A Better Man(87)

Maybe Lucy was right. Maybe he needed less to focus on.

Only one problem with that.

Walking away from Lucy took away a whole lot of inspiration. He not only wanted her in his life, he needed her.

Being home felt good, but odd. Lucy hadn't slept in her own bed for almost a week. That had never happened before. And she never thought she'd hate sleeping alone. But she did. She missed having Jordan curled up against her, his warmth, and feeling safe when he had his arms around her. She'd only been with him a few days, yet it felt like a lifetime. She'd have to get used to things without him. And that didn't sound like much fun either. Even poor Ziggy looked a little sad. Not that he'd liked being in an apartment, but the extra attention he'd gotten from both Jordan and Nicole had been pretty great.

But life now had to go on without Jordan, and in order to handle that reality, Lucy needed to streamline her focus on things other than tall, dark, and hunky.

She needed to check on Mrs. B. Yes, Lucy knew the sweet old lady's children could take care of her, but that didn't stop Lucy from worrying or caring. The stack of mail and newspapers on top of her kitchen table weren't going to get any smaller if she kept walking by and ignoring them, so she grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down to go through everything. Junk mail, pizza coupons, and other delightful garbage were stuck in between her gas and electric bills. When her phone rang she considered it a saving grace from the rest of the envelopes.

"Do not read today's issue of Talk of the Town." Claudia's voice on the other end of the line sounded panicked.

"Why?" Curiosity soared; she pushed aside the mail to grab the local paper buried beneath. Reading the headline, she choked on a gasp.

"I told you not to look." 

"Oh my God." Her eyes scanned the article but she couldn't comprehend anything past the shock. Her nightmare had come true.

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. I know you're a very private person. Although I can't help being a bit miffed that you didn't tell me there was something going on."

"There isn't. I just went along to help out with his sister." Lying really wasn't her thing, and yet, in this circumstance, telling the truth would only hurt more.

"That's not what the look he's giving you says."

"Don't misinterpret that for anything other than gratitude."

"Sure, go ahead. Ruin my fantasy that you finally found someone to love."

She had.

Her chest tightened as she tried to end the call before she broke down in tears. "I guess I'll see you on Monday. If I still have a job."

"You didn't break any rules," Claudia said. "You're an adult. It was spring break. You're allowed to spend the time any way you want."

She'd slept with a student's brother. There had to be a rule against that.

"Even if you say otherwise, I do hope you managed to have a little fun," Claudia added before she hung up.

For once, she'd had more than fun.

And now she had to pay the price.

Hot tea burned her throat as she reread the article. When she read the part the editor/pathetic-­excuse-­for-­a-­journalist had interjected into the story, the words burned like acid around her heart.

For some reason, Margaret Brickridge had dragged the Kincade family name into the slop by questioning the behavior of all the brothers.

Lucy wasn't a person who normally lost her temper, but at that moment she needed a fire extinguisher to put out the flames.

The old building on Main Street that housed Talk of the Town had a deceptively businesslike exterior. Yet most of the garbage they printed was nothing but outrageous tales and gossip without any verification. As Lucy pushed open the door, she wondered why anyone would want to lie and stir up a hornet's nest.

Margaret Brickridge appeared as ancient as the mountains surrounding the town when she came to the front desk with a walking cane and a stiff back. The woman had been editor of the gossip rag for over fifty years, and from what Lucy could see, she needed to retire.

"What can I do for you?" Mrs. Brickridge asked in a bitter tone that let Lucy know she was accustomed to people showing up in her office ready to unload.

Lucy set the morning's paper on the counter and gathered up her courage. No wimping out. No backing down. No taking no for an answer. "You need to retract this story."

"Now why would I do that?" The woman looked up through squinted hazel eyes.

"It's garbage and lies."

"Says who?"

Lucy gritted her teeth. "If you're going to print such absurdity you should probably be more aware of who you're writing about and take the time to get some clarification on matters."

The woman leaned closer, took a good look at Lucy, and snickered. "So you're the teacher."