Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
E lla’s coffee had gone cold by the time Principal Hastings swept into the staff room, her usual no-nonsense demeanor lightened by barely contained excitement. Not that Ella minded—Jordan’s ever-present cucumber sandwiches made up for tepid coffee any day.
“Good morning, everyone,” Principal Hastings beamed, commanding attention without effort. “Before we dive into the usual business, I have an announcement about our fall outreach program.”
She paused, building suspense like a pro. “Thanks to a generous donation from the MacGregor family—” Ella managed not to snort into her coffee “—we’re bringing back Movie in the Park night.”
Mrs. Pendleton leaned over, her voice pitched low. “Used to be quite the event, back in the day. Whole town would turn out. Shame when the equipment finally gave up the ghost.”
“We’ll need someone to coordinate,” Principal Hastings continued, her gaze zeroing in on Ella with laser precision. “Someone organized, creative—someone who’s done this sort of thing before.”
Ella’s stomach did a little flip. She knew that look. It was the same one her mom used when volunteering her for church functions.
“Ms. Kingsley,” Principal Hastings smiled, “I hear you ran similar events at your previous school?”
“Monthly movie nights,” Ella admitted, already seeing where this was heading. “They were pretty successful.”
“Perfect! Would you consider taking point on this?”
The room went quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Or in this case, Jordan dropping half his cucumber sandwich. Ella felt the weight of expectation settle on her shoulders, but underneath it sparked something else—excitement. A chance to really put down roots here, to create something lasting.
“I’d love to,” she heard herself say. “Though I’ll need help with the local logistics.”
Farrah practically bounced out of her chair. “Ooh, count me in! I know every food vendor in three counties.”
“My cousin’s band has sound equipment,” Jordan chimed in, retrieving his sandwich with dignity. “Professional grade stuff.”
Mrs. Pendleton’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll spread the word. Though knowing this town, they probably already know.”
“Excellent,” Principal Hastings nodded. “Ms. Kingsley will have the school’s full support. And Mr. Dalton has already volunteered to handle security arrangements.”
Ella’s head snapped up so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. “He has?”
“Just this morning.” Was that amusement dancing in Principal Hastings’ eyes? “Something about proper coverage for outdoor gatherings.”
Jordan made a sound suspiciously like “smooth operator” before Farrah’s elbow found his ribs.
“Right,” Ella grabbed her notebook, hoping her cheeks weren’t as warm as they felt. “We’ll need permits, sunset calculations, sound ordinance checks...”
She trailed off, realizing everyone was watching her with varying degrees of amusement. Perfect. Nothing like being the center of attention in a small town that treated gossip like an Olympic sport.
After the meeting, Principal Hastings caught her arm. “A moment?”
They waited as the room cleared, though Ella swore she saw Farrah lingering by the door, ears practically perking up like a cartoon character’s.
“This isn’t just about movies, you know,” Principal Hastings said warmly. “You’ve made quite an impression here. On everyone.” Her emphasis on ‘everyone’ was about as subtle as a foghorn.
Ella fought the urge to squirm. “I’m just doing my job.”
“You’re building bridges.” Principal Hastings smiled. “This town needs that. And if certain security consultants want to help with the construction...” She let the sentence dangle meaningfully.
“Very subtle,” Ella muttered.
“Subtlety is overrated in small towns.” Principal Hastings patted her shoulder and headed out, leaving Ella to wonder exactly when her love life had become community property.
But as she walked back to her classroom, mind already spinning with plans, Ella found she didn’t mind as much as she probably should. This felt right—like she was finally finding her place here, one movie night and meddling neighbor at a time.
Even if that place came with an entire town’s worth of amateur matchmakers and one frustratingly attractive security expert who apparently volunteered for events without telling her first.
At least the view during planning meetings would be nice.
Ella groaned, dropping her head onto her desk. She really needed to stop having thoughts like that.
But she was smiling anyway.
Ella’s coffee had gone cold by the time Principal Hastings swept into the staff room, her usual no-nonsense demeanor lightened by barely contained excitement. Not that Ella minded—Jordan’s ever-present cucumber sandwiches made up for tepid coffee any day.
“Good morning, everyone,” Principal Hastings beamed, commanding attention without effort. “Before we dive into the usual business, I have an announcement about our fall outreach program.”
She paused, building suspense like a pro. “Thanks to a generous donation from the MacGregor family—” Ella managed not to snort into her coffee “—we’re bringing back Movie in the Park night. We are having a run of really good weather, and we’ll probably only have time for one or two before the weather turns, but we’ll pick them up again next summer.”
Mrs. Pendleton smiled as she glanced around at everyone. “It used to be quite the event, back in the day. The entire town would turn out. It was a shame when the equipment finally gave up the ghost.”
“We’ll need someone to coordinate,” Principal Hastings continued, her gaze zeroing in on Ella with laser precision. “Someone organized, creative—someone who’s done this sort of thing before. The first movie will have to be after the Fall Festival, of course, so there’s plenty of time to plan. And if the weather does turn bad, we’ll host one or two in the cafeteria and see how it goes.”
Ella’s stomach did a little flip. She knew that look. It was the same one her mom used when volunteering her for church functions
“Ms. Kingsley,” Principal Hastings smiled, “I hear you ran similar events at your previous school?”
“Monthly movie nights through the summer and as long as the weather held,” Ella admitted, already seeing where this was heading. “They were pretty successful.”
“Perfect! Would you consider taking point on this?”
The room went quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Or in this case, Jordan cursing when he dropped half his cucumber sandwich. Ella felt the weight of expectation settle on her shoulders, but underneath it sparked something else—excitement. A chance to really put down roots here, to create something lasting.
“I’d love to,” she heard herself say. “Though I’ll need help with the local logistics.”
Farrah practically bounced out of her chair. “Ooh, count me in! I know every food vendor in three counties.”
“My cousin’s band has sound equipment,” Jordan chimed in, retrieving his sandwich with dignity. “Professional grade stuff.”
Mrs. Pendleton’s eyes twinkled. “I’ll spread the word. Knowing this town, this will generate a lot of excitement.”
“Excellent,” Principal Hastings nodded. “Ms. Kingsley will have the school’s full support. And Mr. Dalton has already volunteered to handle security arrangements.”
Ella’s head snapped up so fast she nearly gave herself whiplash. “Do we need security?”
“I spoke to Mr. Dalton about it and he seems to think it’s a good idea.” Was that amusement dancing in Principal Hastings’ eyes? “Something about proper coverage for outdoor gatherings.”
Jordan whispered something that sounded suspiciously like “smooth operator” before Farrah’s elbow found his ribs.
“Right,” Ella grabbed her notebook, hoping her cheeks weren’t as warm as they felt. “We’ll need permits, sunset calculations, sound ordinance checks...”
She trailed off, realizing everyone was watching her with varying degrees of amusement. Perfect. Nothing like being the center of attention in a small town that treated gossip like an Olympic sport.
After the meeting, Principal Hastings caught her arm. “A moment?”
They waited as the room cleared, though Ella swore she saw Farrah lingering by the door, ears practically perking up like a cartoon character’s.
“This isn’t just about movies, you know,” Principal Hastings said warmly. “You’ve made quite an impression here. On everyone.” Her emphasis on ‘everyone’ was about as subtle as a foghorn.
Ella fought the urge to squirm. “I’m just doing my job.”
“You’re building bridges.” Principal Hastings smiled. “This town needs that. And if certain security consultants want to help with the construction...” She let the sentence dangle meaningfully.
“Very subtle,” Ella muttered.
“Subtlety is overrated in small towns.” Principal Hastings patted her shoulder and headed out, leaving Ella to wonder exactly when her love life had become community property.
But as she walked back to her classroom, mind already spinning with plans, Ella found she didn’t mind as much as she probably should. This felt right—like she was finally finding her place here, one movie night and meddling neighbor at a time.
Even if that place came with an entire town’s worth of amateur matchmakers and one frustratingly attractive security expert who apparently volunteered for events without telling her first.
At least the view during planning meetings would be nice.
Ella groaned, dropping her head onto her desk. She really needed to stop having thoughts like that.
But she was smiling anyway.
Ella turned her key in the ignition for the third time. Her faithful Subaru responded with a pitiful clicking sound that definitely wasn’t promising.
“Really?” She glared at the dashboard. “Today of all days?”
After checking her watch, she grabbed her teacher’s bag and started the walk to school, already feeling sweat dampening her silk blouse. The sensible flats she’d chosen weren’t feeling particularly sensible after the first few blocks.
A familiar black truck slowed beside her, and her heart did a traitorous little skip when Tom’s voice called out, “Need a ride?”
She turned to find him watching her with that maddeningly attractive half-smile of his, one arm resting casually on the open window. The morning sun caught his eyes, making them impossibly blue.
“I’m fine,” she said, lifting her chin. “Just getting my exercise.”
“At eight in the morning? In this heat?” His eyes crinkled at the corners. “That’s dedication.”
“My car’s having a moment,” she admitted. “We’re working through some trust issues.”
His laugh was deep and rich, sending warmth through her that had nothing to do with the temperature. “Hop in. I promise my truck’s more reliable.”
She hesitated, pride warring with practicality. And maybe something else – something that had more to do with how he filled out that blue button-down shirt.
“Consider it a public service,” he added. “Can’t have Harmony Falls’ favorite teacher passing out from heatstroke. The MacGregors would never forgive me.”
The mention of both heatstroke and her self-appointed guardians made her smile despite herself. “Well, we can’t have that.”
The air conditioning hit her like a blessing as she climbed into his truck. The interior smelled like leather and something uniquely Tom – a mix of sawdust and what might have been his cologne. It was unfairly distracting.
“My hero,” she said lightly, trying to ignore how her skin tingled when their hands brushed over the seatbelt.
“Don’t let the MacGregors hear you say that.” His lips quirked. “They take their heroics very seriously. Especially Gareth.”
“Heaven forbid we challenge their monopoly on rescues.” She settled into the passenger seat, sneaking glances at his profile. The morning light caught the angles of his face, highlighting a jaw that belonged in a magazine. Not that she was noticing.
Tom drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, a habit she was learning meant he was thinking something through. “Starter problems usually make that clicking sound. I could take a look after school.”
“Oh, you don’t have to?—”
“I want to.” His voice softened, and something in his tone made her breath catch. “Unless you’ve got another mechanic in mind?”
She thought about her old mechanic in Ohio who’d called her “little lady” and charged triple for simple repairs. She wasn’t in a hurry to find a new one. “Not exactly.”
“Then it’s settled.” A hint of authority crept into his voice – the same tone she’d heard him use during security assessments. It shouldn’t have been attractive. It absolutely was. “I’ll pick you up after last bell.”
She should refuse. Stand on her principle of independence. Not let this irritatingly handsome man with his capable hands and concerned eyes make her feel... things.
“Okay,” she heard herself say. “Thank you.”
His answering smile did dangerous things to her heart rate. “That’s what friends are for.”
Friends. Right. Because friends definitely noticed how their friend’s forearms flexed on the steering wheel, or how his shirt stretched across his shoulders when he reached for the gear shift.
They pulled into the school parking lot with ten minutes to spare. As she gathered her things, their fingers brushed over her bag. The contact sent electricity shooting up her arm, and for a moment, their eyes locked.
“See you after school,” he said, his voice rougher than usual.
“Right. After school.” She managed to exit the truck without embarrassing herself, though her knees felt suspiciously wobbly. “And Tom?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks for the rescue.”
His smile was slow and warm, like honey in sunlight. It followed her all the way to her classroom, where she spent several minutes writing “DO NOT DEVELOP FEELINGS FOR THE HOT SECURITY EXPERT” on her lesson planner.
Then she erased it. Twice.
Because her fresh start plan definitely hadn’t included falling for Tom Dalton. Even if he did have the kindest eyes she’d ever seen, and hands that could probably...
The first bell rang, saving her from that particularly dangerous train of thought. She had a class to teach. Students to focus on. A perfectly reasonable, professional day ahead of her.
She absolutely wasn’t counting the hours until last bell.
Not at all.