His Ordinary Life Read Online Free PDF Page B

his concern for Blake, he pushed open the partially open classroom door, almost expecting to see Mrs. Adkins’s black-and-white posters of classic authors gracing the walls in precise rows. The color attacked him first, the bright turquoise paper on the bulletin boards, the gaily colored posters with grammar and classroom rules, signs labeling supply and conference areas. Desks arranged in groups sat like islands awaiting inhabitants. The sweet, spicy scent of Barbara’s favorite potpourri washed over him.
    He glanced toward the back of the room, where he and Barbara had pulled desks together during his tutoring sessions seventeen years before. He’d stolen his first kiss with her under the sunshine spilling in through that tall, narrow window.
    Her teacher’s desk sat near that same corner. Sunlight picked out the gold and platinum highlights in her blonde tresses, her head bent over the papers on her desk.
    She wasn’t alone. A tall man, his rusty hair lit by the sun as well, leaned over her, a hand on the papers before her, a smile curving his mouth. His stance spoke of male interest. Raw, primal jealousy flooded Del’s chest.
    “I don’t know.” Barbara laughed and tucked her long bangs behind her ear. Her silver teardrop earrings swung in a lazy arc. “I thought I entered them all correctly. Maybe I didn’t save them? I had this problem last grading period, too, remember?”
    “Yeah, but it’s a small problem. You’re a great teacher, Barb. You’re a natural. And don’t let the technology scare you. Once you get the hang of it, getting grades done will take no time at all.”
    “So why are all my averages off?”
    “Because you didn’t weight the scores. See this column?”
    The burn of jealousy scalding Del’s throat didn’t let up and Barbara’s pleased, genuine smile only made it worse. Blake dropped his bag on a student desktop with a bang, and both Barbara and the man looked up. Irritation flashed across his face at the interruption, and Del narrowed his eyes, meeting the other man’s gaze.
    Blake slumped into another desk. Del didn’t move, staring at the guy hovering over his wife. Okay, soon-to-be ex-wife, but still his wife for the moment.
    “You’re here. Del, this is Brian Rawlings, our journalism teacher.” Barbara rose, forcing Rawlings to move away. “Brian, Blake’s father, Del Calvert.”
    Rawlings moved forward to shake Del’s hand. “Good to meet you.”
    “You too.” Del tightened his grip a little more than he would for a business handshake.
    “Blake.” Rawlings nodded toward the teenager, and Blake slumped lower. He thumped his thumb on the wood, eyes downcast.
    Barbara closed the grade book and tossed it in her bag. “I’ll take a look at this and talk to you about it later, Brian.”
    Clearly aware he was being dismissed and just as clearly unhappy about it, Rawlings nodded. “Sure.”
    Barbara waited until Rawlings left to turn to Blake. “When an adult speaks to you, I expect you to respond in a respectful manner. Is that understood?”
    “Yeah,” Blake mumbled, his gaze on his shoes.
    Del nudged his shoulder. “Excuse me?”
    Blake looked up, his jaw taut. “Yes, ma’am.”
    “The girls will be waiting.” Barbara picked up a legal pad and a pen. “I have a department meeting, then tutoring until five-thirty. I should be home around six.”
    Bet Rawlings would be in that department meeting too. “We’ll be there.”
    Barbara glanced at him on her way to the door, her eyes cool. “Are you still staying for dinner?”
    He nodded. “If you want me to.”
    She cast a look at the back of Blake’s head. “It’ll give us a chance to talk.”
    “Sounds good. Blake, you ready to go?”
    “Does it matter?”
    “Just get your stuff and come on.”
    Del held the door for Barbara. The soft, subtle scent of her perfume teased his senses as she passed into the hallway. She looked up at him, unsmiling. “I’ll see you later then.”
    “Yeah.” He stared