Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
R achel straightened her classroom. When the echo of the school entrance door closing traveled down the hall, she closed her eyes.
All her life she had wanted to be Levi’s girlfriend. Now when it looked as if he might be interested in her, she had to step away from that dream. Her dream had to be teaching at Sweet Mountain Elementary School, even if it was a temporary position. Levi may be interested in her now, but that didn’t mean his interest would last. Right now, his priority was raising Madeline.
She’d see him at school and around town. That would be enough. As long as she controlled her emotions, no one, not even Levi, would know how she felt. It was the secret she’d keep between her and God. He would lead her in the way she should go. She would walk in it. She’d keep busy. That was the best way to keep her mind off Levi McSweeney.
When Rachel and the other teachers arrived at the Happy Fields Farm for the fall festival, the celebration was in full swing. Children and adults wore costumes. The lines for people to have their faces painted wrapped around the barn.
She felt as if she’d been transported in time. Happy Fields Farm, owned by John Moore, had hosted the fall festival since Rachel could remember. She’d gone to school with some of the farmer’s children. In high school, she and her friends would volunteer at the festival, then spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the food and games and checking out the cute boys.
The McSweeney family usually brought some of their more docile horses so the children and some adults would have the experience of riding a horse. Most of the locals owned horses, but because busloads of children from inner city schools came to the event, the church would plan activities that some children may not have a chance to experience otherwise.
Though some of the teachers wore costumes, Rachel wanted to appear professional and decided street clothes would be appropriate. She was determined to be hired as a teacher at Sweet Mountain Elementary School. She would weigh each decision carefully to make sure she was considered.
Without meaning to, she glanced at the corral where the McSweeney boys—men—greeted excited children and helped them mount the horses.
She didn’t see Levi. Had he decided not to attend? Unless he had an emergency, he would be here. Madeline was looking forward to it. He wouldn’t disappoint her.
“Those McSweeney boys are ooh-la-la,” Paige Kennedy, who had been Rachel’s best friend since kindergarten, leaned into her.
Rachel smiled but remained silent.
“What’s the matter?” Paige lifted her brows. “You used to be crazy about Levi. Did you get over him?”
“He’s nice.” Rachel couldn’t fool Paige.
As her best friend, Paige would remember the nights they’d spend at each other’s houses and talk about their latest crushes. Paige had a crush on every boy. Rachel only talked about Levi .
“I get it.” Page nodded firmly. “You want to be considered for a teaching position. You’re going to maintain that professional attitude.”
Rachel turned the corner of her mouth.
“Okay, we’ll play it your way,” Paige said on a rough exhale. “As for me, I have tenure. I’m going to ogle every cowboy who crosses my path.”
Rachel burst into laughter, then hugged her.
“Still no comment?” Paige snorted a laugh.
“I believe you said it all.” Rachel laughed again.
“I don’t see Levi with his brothers.” Paige looked back at the corral. “I thought he’d be here. When I was supervising the playground, I overheard that little girl he has now talk about the festival on the playground with her friends. She was looking forward to coming.”
“Maybe they’ll be along later.” Rachel wouldn’t discuss that because Levi owned a company, he would have another obligation. The less said the better.
“Maybe.” Paige tipped her head, then looked around. “What should we do? Face painting? Oh, that wouldn’t be professional either. How about guessing the weight of Mr. Berry’s prize-winning pumpkin?”
“We have to do that, then let’s go through the corn maze.” Rachel took Paige’s hand and dragged her to the pumpkin, where people stood in line to record the pumpkin’s weight. “Then we can have our pictures taken while we sit on top.
“I can’t wait to do that.” Paige rushed to her side. “That’ll make a great post for the class bulletin board.”
After they paid the one-dollar donation to guess the pumpkin’s weight, the farm owner’s sons helped Rachel and Paige climb on top for the photo. Paige struck the sultry look of a Hollywood glamour queen while Rachel looked into the camera and grinned.
“Now for the corn maze,” Rachel said as they slid to the ground.
They wove through the crowds. Several children and parents called out to her and Paige, which made her feel good. She’d left Sweet Mountain ten years ago and wondered if she’d fit in again. The excitement of seeing her students made her feel as if she’d never left.
At the corn maze entrance, a volunteer took their donation, then glanced at the clock to await an allotted amount of time to pass before letting them enter.
Rachel rushed through the corn rows, loving the fragrance of the ripe corn. They stopped at a junction that branched into three directions.
“Let’s go this way.” Rachel stepped to the path less traveled.
“That doesn’t have enough traffic.” Paige frowned. “Let’s take this route.”
“You go that way. I’ll go this way.” Rachel stepped backward. “We’ll race.”
“Okay.” Paige looked doubtful. “But if you get lost, I’m sending the rescue team after you.”
“I may need it,” Rachel called over her shoulder as she raced down the path.
She felt alive and free and turned a cartwheel. Because she and Paige had both been on the gymnastics team, they took every opportunity to practice their flips and turns. Turning cartwheels in the corn maze was the perfect place.
She thought of how disappointed she’d been when the Columbus school district had closed her school. The world had ended.
Returning to Sweet Mountain gave her hope. This was where she belonged. Teaching was like breathing. God had created her to be with children.
Her mission was teaching and coaching gymnastics. The Sweet Mountain Gymnastics Center, where she had trained, was at the edge of town. She would complete an application and work there while she waited for an opening at the elementary school.
Rachel did a backflip. The uneven ground made her stumble backward—into a solid wall of muscle.
Gasping, she whirled around, her gaze lifting to Levi’s blue eyes.
“Whoa, hold on there.” His firm hands on her waist sent a rush of heat through her core.
Her mouth worked. Her entire life she had wanted to be close to Levi. Now when she shouldn’t be, she was. Heat flooded her face. Why had she relived a childhood antic of doing a backflip ?
“I’d give that a ten.” Levi chuckled. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she rasped. She should step away from his touch. Why did it have to feel so good? “I didn’t expect to see you here—in the corn maze.”
“I didn’t realize you were in here.” He looked as puzzled as she felt.
“We just got here.” Madeline stepped from behind Levi and stuttered a laugh. “I wanted to go through the corn maze first because I’d never been. Why are you turning backflips?”
“I, uh …” She couldn’t stop staring into Levi’s blue eyes.
“Miss Bonneville?” A woman’s voice cut through the haze filling her mind.
Principal Whitaker’s voice.
Rachel jerked her gaze to the knowing look flickering in Mrs. Whitaker’s eyes. The blonde woman had her hair tucked neatly into her usual French roll. She held the hands of two wide-eyed children. Behind her peered a horrified Paige, her eyes shifting from Rachel to Levi before looking at Principal Whitaker.
“Mrs. Whitaker, it’s nice to see you,” Rachel stuttered.
“Is it?” Mrs. Whitaker arched a brow. She didn’t stop staring at Rachel.
“You have an acrobat here.” Levi’s mouth tipped.
Glancing at Rachel, he slid his hands from her waist, though she felt them linger. Cool air rushing in to steal his warmth made her face heat. Her dream of teaching at Sweet Mountain Elementary School shriveled into a puff, then vanished.
“This is my fault.” Levi’s gaze stayed on Rachel before turning to Mrs. Whitaker, whose eyes widened in surprise. “I turned the corner just as Rachel landed after her turn. She didn’t see me.”
Mrs. Whitaker’s eyes narrowed.
“It’s something we used to do as kids.” Rachel winced at the croak in her voice. She didn’t look at Levi or Paige. She didn’t want to draw them into the disaster she’d created.
“She’s right,” Paige spoke quickly while glancing nervously at Rachel.
Rachel wanted to fall through the ground. She didn’t want Paige to risk her job for her sake. She may have tenure, but there were no guarantees in this world.
“When we’d enter the corn maze, we’d practice our flips.” Rachel felt calmer. “No one could see us, and we felt the freedom to just be kids.”
“No one could see you do … anything,” Mrs. Whitaker said cryptically.
Rachel blushed. She heard Levi’s soft exhale.
“Mrs. Whitaker, Madeline’s and my being here when Rachel did her flip was purely a coincidence.” Levi’s voice was calm, making Rachel wonder if that was the tone he used when negotiating business deals.
Rachel’s heart beat heavily. Mrs. Whitaker had known her as a student at the elementary school. She prayed the principal didn’t assume Rachel had been one of the kids in town who met boyfriends to do other things that remained hidden in the corn maze. She’d stumbled on those kids a couple of times herself.
“All we did was gymnastics.” Rachel kept her voice low.
Mrs. Whitaker stared at her a moment longer, then looked down at the children whose hands she still held. “Shall we join the barbeque? How does roasted corn sound?”
“Yummy.” A little girl with blonde curls jumped up and down.
“Then that’s what we’ll do.” Mrs. Whitaker lifted her gaze to Rachel, before glancing at Levi, then Paige. “Enjoy your travels through the corn maze.” Turning away, she continued to talk to the children she guided along the path. Her voice faded into the stalks.
“I’m sorry about what happened.” Rachel lifted her gaze to Levi’s. “I didn’t think anyone was around.”
“I noticed,” he said, amused, then looked concerned. “You didn’t hurt anything, did you?”
“Not physically,” she said.
God only knew what Mrs. Whitaker would decide about hiring her as a substitute, let alone offering her a permanent position. She’d talk to the principal first thing Monday morning. The woman always arrived early. Rachel would, too .
“Maybe we should get something to eat, too,” Levi said.
“What a great idea?” Paige’s voice broke through the tension settling over the maze.
Rachel nodded. Eating was the last thing she wanted to do. She’d prefer returning to her apartment and climbing into bed.
“Yes, let’s do that.” Rachel tried to smile.
“You’ll eat with us?” The hope in Madeline’s eyes made Rachel’s heart squeeze tight.
“I believe Miss Bonneville has other plans.” Levi placed a hand on Madeline’s shoulders, which seemed to bend at the news.
“I’m sorry, Madeline.” Rachel hoped she’d understand.
“That’s okay.” Madeline dropped her gaze.
“Let’s find the rest of the gang.” Levi looked down at her. “And make sure they left something for us to eat. Tell Miss Bonneville goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Miss Bonneville.” Despite the hurt look in Madeline’s eyes, she was trying hard to sound hopeful.
“Goodbye.” Rachel forced a lightness into her voice. “I’ll see you at church tomorrow.”
“Oh, yeah.” Madeline’s face brightened.
Levi gave Rachel one last lingering look, then guided Madeline through the cornstalks, their voices fading into the maze.
“That was a close one.” Paige whisked away an imaginary bead of sweat from her brow.
“I’m not out of the woods yet.” Rachel’s mind turned frantically as she tried to formulate a plan of how she’d explain everything to Mrs. Whitaker. She’d pray for God’s wisdom.
What she should do is let her mind rest. Maybe even sleep on it. That would give her brain a chance to think things through without all the chaos she kept pulling into her head.
“What will you do?” Paige chewed her lower lip.
“I don’t have a clue.” Rachel exhaled roughly. “But I’ll think of something. I hope.”