Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 607(@200wpm)___ 486(@250wpm)___ 405(@300wpm)
Michael was one of my brightest pupils, and I told his father so, relaying his achievements over the first term.
“Wonderful. I hope he’ll follow in my footsteps into engineering, and you need to be well-rounded for that.”
“You’re an engineer?”
“I teach civil engineering at the Inverness campus of UHI.”
Smart and attractive.
Stop noticing his attractiveness. “I’m sure if Michael has an interest in engineering, he’ll grapple the subject easily.”
“If?” Mr. Barr smirked. “Michael’s nine years old. I’m not going to force him to follow in my footsteps. I just would like it. That’s all I meant.”
Realizing he’d caught my slight admonishment, I tried not to blush. “Of course.”
“He talks about you. I was looking forward to meeting the teacher he enjoys so much, and I have to say, I understand completely now.”
Oh, boy. “That’s very nice.”
“Here.” He slipped his hand into his coat and pulled out a business card. “If you ever need to discuss Michael.”
I took the card. “Thank you.”
“Or …” He leaned into me, his smirk definitely inviting. “If you’d ever like to grab a drink. Usually I’d ask for your number, but I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t be appropriate … so I’ll leave it in your hands.” He stood as I gaped at him in shock at his forthrightness. “I hope you call about that drink.”
I licked my lips nervously because I was going through the world’s longest dry spell, and a woman had needs. Remembering exactly why I was going through the dry spell, however, shook me out of my stupor, and I gave him a soft smile. “That wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Haydyn Barr grinned and walked toward my classroom door to pull it open. “Keep the card for next year. When you’re no longer my son’s teacher.”
Wow.
I bit back a smile and he chuckled, nodded, and strolled out.
Turning his card over in my hand, I stared at the embossed words: Dr. Haydyn Barr, Professor of Engineering. Below were his contact details at the university.
He was tempting, but one, I would never jeopardize my job by dating a parent; and two, I never wanted to date again. My romantic history wasn’t loaded down by many men. After I’d fled Ardnoch and struggled to make rent living as a student in Inverness, I’d avoided dating for almost two years. No one was Brodan, so I didn’t want them.
When I moved to Edinburgh for teacher training, I met Nick through a uni friend. He was a few years older, a fireman, and he reminded me of Brodan. Not in looks, but just his cocky charm that hid a sweetness. I thought I might even love him a little, but after four years of dating, he fell in love with a colleague. She was my opposite in every way. They fucked around behind my back for six months until I caught them together. All my friends were his friends, so I lost them and had to start over again.
Then I moved to Glasgow to teach. I dated a little, but nothing serious, and then I met Steven when I was twenty-seven. Steven … a disaster of epic proportions. It had taken me three years to get myself out of that situation.
I’d been single for the seven years since.
All my dreams of being a wife and a mum went up in a puff of smoke.
Because as painful and lonely as it was to be alone, at least I was safe.
10
Monroe
THE PAST
* * *
The last few weeks had been excruciating. I could barely concentrate on my tutorials and lectures. Mum was always on me for being absentminded in the house, and I was constantly checking my phone for texts from Brodan.
We used to text every day and call every other day.
I hadn’t heard from him in a few weeks. A few days after that night at the castle, I’d texted and asked him how he was doing, and he’d replied that he was good but busy. Brodan always asked me how I was doing, but there was no reciprocation this time, no eagerness to continue the conversation.
And he hadn’t called.
He’d been distant ever since he told me he had a girlfriend.
Part of me really wanted to believe that he was lying to push me away. I’d been drunk that night, but not so wasted that I didn’t remember telling him I was in love with him. My cheeks burned with embarrassment every time I thought about it. Either he was lying about the girl, or he was distant because of what I confessed.
I’d prefer to believe he was lying. Obviously.
Arran didn’t know about any of it. He and I had grown closer since Brodan left for uni. But he was oblivious to my true feelings for his brother. That was also why he was the best source of factual information. We’d been in touch, but I hadn’t seen him until now because he was busy last weekend.