Harlequin Special Edition July 2013 - Bundle 2 of 2: The Widow of Conard CountyA Match for the Single DadThe Medic's Homecoming

by Rachel Lee

  It did make sense to have Dad present the award because he’d been the award’s recipient several times in his career. He took the mic from Mrs. Saroyan and, when the applause died down, in his usual take-charge voice, he proceeded to explain why Jocelyn Howard deserved the award.

  “Every year, the teachers and students receive an opportunity to nominate someone for teacher of the year. As teachers, we get to vote for deserving peers, and you students finally get your say.” He waited and let the chuckles and sparse slow claps die down. “Over the years, I’ve noticed one quality that seems to prevail for every Teacher of the Year, and that quality is—the gift of encouragement. The teachers who win this award have tapped into the need for the human spirit to be bolstered and inspired. To be challenged, yet not just throwing someone into the pool, but jumping in with them, encouraging them through every stroke until they reach the other side.

  “We have many students reaching toward goals they’d never dreamed of before because of this particular Teacher of the Year. She has a huge heart, solid skills as a science teacher and newfound talent as a track coach. She also helped raise a record amount at our sports department fund-raiser.

  “I don’t think there’s anything any one of you could throw at Ms. Howard that she couldn’t handle.”

  The students broke in with more applause.

  Lucas glanced at Jocelyn, whose leg had gone completely still, and, even from this distance, he could tell she was tearing up because he knew her better than anyone. After all, he’d known her all his life.

  “Ms. Howard, because of you, students will be going to college who never dreamed they had a chance. You’ve inoculated our student body with your genuine love of anatomy and physiology. You’ve soothed students with your naturally cheerful attitude. Several of our athletes will have an opportunity to impress university coaches at the upcoming state track finals, thanks to your stepping up when Whispering Oaks High needed you.” He paused to share his winning Coach Grady smile. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather give this award to.”

  His dad turned back to the audience. “Let’s give Ms. Howard a big hand.”

  The auditorium overflowed with applause and Lucas joined in. He’d never felt more proud of anyone in his life. Jocelyn deserved all the kudos. There was no one in the world like her.

  So why was he planning to leave her?

  * * *

  Jocelyn stood. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t spoken in front of hundreds of students before, but this felt different. Wishing she wasn’t so nervous, she gathered her composure and walked slowly to meet Coach Grady. He smiled widely and genuinely, and instead of accepting the oak tree–shaped trophy, she hugged him. Though seemingly unprepared for that, he hugged her back. She glanced into his moist blue eyes and imagined she saw the same wish there she had for herself—that Lucas would come to his senses and figure out she was the best damn woman on earth for him. But she’d probably read into Coach Grady’s encouraging and kind gaze.

  Taking the trophy, she stepped up to the podium and, not trusting her hands with trembling, waited while Kieran replaced the microphone in the holder. The applause continued, and it warmed her heart as she scanned the audience through her blurry eyes.

  “Could we turn up the lights a little bit?” she asked while she unfolded some notes she’d quickly jotted down earlier that morning. “I’d like to see everybody.” After a quick response from the stage crew the room was illuminated. She took a moment to savor all the smiling faces as she continued to scan the crowd. Far at the back she glimpsed a man. She’d recognize that build anywhere, but not expecting him today, she squinted to make out his features. To make sure she wasn’t imagining what she longed to see more than anything. Him.

  It was Lucas, the man she loved, and he was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting for her to speak along with everyone else. Her pulse did a high jump, thumping in her chest. Lucas hadn’t left without saying goodbye after all. With her heart palpitating with hope, she had a speech to make, and it required her full concentration. Knowing he was here made her even more nervous.

  “Thank you.” She’d spoken too close to the microphone and there was ringing feedback. “Sorry.” She adjusted her distance, regretting beginning her speech with an apology. “After those amazing words from Coach Grady, I don’t know how I can possibly live up to this honor. I guess the best thing I can do is be honest with all of you.” She glanced to the back of the auditorium again, making sure Lucas was still there and deciding to speak from her heart.

  “To the students, let me say that you’ve gotten this far in life and have learned a few things, with or without my input. But I’ve still got something important to tell you. I hope you’ll agree when I say, as your teacher and coach, there is nothing more enabling than team spirit. Team spirit is a disease we all need to catch because it gives us strength we couldn’t possibly create on our own.

  “Aristotle said the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The reason for this, I believe, is because of synergy. It’s what happens when everyone works together for a specific goal. Each person brings something special to the group, and what adds up on an individual-by-individual basis becomes much, much more. One person’s energy together with ten other people becomes an explosion of force. In other words—team spirit rocks!”

  The students must have liked her analogy because the room rocked with applause. Her nerves settled a bit, and she had more to share, something she hoped would hit home, especially with Lucas.

  “Something I’ve learned over my life is the importance of sticking things out when life gets tough. For instance, Coach Grady recently totaled his Harley and faced the biggest challenge in his life. Now, next semester, he’ll be back and ready to pick up where he left off.” The students whistled and stomped, obviously happy to have their old teacher and coach return. She glanced at him—and he had a question in his eyes. “Maybe not exactly where he left off, but he’s open to change because that’s what life is all about. Right, Coach?” He nodded with a smile stretching his cheeks. “We have to be flexible in life.

  “Recently, when I found myself taking over as track coach and heading up the annual athletic fund-raiser, I completely doubted myself.” She cleared her throat, thinking of how instrumental Lucas had been in her developing confidence as a leader, and suddenly she was overwhelmed with gratitude for him. He’d changed her life by encouraging her to apply for the new position. If only he’d give her a chance to tell him how important his faith in her had been before he ran off back east. “That’s where team spirit came in for me, too. A friend of mine wouldn’t let me quit or give up. I tried to bring my past into my present situation, and he wouldn’t let me use it as an excuse.” She glanced to the back of the auditorium to make sure he still hadn’t left. He hadn’t moved an inch, and stood intently listening.

  “I promised to be honest with you all today, so I’m going to tell you that I’ve failed plenty in life. I graduated from high school with a free ride to college on a track scholarship, and I was on top of the world. Soon, reality kicked in, and hard work didn’t seem enough to get me through. I couldn’t do it all. I either had to be training all the time to stay in the top hurdling ranks, or working part-time for extra money, or cracking the books to pass the hours of classes I attended each day. Turns out I couldn’t do it all and excel at anything, and eventually my grades and my track performance suffered. I lost my scholarship. So when this opportunity to take over the track team came up, I didn’t feel worthy to step into Coach Grady’s shoes.” She hooked some hair behind her ear, searching for the best way to phrase it. “Well, this friend of mine, he convinced me I had a lot to offer. He told me I could work wonders if I believed in myself.

  “What I’m getting at is we’re all in this together. We need to share our burdens just as much as we share our joy. We need to support and comfort one another because that’s what life is all about—being there for each other. Team spirit. Encouraging and sharing.
I guess that’s why you gave me this Teacher of the Year award, and I want to thank you for noticing that I care.” She stopped to catch her breath as more applause broke out. “Let me leave you with one last thought. Each and every one of you needs to care, too. Life is a lot easier when we all work as a team. Thank you for being on my team. Thank you for letting me be a part of yours.”

  Jocelyn’s sincere message rang true to Lucas. She’d spoken completely from her heart and in the process had reached inside his. He was running away from home again because life had gotten tough, and guess what, life would always be tough. It was the nature of the beast. How long could he keep running from himself and the people who loved him and wanted the best for him?

  He shot off a quick text message to Jake: Change in plans. Will call later. Then another to David: Want to take you up on that offer. Pocketing his cell phone, he saw the students jump to their feet, and if he hadn’t already been standing he would have, too. His hands hurt from clapping so hard. Hell, he even whistled as he moved toward the stage. He was so damn proud of Joss.

  He watched Jocelyn being inundated with outstretched hands wanting to shake hers. She high-fived with a dozen students as more gathered in line to congratulate her.

  How could he leave behind the best part of his life—the girl next door, his family and Whispering Oaks?

  He finally got it. She’d love him whether he was a student or a professional. She’d love him on the journey there—not just when he’d reached his goal. The term slacker didn’t exist in her vocabulary. He didn’t need to slink away until he felt worthy of her; she loved him right here, right now, just the way he was.

  Weaving through the crowd, he drew closer and caught hold of Jocelyn’s tear-filled gaze, offering her a rueful smile in exchange. He wasn’t as dense as she thought he was. He had a surprise or two left in his arsenal. Because she was the perfect person to be with and love...to hell with this nonchalant walk-toward-the-stage business.

  He jogged toward her around a clump of kids, and she reached out for him. He grabbed her hands as she leaned over. Way over. They kissed briefly. He grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off the stage, down where he could kiss her the way he wanted.

  Their lips came together in a heated surge, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. He kissed like a guy who had no intention of ever leaving town. Because he wasn’t going to. He’d finally manned up and changed his plans. Starting now.

  Savoring her lips pressed tightly to his, his nerve endings tingling to full attention, the sudden awareness of hooting and cheers reminded him they weren’t alone.

  A goofy chant started, “Kiss her. Kiss her,” accentuated by clapping hands picking up tempo with each chant.

  He smiled over her lips, knowing her ears and face were probably beet red from all the attention. He broke away, pressing his forehead to hers. “Let’s skip this joint.”

  Disappointment wiped away her smile. “I’ve got one more class this afternoon.”

  Lucas swung around to find his parents standing nearby, looking on and grinning. Seeing his mother reminded him about the quote she’d recited to him the other morning. Something about how the deepest love grows from friendship. She was right.

  “I’ll cover for you.” His father’s voice broke into their private world.

  “You will?” Jocelyn asked, still locked tightly in Lucas’s embrace. He didn’t plan to let go of her for hours to come.

  There was no point in hiding his feelings for Jocelyn from his parents, who already knew what true love was. They’d been on to him before he’d even figured out how he felt, yet they had given him enough space to work through it by himself.

  “I’m still qualified,” his dad said. “I’ll do what any substitute worth their salt does—I’ll babysit. Just tell me which room and what to do and...”

  “You can hand out the quizzes and collect homework. How’s that?”

  “I can handle that. I’ll even take attendance.” His grin was contagious.

  Mrs. Saroyan was nearby; Lucas hadn’t noticed her but even she gave a smile and an approving tip of her bouffant hairdo. Jocelyn dug into her sweater pocket for a key, then tossed it to his dad.

  “Good. Now that we’ve settled that,” Lucas said, “I’ve got a mint Mustang in the parking lot ready to whisk you away.”

  She leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. “I can’t wait.”

  For good measure and to rally the troops again, he laid one more big hungry kiss on her mouth.

  The students didn’t let him down.

  * * *

  Lucas parked the car at what had become his favorite lookout point over Whispering Oaks. The sun was high in the sky, a crop of sunflowers seemed to smile at them from across the lot and the fresh scent of cut grass from the local park at the base of the ridge wafted up to his nose. The girl he loved snuggled against his shoulder as they looked out at their hometown.

  “So, are you sure you don’t mind being involved with a guy who’s starting at the bottom, a guy who finally has a vision for his life but will take several years to achieve it?”

  Her head popped up from his chest. “Yes, but what are you talking about?”

  “If I’m going to school, I can’t just live off my parents, and the GI bill will only cover so much, so I’m starting a new job.”

  “Wait. Slow down. Last I heard you were leaving town to go to school. What’s changed?”

  He kissed her slowly with all the love he felt. “You. And the fact I have an offer to start work with David at the auto body shop.”

  She squealed.

  “He restores classic cars on the side, and he’s willing to pay me to work on a few he has lined up while I’m taking my basic education courses for the PA program at Marshfield Community College.”

  “But I thought you were interested in sports medicine?”

  “It’s interesting, but it didn’t click for me. Then I found out about the physician’s assistant program, and it seemed to suit my skills as a medic better.”

  “That’s fantastic!”

  “You won’t be embarrassed having a grease monkey, junior college dude as a boyfriend?”

  “Not on your life.” She kissed his chin. “You always look so sexy leaning over the car engine, wearing those tight jeans and showing off your tattoos with your shirt off.”

  He squeezed her tighter. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble if you keep talking like that.”

  “That’s my goal.”

  He held her face and kissed her tenderly—savoring the mouth he hoped to spend the rest of his life kissing.

  She broke away, her brows pinched together. “What about your friend in Raleigh? And school back there?”

  “Jake will be fine with my decision. We’ll keep in touch. Check in with each other to make sure we’re both doing okay. Did I mention he has PTSD, too?”

  “No. You didn’t discuss any of your plans with Jake with me. Remember?” she said with somber eyes.

  “I do, and I’m sorry. From now on, you’ll be the first person I talk to about any big decisions.”

  She sighed. “Really?”

  “Definitely. You’re the most important person in the world to me.” He’d been honest and now he’d made her cry. “Aw, come on, this is supposed to be a happy day.”

  “These are tears of joy.” She wiped at the corners of her eyes.

  He kissed her wet and salty cheeks one at a time. “So is that a yes that you’ll stick by my side while I work out all the particulars?”

  Beaming through her tears she didn’t miss a beat. “Lucas Grady, that’s the only place I’ve ever wanted to be.”

  * * * * *

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  ISBN: 9781459254275

  Copyright © 2013 Harlequin Books S.A.

  THE WIDOW OF CONARD COUNTY

  Copyright © 2013 by Susan Civil Brown

  A MATCH FOR THE SINGLE DAD

  Copyright © 2013 by Gina Wilkins

  THE MEDIC'S HOMECOMING

  Copyright © 2013 by Janet Maarschalk

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