Maizy the Bear Charmer(Diving Creek Ranch 16)(73)

Like a proud big brother, Michael grinned and said, “She’s fine. She keeps waking me up at night but I don’t mind. Mom said she would settle down when she gets a little older.”

“Give her a kiss from me,” Maizy said, and squeezed his shoulder. He nodded with a twinkle in his eyes, gave her another hug, and then went back to playing with his buddies.

“So…” Jan said with a grin, as she watched her group of first graders like a hawk. “Lots of excitement for you for a Monday, huh, Tinker Bell?”

Maizy chuckled. “You could say that again.”

“All from the same person?”

“Yes.” She didn’t know which gifts Jan knew about and wanted to keep those special moments as private as she could. The cards were all safely tucked in her wallet and locked in her desk drawer so any Nosy Parkers couldn’t go snooping around her desk and find them out in the open.

“That’s really nice. I’d love to meet him.”

“If he comes around, I’ll introduce him. But after my experience with Chaz, I plan to keep my personal life completely separate from my work life.”

“Totally understandable. Did you hear he’s dating again? Some tart from Madeline’s Day Spa, or so I heard.”

Maizy shrugged, and tried to hide a smile. “He’s entitled. We’re both single.” If she’d heard that news a week or two earlier, it might have upset her. Whoever was willing to date Chaz could have him. She was probably perfect. Perfect personality. Perfectly acceptable reputation. Perfect family. Perfect body. Maizy would take her amazing men and what she had with them over Chaz any day.

Jan leaned toward her and whispered, “You be careful. They’re all assholes as far as I’m concerned.”

Maizy knew Jan was still hurt from Jimbo leaving her. It’d take a while before she could trust any man again. She nodded but said nothing more as she escorted her last student forward to his mom’s car and greeted her. She patted Jan’s shoulder as she made her way to the front entry of the school and set about tidying her classroom and preparing for the next day.

At four o’clock, Maizy juggled car keys, her purse, her tote bag, and a copy paper box containing the flowers and gifts as she pulled her classroom door shut and locked it. She hoped to catch Cody and Spencer before they left for work, so for once she was leaving at four on the dot.

She was halfway down the hall when her key chain slipped from her hand and hit the floor. She was crouching, trying to not lose her purse and tote bag from her shoulder and hold the box level so the water wouldn’t overflow from the vase when she heard footsteps hurry forward.

“Here, here. Let me help,” Mr. Ambrose said as he stepped out of the reception office and picked up the key chain for her and held it out to her. He glanced at her armful and smiled. “Quite a load you have there, Miss Owen. Let me help you with the door,” he said as he tweaked at his bow tie.

“Thank you very much, Mr. Ambrose. I appreciate that.”

He squinted as they stepped out into the afternoon sun and adjusted his glasses. “Quite a bit of excitement in the office over all of your deliveries today, I must say.”

“Oh,” she murmured, smiling, hoping he didn’t plan to fuss about that. “Yes, sir. I hope it wasn’t too much of a bother.”

“A bother, certainly not. A bit of a distraction for the ladies. You know how they like to talk.”

“Yes, sir. I suppose.”

Mr. Ambrose looked at her and began to speak and then seemed to think better of it. “I wish you well, Miss Owen. Please be careful on the steps. May I carry that for you to your car?”

She smiled but shook her head. “No, but thank you, sir. I think I’ll be all right. Thanks for the help with my keys and the door. Have a good evening!” she called before she continued on down the sidewalk to the parking lot.

The drive out to the bears’ home seemed to take forever, or that may have just been her nerves. She breathed a happy sigh as she turned into their driveway and saw all three vehicles still parked out front.

“Yeah!” she crowed to herself as she parked behind Heath’s truck.

She was lifting the box out of the passenger seat when big, gentle hands circled her waist and she squealed and turned.

“Baby,” Heath murmured with a big smile as he took the box from her and slid it onto the roof before pulling her to him. Burying his nose against her throat, he sent wonderful shivers up her spine as he nuzzled her and said, “I missed you all day. I’ve been listening for the chug-chug-chug of your Bug since three o’clock.”

“Hi!” She threw her arms around his neck and giggled when he lifted her so she was draped against his thick, muscular body. “I missed you, too.”