’s plain to see you need to start at the beginning, instead of jumping into the middle.
Sunlight eased through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over the room. The sky was clear and a cardinal sang from a tree in the side yard. Through the window, he saw crusty old Andrew Hart, the owner of Heart’s Haven, meandering down the cobblestone path toward the greenway with Vivian Mallory at his side.
The sight of the two huddled together, laughing, made him wonder what Kaci was doing on this Saturday morning.
What happened in her past to make her so hesitant to receive love?
Have you taken the time to ask?
Ryne slipped into his jacket and made his way to the front door. Outside, the warm sunlight filled the day with the promise of spring. Maybe it would arrive early this year. After all, Valentine’s Day was merely a few weeks away.
And that reminded him of the school dance he’d promised to help Kaci plan. There wasn’t much time. They’d have to get on it. What better excuse to drop by her apartment for a visit?
Ryne crossed the complex and paused at the entrance to Kaci’s yard to read the quote carved into wood above the trellis-topped gate. “May love find all who enter here.” The same quote graced the entrance to his yard, as well as each of the yards in the complex. And Andrew Hart was determined to place it above the entrances to each of the two-bedroom cottages currently under construction across the way, as soon as the work was completed.
Mr. Hart believed in love…surely as he believed in the angels that rumor suggested he spoke with on a regular basis.
Ryne wondered what Hart’s angels said about him…and Kaci.
“Well, are you gonna stand there all day, or go and knock on her door?”
The gravelly voice gave Ryne a jolt. He spun to find Mr. Hart standing behind him, his gaze narrowed. Ryne pressed a hand to his chest as his heart raced into a gallop. “Where did you come from? I just saw you heading toward the greenway with Mrs. Mallory.”
“Forgot our canteen. Not good to take a long walk without something to wet your whistle.” Andrew Hart tilted his head and nodded, as if listening to one side of a conversation. When he acknowledged Ryne again, his steely blue eyes twinkled. “You heard me, son. Go knock on the door. Kaci’s been waiting for you.”
Ryne glanced at his watch. It was still early, and he hadn’t even phoned Kaci to say he wanted to see her today. “But she didn’t know I was coming.”
Andrew winked. “Maybe not, but she’s been waiting for you all the same.”
****
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” Kaci asked as she opened the door to fin
d Ryne waiting on the porch. The sight of him was like a shot of adrenaline to her system, and her senses piqued to full-alert. His familiar pine scent wafted on a slight breeze, mingling with the soap from his shower.
Ryne leaned against the doorjamb. “Sounds good…but only if you have some already made. I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
Kaci ran a hand through her hair, still damp from a shower. She wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup and wished he’d waited a few more minutes before dropping by. She felt almost naked without a dab of blush and a hint of lip gloss to perk up her pale complexion. “It’s no problem. I put on a pot when I woke up this morning, and I haven’t even poured a cup yet.” The aroma of French vanilla—her favorite—wafted from the kitchen.
“OK, then.” Ryne stepped over the threshold and shrugged from his jacket. “I hope I’m not keeping you from anything.”
“No. Actually, I was going to drop by your place in a bit.” Kaci crossed to the kitchen and reached into the cupboard to gather two mugs. The ceramic tinkled as she set them on the counter beside the coffeemaker. “I thought we could talk about the dance…Maybe do a little planning.”
“We’re on the same page, then.” Ryne took one of the mugs she filled and added a splash of cream. “You read my mind.”
“I’m glad.” When she glanced up, he stared back at her, his eyes more blue than gray today. The scar reminded her of their conversation the week before, and somehow she felt closer to him because of it. “You were a little hesitant at first when I asked you to help.”
“I know.” He shrugged. “But I figure it’s a whole lot easier than going before a firing squad—or paying taxes.”
Kaci smirked and opened the refrigerator door. “You’ve never planned a dance, have you?” She drew out a carton of eggs and a package of plump sausage links.
