Winning the Teacher's Heart

A Hometown Reunion

Single mom Becca Norton is surprised to discover her high school crush Jared Donnelly is back in town. The motocross champion hasn’t been home in years, but the former bad boy is as gorgeous as she remembers. And his kindness toward her kids melts her heart. But when she learns his true purpose in town is to build a motocross school on land near her home, she has to put on the brakes. Her children’s welfare is her priority, and her former in-laws have made it clear they don’t approve of Jared or his plans. Soon Becca may have to choose between her heart…and her home.

“Becca, I like you.”

He didn’t care if he probably sounded like one of her high school students with a mad crush. He had to get it out. “I like spending time with you and your kids.” He stopped himself from telling her how much the remark made by the woman at the soft-serve ice cream stand about what a nice family they made had affected him. That would have been too sappy. “I’d like to spend more time with you.”

Her shoulders sagged, and he bounced his leg in nervous anticipation.

“Oh, Jared.”

A chill went through him. She’s going to shoot me down. He’d had his share of brush-offs, but none of them had felt as crushing as this would.

“I like you, too.” Her lips curved in a wobbly smile.

He slid his arm along the back of the couch behind her.

“It’s too soon.”

Too soon? It had to be six or seven years since Matt had left her.

“I’ve been praying for direction in my life, about the kids and the Nortons, about the Zoning Board decision…” Her voice softened. “About you.”

His throat clogged.

“The only answer I’ve gotten is ‘give things time.’”

JEAN C. GORDON’s writing is a natural extension of her love of reading. From that day in first grade when she realized t-h-e was the word the, she’s been reading everything she can put her hands on. Jean and her college-sweetheart husband share a 175-year-old farmhouse in Upstate New York with their daughter and her family. Their son lives nearby. Contact Jean at facebook.com/jeancgordon.author or PO Box 113, Selkirk, NY 12158.

Winning the

Teacher’s Heart

Jean C. Gordon

www.millsandboon.co.uk

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.

—Psalms 32:8

To my editor, Shana Asaro,

and my critique group BFS for helping me make Winning the Teacher’s Heart the best I could.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

Dear Reader

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

“Look out, Paradox Lake. The Donnelly brothers are back in town.”

Jared Donnelly fist-bumped with his younger brothers. He didn’t know about Connor and Josh, but if things worked out as he planned, he was back in the small Adirondack Mountains town for good.

“What do you think got into Old Man Miller?” Josh asked.

Jared studied a spot on the floor between him and Josh. That was a mystery to him, too. Bert Miller, their former neighbor, had unintentionally been a major factor in Jared’s professional success. At least Jared thought it was unintentional, although they’d become long-distance friends of a sort over the years since Jared had left Paradox Lake.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Josh said. “Without him, I’d be paying my student loans for the next two decades. But after Dad...”

Jared stiffened. Their father was one of the reasons he was back.

“You know,” Josh added, “Dad gave him nothing but grief.”

“Dad gave everyone nothing but grief,” Connor said. “And sometimes we weren’t much better.”

Jared eyed his youngest brother. “You’ve got that right.”

Connor eyed him back. “I’m not surprised Mr. Miller set up a fund for Hazardtown Community Church. He was a lifelong member. I was surprised this morning when the lawyer said that the gift was added in a recent codicil to his will, made after I was called as pastor.”

Josh leaned back against the doorjamb and crossed his arms. “Connor gets money for his church. I get my student loans paid off. Jare, I think you got shortchanged. All he left you is that raw land in the Town of Schroon on the west side of Paradox Lake. No water frontage, not even a house.”

“Yep, just what I need,” Jared said more to himself than to his brothers.

“What?” his brothers asked in unison.

“The land’s good. I may have a use for it once I get a few details worked out.” He wasn’t going to leave himself open to any expectations, other than his own, until he was sure his plan to build a motocross track and school—sort of a Boys & Girls Club program—was solid. “But for now, I’d better get over to Gram’s. I’ve been in town since yesterday and haven’t seen her yet.”

“Right.” Connor laughed. “If you don’t get over there, she’ll be tracking you down.”