Breaking the Rules (3 page)

“No, please join us. Since grounded-boy here will be playing games, I'll need someone to talk to.” Colin winked at her and energy surged through his body. He really wanted Hope to sit down so he could get to know this new principal. He knew he shouldn't feel that way since he didn't have time for a woman in his life, but when she was around his body came alive.

“Well, if you don't mind.” She smiled and something in the way she caught his gaze made every inch of him sit up and take notice.

Jason scooted over and patted the space next to him. “Sit by me, Ms. Robinson.”

She sat and her ponytail bobbed in Jason's face as she set down her purse. Jason rubbed his nose and flicked the ponytail out of his eyes, which made Colin chuckle, but Hope didn't seem to notice.

Colin perused her body once more, while Jason moved to the side and wiped his face. She looked different tonight out of her usual business attire and relaxed. She had no makeup and her eyes shone bluer than he remembered. He liked this casual Hope. She had obviously come from working out, maybe the gym around the corner. Too bad he worked out at the clinic instead.

The waitress appeared with two Cokes. “Hi, you want a drink?”

“An iced tea, please, and a plate for the salad bar,” Hope answered as she fiddled with her napkin.

“Right on it.” The teenager left.

With pleading eyes, Jason sat at the edge of his seat. “Dad, can I go play? Please!”

“Sure. Go ahead. Need money?” He unwrapped his straw and dropped it in the Coke.

“Nah. I brought my allowance.” He held up his wallet. “Excuse me, Ms. Robinson.”

Hope stood to let him by and Jason ran toward the arcade games.

A small grin played on her lips as she sat back down. “I've never seen a kid turn down money.”

“He's a one and only.” Colin studied her as the waitress approached the table with Hope's drink. She took the iced tea from the waitress, her full lips puckering as she drank. The waitress left a basket of breadsticks in the middle of the table along with Hope's salad plate.

Colin moved the basket closer to Hope. “Want some?”

“I guess one won't hurt. I'm starving.” Her finger brushed his and she flinched back quickly.

A deep flutter fell across his belly. Wow, it had been a while since he experienced that. He smiled at her as she took a bite. She looked around the room, anywhere but him. A flush rose into her cheeks and her eyes blinked rapidly. So she felt the rush, too. They both had no right feeling this spark between each other, but it was something he couldn't ignore.

She nodded her chin in Jason's direction. “He's a barrel of energy. How's it going with him?”

Colin picked up a warm breadstick and dipped it in the marinara sauce. “Better. Even though he's grounded, he doesn't seem too put out.”

“I can see that.” Hope's lips tightened. She sat up straighter and folded her hands together.
Uh-oh. Serious Hope again.
“I wanted to call and talk to you.”

“Really?” He sat back and smiled at her. “I like the sound of that.”

She reached behind her and touched her ponytail. “Well, this is entirely school related. You see, yesterday, during Jason's detention, I had him write an essay about why he pushed Bret Wilson.”

“Bret Wilson? Ah, I see. He's had some problems with the boy for a while now. I didn't think it was that serious, though.” Colin shook his head.

“I think what Jason said in his essay is worth sharing with you.” She peeked toward Jason, who played behind them.

Colin frowned. “What is it?”

“He said he pushed Brett because — ” Hope scrunched her nose again. “The boy called him a motherless weenie.”

“Son of a — ” Colin rested his elbow on the table and dropped his head in his palms. “What else?”

“He wrote extensively about not having a mom and what people say to him. He said it was no big deal, but it's obvious that isn't true. He's struggling with how to deal with these painful feelings.” She tilted her head down to look in Colin's eyes. “I just wanted you to know.”

He sighed. “I guess it's no secret we're still having a hard time dealing with his mom's death. I don't know how much you know, but she died in a car accident two years ago.”

“The school counselor filled me in.” She placed her hand on top of his. “I'm sorry.”

A jolt shot through him and he placed his hand on top of hers because he needed to feel her touch and he didn't want her to let go. “Jason doesn't talk to me about it. I had him in counseling for a year and it seemed to help. In fact, the counselor said he didn't need to go anymore. I guess I need to work on figuring out a way to reach him.”

“From the little I've seen you're doing a fine job, Colin.” She let go of his hand. “In time, it'll get easier.”

“I hope so.”

Jason walked back to the table and sat next to Hope again. “I lost the last game.”

Hope drank her tea. “What game do you like to play?”

“I'm the best at The Racer. Still the top scorer.”

She cocked her head. “You must play a lot.”

“We come here most Fridays, so I kind of feel like it's my game. Dad isn't too bad either.”

“Now, that's something I'd like to see.” She smiled.

The waitress arrived with the pizza and a salad plate. “Enjoy.”

“You're welcome to have a slice.” Colin offered as he served Jason.

“I just got back from yoga, so I think I'll go the light route. Be right back.” She headed for the salad bar.

Colin watched her meander over, her long legs beckoning his attention. Yoga could be a nice sport. A very limber sport. He shook his head and looked back at Jason, who had a smile plastered on his face.

“She's nice, huh, dad?”

Colin cleared his throat and took a slice for himself. “Yeah, she's nice.”

“You two should, like, go out.”

Colin froze, holding the pizza server in mid-air. “What did you say?”

“She's kind of cool, and I guess she's pretty.” He shrugged.

Colin shook his head and laughed. “Yep. You definitely take after me.” He bit into his pizza. His son was right. She was gorgeous, in a way she didn't even know, and caring. Her interest in Jason turned him on even more. Besides, if his son was okay with him dating, then he should really try to get back in the game. It had been a few months since he took a woman out, and Hope's charm interested him more than any woman had in a long time.

He sighed and tried to take his mind elsewhere. He couldn't think this about a patient. Well, technically, she was Rajan's patient. Still, he shouldn't let his mind wander … to that cute little …
ahem.

Hope began to sit down next to Jason, but he stopped her. “Ms. Robinson, would you mind sitting next to my dad? I mean, I'll be playing again and I don't want to keep asking you to get up.”

“Uh, sure.” She eyed Colin, who shrugged, and sat down next to him with her plate full of salad.

Colin eyed Jason, who just smiled down at his food.
Little matchmaker.

He took a bite of his pizza and looked next to him, raising his eyebrows. Watching Hope could be a sport.

She opened her napkin roll, sat the utensils next to her plate — fork on one side, knife on the other — moving them to exact locations. She wiped a wet spot above her plate and replaced her iced tea on top. Then she opened the napkin and spread it across her lap. She looked up and asked, “What?”

Colin shook his head. “Nothing. Just never seen anyone prepare to eat like that.”

“Well, I've never seen anyone eat like that.” She pointed to Jason who finished his first slice in three bites.

Colin frowned. “Slow down, Jason. I don't want to have to go back to the hospital because you choked on pizza.” Colin lifted his own slice. “Pre-teens.”

She smiled. “Yes, I know. You forget I'm a middle school principal.”

Jason slurped down his Coke and looked at his dad. “Can I go play again?”

“You just sat down.”

Jason was halfway out of the booth. “Yeah, but I totally want to get first place on the other racing game in the corner.”

“All right. Ten more minutes.”

Jason ran off.

Hope laughed. “He sure knows what he wants.”

“If you only knew.” As she placed a piece of iceberg lettuce into her mouth, Colin smiled.
What would she do if I told her what Jason suggested?
Only one way to find out. He rested his arm against the back of the booth and observed her. “Jason just informed me that we should date.”

“What?” She held her salad fork out in shock; a cherry tomato tumbled off the prongs and down the front of her. “Oh!” She shook her head and began to wipe her shirt off, dropping her fork into her lap in the process.

“Wait, let me get another napkin.” Colin unrolled the extra napkin ring next to him. He wiped, pressing into her shirt, and rubbed the white salad dressing into the black fabric. He twirled the napkin around his finger and dabbed at her some more. When he saw her red face, he stopped.

They stared at each other before they both howled with laughter. After calming down, she quirked an eyebrow, then looked down at her shirt. “Well what are you laughing at? You're not the one who's covered in salad dressing.”

“Yeah, but we just got to second base before we even went on a date.”

She raised her eyebrows and then snorted laughter. “Are you on medication, doctor? If that's your second base, then you haven't seen anything yet.”

“Whoa, it's hot in here.” He waved for the waitress. “More Coke over here!”

“Okay. Calm down.” She fanned him, then herself.

“Whew!” He held out his palm in a stop motion. “I've got it under control.”

She placed her hands firmly on the table. “I'm afraid Jason's going to be disappointed. I have a rule that I can't date fathers of my students.” She faced Colin.

He looked her in the eyes and lifted an eyebrow. “Rules are made to be broken.”

She shook her head and gave a school marm face. “Not my rules.” Then she licked the last spot of dressing on the corner of her mouth.

Damn woman! Did she know what licking lips did to a man?

“Here's your Coke and the bill.” The waitress laid down the ticket and walked away.

He drank his soda. “So, are you seeing anyone?” To hell with being laid back. His chance with Hope stood wide open. It was now or never.

She took a bite and waited to answer. “Not unless you count my cat, Yoko.”

“Yoko?” Jason surprised them, standing next to the table, and sat down. “How'd you pick that name?”

“Well, when I taught fourth grade a few years ago, I had a contest to name my new kitty. We had just learned about The Beatles and the rest is history.”

“Ms. Robinson?” A woman stood at the edge of the booth. “Dr. Calaway?”

Colin stopped eating and wiped his hands on another napkin. “Hi, Mrs. Morales. Nice to see you.” Great. The town busy body checked them out. Colin looked at Hope to gauge her reaction and she tugged her shirt down as she kept her chin in the air.

“Mrs. Morales.” She nodded at the lady.

Who was this woman to her? Oh, yeah. She was in charge of some board group or something, he remembered from the last PTA bulletin he barely read.

“It's nice to see you two — eating dinner — together.” She watched both of them.

Jason piped in. “My dad and I come here every weekend. We just saw Ms. Robinson and invited her to eat with us.”

“How lovely. I'm picking up a takeout pizza.” She held up the pizza box and shot all three of them one last look before turning away. “Have a nice night.”

Hope placed her fork down into her almost empty salad. She fiddled with the small gold chain around her neck, stopped and frowned. “I guess that's my cue I should be leaving.”

“Don't let her ruin our dinner.” Colin placed his hand on her arm.

Hope looked down at his hand and back up. “No, really, I'm stuffed and it's getting late. Can you hand me my purse? It's on your side of the booth, Jason.”

He handed it to her. “We usually have sundaes after. You don't wanna come?”

“There's a Marble Slab Creamery next door.” Colin wagged his eyebrows. “It really cools you off.”

Hope laughed as she slid out of the booth. “I could use some cooling off, but I better leave.” She placed her hand over her trim stomach. “It was fun, Jason.”

Jason waved as he crammed a piece of crust into his mouth and then ran to the arcade area again.

Hope took out her wallet and Colin rose behind her. “I'll take care of the bill.”

She tugged her purse strap across her shoulder. “Such gentlemen, the Calaways.” She smiled. “Thanks for inviting me to join you.”

“Let's do it again sometime.” His gaze roamed her body, from her eyes to her toes and back again. The hairs stood up on his arms and a tingling prickled across his stomach. He did not want to lose his chance of getting to know Hope. There was a connection — one he couldn't ignore because it had been a long time since he felt an initial attraction like this. Her mouth curved into a smile and she pointed at him. “I take that back. You are no gentleman.”

Colin smirked and grabbed his chest in mock dismay. “Oh, that hurts.”

She bit her lip and batted her lashes at him seductively. A ripple of awareness fell between them for a few seconds, then she winked and walked away — three steps and a turn. She faced him again, paused and slowly walked back, shaking her hips more than before.

He drummed his fingers on his pant leg. What was she going to do? The anticipation almost killed him. Seconds seemed like minutes.

When she reached him, she stood close enough that he was sure no one else could hear her. “Besides. I could never go to second base with a Yank.” She touched his lucky baseball cap and brought it down into his eyes.