A Memory to Cherish

by Kay Correll

  “Okay, now that you’re both sorry, can we find the keys?” Sophie interrupted with an amused look on her face.

  “My slicker is hung in the back room. Let me go check.” He disappeared through the swinging door.

  “Hey, you didn’t tell me that Mac McKenna the troublemaker turned into Mac McKenna the hunk.” Sophie’s voice was a loud whisper.

  “Sophie!” Beth looked around to make sure no one had heard.

  “What? Tell me you didn’t see how he filled out those jeans. And that t-shirt. Gorgeous.”

  “Sh! Someone will hear you.” Beth grabbed Sophie’s sleeve again and tried to pull her farther away from the people sitting at the bar, but not before seeing the amused expression on the face of the man behind the wooden counter.

  Mac pushed through the door again. “Here they are. I’m sorry.”

  “Let’s not start in on the sorrys again.” Sophie held out her hand to Mac. “Here, I’ll introduce myself. Sophie Brooks.”

  Beth sent her a withering look, only Sophie just grinned.

  “Miss Brooks.”

  “I gave Beth a ride so she could change her tire. Found out she didn’t have her keys. Came here. Went through the I’m sorry routine. And there you have it.”

  Mac grinned at her. “Mac.” He shook her hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

  “We actually went to school together. I was a few years behind you. I knew who you were though. Quite a reputation.”

  “One I’ve not been able to live down, it appears, if you still remember me.” He flashed her a wry grin.

  “It looks like you’ve turned out just fine.” Sophie grinned right back at him. Beth shot her a be-quiet-right-now look. And while the two of them were at it… they could quit grinning at each other.

  “How about I follow you ladies back to the car and help change the tire…” He held up one hand. “I know, I know, you know how to change a tire. I’d like to help, though.”

  “You know, that would be great.” Sophie jumped in before Beth had a chance to refuse. “I can’t change a tire to save my life. No desire to, I guess. I call the auto club. As matter of fact, if you’re going to help Beth, if you don’t mind, I’ll just head back to town. I have to meet someone later anyway.”

  Beth looked at her friend in desperation. What was she thinking? The liar. She did not have a date. “Sophie, we can’t put Mr. McKenna out like that. Just drop me off at my car and you head on back to town. I’ll be fine.” She pinched her friend’s arm.

  Sophie rubbed her arm and smiled. “I couldn’t leave you alone out there.”

  “No, you couldn’t.” Mac nodded gravely. “I’ll take her back to her car and stay until the tire is fixed.”

  Beth looked helplessly back and forth between the two people who were now controlling her life. “Fine. Whatever works for you two, by all means.” She could swear that Mac was offering to help because he could see it made her uncomfortable. And she knew very well that Sophie was dodging away in one of her numerous attempts to fix up Beth.

  With Mac McKenna of all people.

  What other surprises did this day hold in store for her?

  Chapter 3

  The night had cooled off considerably, and the wind picked up as they were leaving Mac’s Place. Sophie headed off in her Volkswagen that bucked with a syncopated beat before rumbling out of the parking lot. She waved as she pulled away.

  Traitor.

  Mac led the way around back to where his truck was parked.

  He held the door open for her while she climbed in. Trucks were high off the ground. Really high. Must be made for tall men. She ungracefully scrambled inside.

  Beth snapped her seat belt and sat there while he crossed in front of the truck and swung up into the cab. No problem. The height of the truck sure didn’t bother him.

  They rode in silence. She wasn’t sure what to say to this man. She caught herself just before she could have another uncharitable thought about it being dark out so no one would see her riding with him. Again.

  Since when did she care so much what people thought?

  Since she decided to run for mayor.

  Appearances may be important right now, while she was running for mayor, but embarrassment washed through her. She wasn’t an unkind person. Mac had been nothing but helpful to her all day. For goodness’ sake, he was being kind to her.

  His reputation as a troublemaker might have followed him all these years… just like Sophie was known as the big-hearted, do-anything-for-you person to go to in times of trouble. Old Man Dobbs was known to be set so far in his ways that he couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Gloria Edmunds was known as the one who knew everything about everyone in town and spread rumors like a champion. The town stuck a label on you and it stayed there forever. Beth knew her label—the girl who got dumped by the high school football quarterback. Never mind that the dumping came after ten years of marriage after they were already out of college.

  Obviously, Mac could have changed. She just didn’t know this grown-up Mac McKenna well enough to judge. She settled back against the seat and watched out the window. The headlights pierced like a sword of light, parting the foggy night and illuminating the center line. It was mesmerizing in a haunting kind of way. Tucked safely in the truck. The only two people for miles around.

  She stole a glance at him as he concentrated on the driving. The lines of his face were relaxed now. He didn’t look nearly as threatening as he had this afternoon.

  “You finished staring at me?” He glanced over at her.

  She fought off the heat of a rising blush. “I wasn’t staring. Just thinking.”

  “About what?”

  “About—” She caught herself right before she blurted out she was thinking about him. “Things. I was just thinking about things.”

  “Things?”

  “You know, you’d get along great with Sophie. She asks a lot of questions, too.” As soon as the sentence was out, she was jealous of the thought of Mac and Sophie. That was crazy. She forced herself to put on her best nonchalant face.

  “I don’t know. One of you is about all I can handle right now.” He chuckled a delightfully deep laugh, and the side of his mouth quirked up into a smile.

  A smile she ignored.

  He pulled the truck off the road directly behind her car and let the headlights illuminate the area. He climbed out of the truck, and she scampered out of her side. They walked through the swaths of light toward her car, and she popped the trunk while Mac did a careful perusal as he walked around her car.

  “I think we have a problem.” He walked back around to stand beside her at the trunk.

  “Yes, I know. I have a flat. But I have a spare in the trunk.”

  “Well, it looks like you have two flats. Must have hit something when you pulled off the road or maybe you ran over something, but you’ve got two flats.”

  “And one spare tire.”

  “That about sums it up.” Mac nodded and looked at her.

  “I…”

  “Looks like I’ll be taking you into town again.” He closed her trunk.

  “But—”

  “I don’t see that either of us has any choice.”

  “I hate to put you out again.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  She couldn’t tell if there was any sincerity in his answer or not. But he was right, she had no choice.

  They walked back to his truck and she started to slip in the mud. In that crazy moment of oh-my-gosh-I’m-going-to-fall, he deftly caught her and kept his hand on her elbow as they crossed the distance. She ungracefully clambered into his truck, her muddy shoes slipping as she entered the vehicle. Great, now she was covering the inside of his truck in mud, too. He was going to regret ever stopping to help her this afternoon.

  He put the truck into gear and they headed back toward Sweet River Falls.

  And she needed to ask him another favor, too. This night was going swimmingly. “Could we stop by the school
for a minute on the way to my house? I hate to ask you, but I really need to pick up some papers to grade tonight. I forgot to grab them when I was there for the meeting. Do you think we could stop at the school on the way to my house?”

  The low light from the dash faintly illuminated his face. He paused long enough for her to get a good look at his reluctant expression. “No problem. This seems to be my day to escort you around town.”

  “If it’s a bother…”

  “I said it wasn’t a problem.”

  “Your words said no problem, but your face said it was a problem.”

  “What are you? A shrink now too, as well as a prim and proper school teacher, soon to be mayor?”

  “Don’t get so testy. I’m sorry I asked.”

  “I said okay.” He practically growled the words at her.

  She felt like spitting nails at him. She was going to ignore him for the rest of the ride. She deliberately turned to watch out the window on her side of the truck. She was just going to pretend he wasn’t there. Really.

  After about five minutes, she was mad. He was ignoring her. The nerve of the man. The sooner she got home the better. Then with any luck, they’d never cross paths again. They’d gone years without seeing each other. Surely they could go years more.

  They pulled up to the school, and she jerked her door open before he even had a chance to try to open it for her. “I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll walk you inside. It looks pretty dark in there.”

  “I’m sure the janitor is still in there cleaning. I see some lights on.”

  “I’d feel better if you’d let me walk you inside.”

  “I’m perfectly capable…” She let out a sigh of acceptance. She didn’t know why everything he said to her got under her skin. “Fine. Thank you.” She turned on her heels and headed for the door with determined strides.

  How in the world did he get himself into this building twice in one day? After all these years. And why did she have a bee in her bonnet? She seemed to be madder than a wet hen as his friend JT used to say. Did she really think he’d let her walk into a dark building alone?

  The thought did occur to him maybe she thought it was more dangerous to go inside with him than alone. His not-so-sterling reputation did that kind of thing to people. He looked closely at her to see if she looked nervous. No, she looked irritated. Good. He found he liked getting under her skin.

  He reached for the door. “Here let me get that for you.”

  She entered the school and nodded down the hall to the left. “My classroom is right down there.”

  “I’ll join you in a second. Need to use the bathroom.”

  “The teacher’s bathrooms are right down the other hallway.”

  “I remember.”

  She nodded and headed toward her classroom.

  Okay, so he’d admit to himself, he’d always wanted to go into the teacher’s bathroom. They got their own separate one. He pushed open the door to the men’s room and laughed. It was exactly like the boys’ bathroom. Exactly. All that wondering for nothing.

  When he’d been at school there had only been two male teachers anyway. Three stalls. Seemed like overkill.

  He walked out and flicked out the light. He crossed in front of the office. How many times had he sat there, scuffing his shoes on the floor, waiting for the principal, Mr. Thompson, to send for him for yet another punishment for some infraction of the rules? He stood there looking through the window into the room.

  The chair he’d waited on was right by the window between the hall and the office. Same black faux-leather chair. A little more worn from squirming behinds waiting to see the principal. The hair on the back of his neck prickled with remembrance. He could still feel the stares of the other kids as they passed by the window. He could still hear their joking remarks about him.

  Shaking away the memories, he walked down the hall in the direction Beth had headed. He looked down at the floor. How did schools find such ugly tile for the floors? Dirty specks of brown and gray. Didn’t it ever wear out? It was the same ugly tile that had been there when he’d gone to school here. Maybe schools had some kind of code they followed that insisted on hideous tile.

  A light shone from one of the classrooms. The bright, cheerful feel to the room surprised him as he walked in. Travel posters covered one whole wall. A row of plants sat on the windowsill. Instead of the regular industrial clock with a black rim, a bright clock with a cat face and ears sat on top of the blackboard.

  A full bookshelf stood in the corner. He wandered back toward it while Beth collected her papers. A small sign on the bookshelf said feel free to borrow, but please return.

  He glanced up as he heard Beth approaching.

  “Those are my books. I figure it’s better they’re here being read than sitting at my house. So far the kids have been very good at bringing them back.”

  “Doesn’t the school supply their books?”

  “Well, these are extra ones. I try to pick up books at the bookstore when I see one of my kids is especially interested in some subject. I haunt yard sales too, looking for books the kids might enjoy.”

  He watched as her eyes lit up as she spoke about her students. “You really like teaching, don’t you?”

  “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

  “Won’t being a mayor interfere with your teaching?”

  He watched as she stood there for a moment then frowned. “I’d be able to help the town, the same way I help my students. Larry Smith was a practicing lawyer when he was mayor. The position is only part-time. I think I can do a good job at both. I do love teaching the kids, and I think I’d make a good mayor.”

  Her eyes held a wistful look. He wasn’t convinced she should get what she wanted. She seemed like such a caring, motivated teacher. The world needed more of them. How was she going to add all the responsibilities of being a mayor in with being a teacher?

  “Are you sure about this mayor job?”

  “Of course I’m sure. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be running for it.”

  “Sometimes the best things that happen to us are unanswered prayers.” Mac slipped a book he’d been looking at back on the shelf.

  She set her shoulders straight and pinned him with what he was sure was her best teacher glare. “I really don’t think you’re quite ready to judge what is best for me, after your grand knowledge of knowing me for one day.”

  He wanted to tell her he knew her better than she thought but just nodded his head. Ruffling her feathers was one thing, but an all-out argument was quite a different matter. Sometimes people just had to get what they wished for to find out it wasn’t really what they wanted after all.

  She stalked to the door, then turned to face him. “Are you ready to go?” Her voice held exaggerated patience.

  “Mm-hmm.”

  She flicked off the lights, and he followed her out the door.

  He trailed behind her as she adjusted her stack of papers and fished around in her purse, probably looking for the car keys she had so much trouble keeping track of.

  “Just a second. I think I left my keys on my desk. Wait here. I’ll be right back.” Beth turned back toward her classroom.

  Mac lounged against the lockers, feeling the cold steel press against his back. Familiar feeling, yet different.

  All of a sudden, bright lights flooded around him and he was surrounded by police. “Hold it right there,” a voice commanded from just past the lights.

  “What seems to be the matter?”

  “Don’t move, buddy.”

  Mac felt the familiar apprehension creep up his spine. This gosh awful school. He was always getting in trouble at this blasted school.

  “Look, officer. I’m not doing anything.”

  “Save it.” One of the policemen approached him with his hand resting on his gun at his side. “Why don’t you tell us why you’re in here.”

  “Now don’t get trigger happy. I’m
just waiting for Miss Cassidy. She’s in her classroom.”

  Mac heard Beth’s welcome voice from behind the crowd of police. “Is there a problem here?”

  One of the officers turned toward her. “This man says he’s with you.”

  “He is.” She walked through what felt to him like an immense crowd and came to stand beside him.

  He took one look at her face and almost smiled. She looked like a mother hen protecting her chick.

  “We got a call from the janitor that he saw a strange man poking around in the school.”

  “Mr. McKenna was just escorting me in the building to pick up some of my papers.”

  “Well, we’ve been having some problems with petty theft and vandalism at the school. We thought maybe we were going to catch them in the act this time.”

  “Well, you’ve made a mistake. I believe you owe Mr. McKenna an apology.”

  “Look, lady, we’re only doing our job.”

  “Show some respect for the woman, guys,” Mac warned.

  “Don’t cause any more trouble, buddy,” the officer shot back. “We could bring you down to headquarters for questioning in the thefts, you know.”

  Mac looked down, surprised to feel the heat of Beth’s hand resting on his forearm.

  “Let’s not get all upset.” She flashed a charming smile at the young officer in front of her.

  He almost laughed out loud at the man’s reaction. Mac was sharp enough to know that smile was plastered insincerely across her face. The pressure of her hand kept him from showing any reaction.

  A man clad in coveralls approached them. “That you, Miss Cassidy?”

  “Yes, Mr. Dudley. I’m sorry to worry you. I was just popping in to pick up some papers.”

  The janitor nodded. “I’m sorry to have brought in the police, ma’am. I just thought someone was busting in. I didn’t see it was you.”

  “That’s okay.” Beth turned toward the young officer again. He’d taken his hand off his gun and nervously adjusted his cap. “If this is all settled, I believe Mr. McKenna and I will leave.”