Finding Her Home. Carol Steward

response. “What are you talking about?”

      “Scores took a huge jump after your school worked with the literacy coaches.”

      Steve hesitated and Tori quietly waited. A few minutes later, after Steve had eaten a few handfuls of popcorn, she said, “And?”

      “Jerry’s going to be out of the building more than he’ll be in….”

      She raised her hand to stop him. She forced her voice lower, choking the words out slowly and precisely. “Not going to happen. I don’t belong here anymore.”

      He retained his affability, but there was a critical tone to his voice. “There’s a chance you’ll be spending more time here, with your grandparents’situation. You know the community, have experience we need and you offered to help.”

      “From a distance,” she snapped impatiently, then shook her head. “I have a job at a school that I love and I’m finishing my doctorate so I can further my career in administration.”

      “You couldn’t do that in a smaller community?”

      She shook her head, trying to ignore the hurt in his whiskey-brown gaze. “Not here.”

      “I didn’t say here.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “I think this issue has a lot deeper roots than you’re admitting.”

      Tori suspected he was right. “That may be true…Abuela’s stroke has me a little uprooted, but I know better than to get myself in deeper than I can handle. The mess at the school isn’t going to go away by changing one person.”

      “I didn’t mean to make matters worse, but I had to try.”

      Tori glanced at temptation and turned away. “It’s getting late, and I need to leave early in the morning.”

      The silence widened and the tick of the clock echoed its tormenting melody. Finally Steve caved in and spoke. “I understand about not wanting to see me again, but don’t let me chase you away from the fresh air and rest. I can wait until you’re gone to work on the renovations.”