“Hi,” she said, glancing toward the closest window, planning her escape route in case she needed one.
“I didn’t mean to disturb you.” The man smiled at her, one side of his mouth turning up as he nudged the tip of his hat and leaned into the room. “We’ve had a bit of trouble here lately and I wanted to make sure there weren’t any kids up to no good.”
Poppy swallowed and nodded. “I’m probably not meant to be here myself, but I wanted to have a good look around and see if there was anything that needed doing.”
Chocolate-brown eyes met hers, softer than before, and matched with a dimple when the man finally gave her a full smile. “I take it you’re the famous Ms. Carter, then?”
Poppy couldn’t help grinning back. “Take out the famous part and call me Poppy, and I’d say that’s me.”
He chuckled, removed his hat and stepped forward, hand extended. There was a gruffness about him that she guessed came with the territory of being a rancher, but up close he was even more handsome than he’d been from a distance. Strong, wide shoulders, a jaw that looked as if it had been carved from stone and the deepest dark brown eyes she’d ever seen....
Poppy cleared her throat and clasped his hand.
“Harrison Black,” he said, hand firm against hers. “My kids go to school here.”
Right. So he was married with children. It didn’t explain his lack of a wedding band, but then plenty of ranchers probably never wore a ring, especially when they were working. But it did make her feel less nervous about being in the room with him.
“How many children do you have?” she asked.
The smile was back at the mention of his children. “Two. Kate and Alex. They’re out there in the truck.”
Poppy looked out the window, spotting his vehicle. “I’m just heading back to my place for some supplies, so how about I say hi to them?”
He shrugged, put his hat on his head and took a couple of steps backward. The heels of his boots were loud on the wooden floor, making her look up again. And when she did she wished she hadn’t, because his eyes had never left hers and a frown was hovering at the corners of his mouth.
Instead of acknowledging him she reached for her bag and slung it over her shoulder, and when she looked back he was already halfway to the door.
“Ms. Carter, what made you come here?”
She met his gaze, chin held high, not wanting to answer the man standing in front of her, but knowing it was a question she’d be asked countless times from the moment she started meeting locals—as soon as her pupils began flooding through the door, parents anxiously following them.
“I needed a change,” she told him honestly, even if she was omitting a large part of the truth. “When I saw the advertisements for Bellaroo, I figured it was time for me to take a chance.”
Harrison was still staring at her, but she broke the contact. Walked past him and down the short hall to the front door.
“And a new haircut or color wasn’t enough of a change?”
She spun on the spot, temper flaring. This man, this Harrison, didn’t know the first thing about her, but to suggest a haircut? Did she look like some floozy who just needed a new lipstick to make her problems go away?
“No,” she said, glaring at him, feet rooted to the spot. “I wanted to make a difference, and keeping this school open seemed pretty important to your community, unless I’ve been mistaken?”
His eyes gave away nothing, his broad shoulders squared and his body grew rigid. “There’s nothing more important to me than this school staying open. But if you don’t work out? If we’ve taken a chance on the wrong person? Then we don’t just lose a school, we’ll lose our entire town.” He sighed. “Forgive me if I don’t think you look like a woman who could go a week without hitting the shops or beauty salon.”
She let him pull the door shut and marched toward his vehicle, desperate to see his children. Right now they were the only things that could cool her down, and the last thing she wanted was to get into an argument with a rude, arrogant man who had no idea what kind of person she was or what she believed in. To even suggest... She swallowed and took a deep breath.
“I think you’ll find I know exactly how much this school means to Bellaroo Creek,” she said over her shoulder, in a voice as calm as she could manage. “And please don’t pretend you know me or anything about me. Do I make myself clear?”
She could have sworn a hint of a smile flashed across Harrison’s face, but she was too angry to care.
“Crystal clear,” he said, striding past her.
If she hadn’t known two little children were watching them from the truck, she would have poked her tongue out. But Poppy just kept walking, and sent up a silent prayer that she’d never have to talk to their father ever again.
* * *
Harrison knew he’d behaved badly. But honestly? He didn’t care. Speaking his mind to the teacher hadn’t exactly been his best move, but if she didn’t hang around, then their town was done for. He’d needed to say it now because if she changed her mind they’d have to find someone else fast. The future of Bellaroo Creek meant more to him than anything. Because otherwise he’d lose everything he’d ever worked for, just to keep his children close.
He swung open the passenger door. “Kids, this is your new teacher.”
They looked out—all angelic blond hair and blue eyes. A constant reminder of their mother, and probably the only reason he didn’t still hate the woman.
“I’m Ms. Carter.” Harrison listened to the new teacher introduce herself, watching the anger disappear from her face as soon as she locked eyes on his children. “Your dad found me in the middle of planning your classroom.”
“Planning?” he asked.
She smiled and leaned against the open door, but he had a feeling her happy expression was for his children’s benefit, not his. “I can’t teach young children in a room that looks like the inside of a hospital,” she told him. “I don’t have long, but in the morning it’ll look deserving of kids.”
“You’re making it look better?”
Harrison grinned as his daughter spoke. She played the shy card for all of a minute with strangers, then couldn’t keep herself from talking.
“I want us to have fun, and that means putting a smile on your face from the second you walk through my door in the morning.”
So maybe she wasn’t so bad, but it wasn’t exactly evidence that the teacher would hang around for the long haul. He’d had enough experience to know that an isolated rural town wasn’t exactly paradise for everyone, especially for a teacher expected to teach children of all ages.
“If you need a hand...” he found himself saying.
She smiled politely at him, but he could see the storm still brewing in her eyes. “Thank you, Mr. Black, but I’m sure I can manage.”
He stared at her long and hard before walking around to the driver’s side. “I’ll look forward to seeing in the morning what you’ve done with the place.”
The teacher shut the passenger door and leaned in the window. “Your wife won’t be dropping the children off?”
Harrison gave her a cool smile. “No, it’ll be me.”
He watched as she straightened, a question crossing her face even though she never said anything.
“I’ll see you kids tomorrow,” she called out, walking backward.
Harrison touched his hat and pulled out into the road,