The Back-Up Plan Read Online Free PDF Page A

mentality.”
    “Hank Bradley is a good teacher,” Patty insisted, “not to mention the best coach Huntley has ever had.”
    “ Coach ?” Every sensory receptor in Donna’s body went on alert. “Melissa’s teacher is a coach? As in basketball or football or some other ego-driven sport?”
    “Football,” Patty mumbled with a grimace. “But before you go ballistic on me, just remember that you can’t judge all men by one or two. No matter what you think, Hank is a nice guy.”
    Donna shook her head and looked heavenward. “Why couldn’t there be two kindergartens?” It wasn’t like she could decide to move again. Her entire life’s saving was here…in this former butcher shop!
    “Give the man a chance. It isn’t his fault they put him in the kindergarten class this year. He—”
    “This year? You mean he’s never done this before?” Donna felt her blood pressure rising. Any minute now it would reach stroke proportions.
    A sharp knock at the door made Donna jump away from the sound. Her hand went to her throat. The electrician. “Just a minute!” She narrowed her gaze on her sister. “Well?”
    “Of course he’s taught before,” Patty huffed in a stage whisper. “He was the high school history teacher last year.”
    “High school—”
    “Dr. Jacobs.” A gravelly voice called through the closed door. “We’re all through checking out your electrical system.”
    After giving her sister an I’m-not-finished-with-you-yet look, Donna turned and opened the door just far enough to stick her head out. “Any problems?” she asked, manufacturing a smile. She wondered just how long he’d been standing outside the door listening before he knocked. He probably heard the whole sordid conversation. By sundown all of Huntley would know that the new doctor didn’t care for her daughter’s teacher.
    The tall, lanky man in tan coveralls eyed Donna with plain old impatience. “There’s a bit of work that needs to be done. It’s all in the report.” He shoved a copy of a handwritten report in her direction.
    “Thank you.” Donna accepted the form and frowned at the scrawled handwriting. This guy should be a doctor. He certainly had the handwriting down pat. “Do I need to pay you now?”
    “Nope.” He tipped his hat. “You’ll get a bill.” With a gesture that seemed more grimace than smile, he turned and strode away.
    His report looked longer than she’d hoped for. Just one more thing to worry about. She shut the door and turned back to her sister. At least this was going to get straightened out this morning. One way or another Donna would get the lowdown on Hank Bradley.
    She squared her shoulders and prepared for the worst. “How long has Hank Bradley been a teacher?”
    “This is his second year.” Patty visibly braced.
    “And before that?” Donna knew she was getting close to the ultimate issue now.
    “Before that.” Patty stared at the tiled floor. “Before that...he was a quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.”
    “Oh…my…God.” Feeling as if the walls of the small room were closing in on her, Donna jerked the door open and stormed out.
    “It’s not as bad as it sounds,” Patty called after her.
    Halfway across the lobby Donna halted and turned on her. “You’re telling me that my baby’s teacher is a professional jock.”
    Patty hesitated and then nodded. “Well, at least he used to be, before a knee injury ended his career.”
    “And it gets worse!” Donna rubbed her throbbing forehead. “I knew it. The concept actually flitted through the back of my mind. How could...?” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I hate jocks. I hate that surly tough-guy attitude.” On top of that this one was probably mad at the world because he couldn’t play ball anymore.
    “I know you do. But, Donna, there’s more to him than that. Hank really is a good guy. He’s nothing like—”
    “Don’t,” Donna cut her off. “I don’t even want to think about him . Ever.” Brick Wallace