Someone Like You (2 page)

“He’s smart. When I was still teaching at the high school, we talked a lot about the best way to educate kids. He has insightful ideas. He isn’t a dumb jock.”

“I never said he was. He’s simply not my type.”

“Well, he’s great with kids.”

“With football players you mean.”

“No, with all kids.”

Brie frowned. That
was
a trait she admired in men. Found attractive, as a matter of fact.

“Why were he and Jared friends anyway?”

“Twenty years ago, Nick and his wife, who’s from Crystal Corners, came back here like we did after college and bought a small cottage on the lake. They tore it down and over the years rebuilt it into a showplace. They moved in—next to us—right when Jared and I could afford buy on the water. Maybe Nick and Jared hit it off because they were both newcomers.”

“What was his wife like? Rumor has it she just up and left him.”

“She was quiet. I liked her well enough, though we were never what you’d call friends. The four of us spent some time together as couples. Then six years ago, Mary Kay Corelli practically disappeared. Nick confided in Jared what happened but made Jared promise not to tell anyone, even
me
.” She sighed. “Since then, a parade of women has visited the house, but none stuck around.”

“I think you underestimate him.”

Uncomfortable talking about Nick, Brie said, “Let me finish this up and we’ll be on our way.” She nodded to the desks in disarray. “Would you mind putting those in some kind of order for the janitor?”

“Sure.” As Annie worked, she asked, “How’s Delaney doing?” 

In September, Delaney Dawson had come to teach at the high school, taking Annie’s place because Annie had to transfer to the middle school in order to have a relationship with Dylan, their principal, and not breach professional ethics.

Brie’s smile was genuine. “She’s terrific. I love how open and forthright she is. And the kids adore her. She’s young and pretty enough and dresses
cool
for the boys to have a crush on her and the girls to relate to her.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I’ll bet there are plenty of kids who feel like that about you.”

Brie opened her plan book to where she’d listed the assignments for the marking period. She gave very few tests and grades were based on reading and writing assignments in her Social Studies classes a lot like Annie—and now Delaney--did in English. When Brie finished, she stood. “Want to walk down to the mailboxes with me?”

“Sure, I--”

“Hey, beautiful, what are you doing here?”

At the sound of the husky male voice, Annie whirled around like Cinderella in her gown. Her face lit with pleasure she got a glimpse of her prince. “Hi. I came by to catch a ride with Brie.”

Brie watched as an equally smitten Dylan crossed to his future wife, looped an arm around her neck and tugged her close. The intimacy of the gesture was greater than if he’d planted a full mouth kiss on her lips.

“Never mind the walk to the mailboxes,” Brie said good-naturedly. “I’ll go by myself. Meanwhile, you two can drink in the sight of each other.”

They both mumbled to her and Brie left the room.

She loved seeing Annie happy and so far, she thought Dylan was a wonderful man, and a super principal. But she felt melancholy, too. For a while now, Brie had been wishing she’d find a guy to spend her time with. However, no one she’d met appealed to her. She glanced down at the paper she held. The only males around were ones like Nick Corelli who did nothing but annoy her.

As she’d told Annie, he certainly wasn’t the kind of guy Brie wanted in her life.

o0o

“I might have known you couldn’t do this.” Matt’s father, John Matthew Keller, made the comment in what Matt had come to call his Mayor Voice. It only ever meant trouble for his son.

“I’m trying, Dad. Really I am.”

“You’ll call me Sir until this is fixed.”

“Yes, Sir. But that Social Studies teacher is tough. Coach Corelli tried to get her to let me make work up, but she said no. She’s a bitch.”

“You won’t disrespect teachers. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, Sir.”

The mayor’s features were harsh. “You’d better play well in Friday’s game since that’s all you seem to be able to do right.”

“I will. I promise.”

His father rose from his chair. “We’ll speak again in a week when you have better news, Matthew.”

Matt swallowed hard and tried to keep himself from tearing up—why the fuck should he care if his sometimes-a-father didn’t talk to him for a week? He had friends. He had football. And, unbeknownst to his old man, he had his music.

Without responding—this was as far as he could go in rebelling—Matt stalked out of the kitchen. As he climbed the stairs on the way to his room, he stopped at a picture of him and his mother. He was little—maybe five—and sat next to her at the piano; she had her hand over his, showing him how to touch the keys. Her profile was beautiful, making him remember how her hair fell around her cheek. Apparently, it had been all right with his father for Matt to be interested in music when his mother was alive. Not since she died, though. All the man wanted out of him now was football fame and decent grades. Right after his mother was buried, Matt had been forbidden to play the piano in the house. His father hadn’t sold the sleek black baby grand that was in the front room, but as far as Mr. Mayor knew, it was never played.

The notion got Matt pissed off enough to trash the wall of pictures leading upstairs. If it hadn’t been for his mother, who’d lovingly made this collage—she’d call it a rotogravure—he would have destroyed them with a swipe of his arm. Instead, he hurried up the steps to his bedroom, closed the door and went into his bathroom. Once there, he locked himself in, took a razor blade out of the drawer.

And sliced it into his leg.

The pain was blinding.

Chapter 2

With Cella at her side, Brie made her way from their car to the stadium. Though it was a beautiful Indian summer night, she didn’t really want to attend the football game, but Dylan had talked her into chaperoning the dance afterward. Since Annie and the boys would be at both—teachers often brought their kids to extra-curricular events—Brie hoped the evening wouldn’t be too boring.

They reached the stands and Cella exclaimed, “There’s Mrs. Jacobs and the guys. At the top.”

“I see them, sweetie. Go on up and I’ll follow you.”

Annie had saved them seats, so Brie sat next to her friend and Cella settled in the row in front of them with Trevor and Danny. Dylan was by Annie’s side, of course.

“Hello, Mrs. Gorman,” he said reaching over to squeeze her arm. “Thanks for helping me out.”

“I don’t mind. Besides, no one seems to be able to say no to you. Don’t get used to it though, you and the teachers are in your honeymoon period.”

Dylan laughed, a strong hardy sound that was so natural and contagious that she found herself smiling, too. It was true what she told him—everybody adored him now, cooperated without a fuss and the school had made some strong curriculum developments in the short time he’d been principal. But she also knew the fickle nature of the faculty.

Turning her attention to the field, her gaze immediately fell on Nick Corelli. In khaki shorts with a red jersey, he stood a head above the other coaches. Even from up here his wide shoulders and muscular back were impressive. He also wore a Spartan baseball cap, which should look foolish on a man in his early forties, but in reality was cute as hell. His head bent, he was conferring with number 31. Matt Keller, the quarterback of the team. Matt was hanging on Nick’s every word and nodding vigorously.

The boy hadn’t handed in the work he could have made up and she’d been forced to send home the mayor’s requested weekly note saying Matt had, so to speak, dropped the ball. She’d emailed Nick with the information and gotten a curt thank you from him in return.

“This game is important,” Dylan was saying. “Scouts are here from division one schools. I understand Matt Keller is being courted.”

He won’t play college ball if he doesn’t graduate from high school.
The thought brought on a spurt of sympathy for the boy. Maybe she should make more of an effort to help him. Though it went against her grain to coddle athletes, Nick’s and Annie’s comments this week made her think Matt needed extra attention. And she’d been watching him surreptitiously in class. Something did seem to be bothering him, as they’d said. What could it hurt to make an overture to him?

Throughout the first half, Matt played with remarkable energy and the skill to match. He scored two touchdowns, threw several complete passes and wasn’t sacked once. And, okay, she’d admit to herself, her gaze kept straying to Nick, who maintained a calm that the other team’s leader didn’t have. Their coach was throwing his clipboard around and reaming out players when they did something wrong. Since the score was tied, their behavior spoke clearly of both men. Though she hated to admit it, Nick was a good role model for his kids.

Crystal Corners won the game, twenty-one to seventeen. Humming with victory, the spectators filed out of the stands but instead of moving to the parking lot with the crowd, Brie headed to the gym with Dylan and Annie, while the kids ran ahead.

 Dylan said to Annie, “Hmm. We’re going to be in the gym together. That’ll bring back memories.”

Annie gave him a sideways glance. “You were always with Taylor Mason at these mixers.”

“And Larry Smith hung all over you.”

They chuckled at their shared past, one which not too long ago had made their relationship seem impossible and caused them both a great deal of heartache.

When they entered the gym, the cavernous space was already filling up, but no football players had arrived yet. Cheerleaders in uniform milled around along with other fans. Brie was always surprised at how many students came to these dances, though she shouldn’t be. It was the same way when she attended this high school. She hadn’t known Annie then, because Brie was a few years younger than her friend.

“Mom, come dance with me.” Her little girl’s ponytail bobbed with her excitement. She was the spitting image of Jared with her dark blond hair and sky blue eyes, so much so that it hurt sometimes just to look at Cella.

“Oh, honey, no. I don’t want to dance in front of all the students.”

“But we took those lessons!”

“A little later, then.”

“I’ll dance with you, Cella,” Trevor offered.

“Me too,” Danny, Annie’s other son, put in.

All three skipped across the floor. A few other teachers’ children were out there, too. “I’m surprised the teenagers like having our kids here.”

Annie shrugged. “Students want to know about their teachers’ personal lives.”

“I guess.”

Annie grinned at her. “They’ll love seeing you in jeans.”

“They probably didn’t think I own any. Just because I dress up for school.”

Soon, the team arrived, marching into the gym like heroes back from war. Dylan went over to the DJ, who stopped the music. Taking the microphone, Dylan faced the group. “Let’s hear it for our guys. Weren’t they great out on the field?”

Raucous cheers erupted.

Brie rolled her eyes. She recognized the importance of sports but thought athletics got too much attention. She herself was more bookish back in the day—still, really--though she liked yoga now.

Dylan said a few more words, then the music started again.

“Now, Mommy?” Cella asked running over to her.

“I guess.”

Brie stepped out on the floor with her daughter and fell into a swing dance. The two of them had taken lessons together in a special mom/child class in Rochester. Brie enjoyed doing different activities with Cella, especially after Jared died. And she liked to dance.

After a bit, she begged off and as she left the floor, she noticed Matt Keller going to get some punch. Oh, hell, why not speak to him tonight? Detouring, she intercepted the boy.

“Matt, can I talk to you?”

His eyes were startlingly sad when he peered up at her. This wasn’t the attitude of a star.

“You played really well tonight. I’m impressed.”

He shook his head. “At least I can do something right.”

“About that. I was wondering if you could stay after school with me on Monday and Wednesday next week?”

“Why?”

“Since you’re having so much trouble with the initial work for the Dynamics of Citizenship class--” a semester requirement for all seniors “--I thought maybe we could work together on the paper that’s due Friday.” He watched her, his face going from sad to despondent. His reaction prompted her to say, “I’ll grade it right away and send a note to your dad Friday afternoon. I’m sure you can do a good job on it with my help.”

She’d never seen someone’s demeanor change as quickly as Matt’s did. His shoulders straightened and a light shone in his face. “That’s be great, Mrs. Gorman. I…thanks.” He headed off in the other direction.

Staring after him, she felt an acute sense of concern. Something was definitely going on with the boy, like Nick and Annie had mentioned. Preoccupied, she stared after Matt wondering what could be bothering him. But soon she was distracted by the sight of Annie out with the kids doing some kind of twist. Her friend was much more outgoing than she was—a trait Brie envied.

After a few minutes, she felt a hand at her back. And smelled the most heavenly scent—male, musky and wonderful. Her nerves skittered. Turning, she found Nick Corelli behind her, his hair a little damp, his face a bit flushed. He leaned in and said, “Thanks, Miz Gorman. I appreciate what you said to Matt.”

She was about to mention the change that came over the boy when Nick grabbed her hand and led her to the floor. She was even more startled when he began to swing with her—and found the guy could dance!

o0o

Good Lord, the woman was beautiful. Especially now with that surprised look on her face. He’d dragged her out here on impulse after Matt had found him and told him about Brie’s offer. Scoring, passing and great offense hadn’t been able to do for the boy what a few simple words from Brie did. Nick was really worried about him.