Teaching Hope (Whitebridge) by Sienna Waters

Author:Sienna Waters [Waters, Sienna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-09-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty One

The call came at around four in the morning and Ava wouldn’t have answered it except that she was already awake. Or still awake. One or the other.

As it turned out, taking things slowly was a euphemism for being all turned on with nowhere to expend the energy. Still, at least her libido was all present and correct. Ava couldn’t remember feeling like this since she was a teenager in love with her poetry teacher.

“Ava Stanford.” She assumed it was an American call, given the time difference and all, and was gratifyingly correct.

“Ava? This is Stan Gardener over at Milton High.”

“Milton High?”

Six months ago she’d have immediately known what he was talking about. But with thousands of miles between them, she was suddenly disoriented.

“That is Ava Stanford, right?” Stan said. “English teacher supreme and poetry club sponsor?”

Ava laughed. “Yes, yes it is. Sorry, Stan, I’m just a bit all over the place. I’m out of the country right now.”

“Really? Anywhere good?”

She knew that he meant somewhere sunny, somewhere hot with beaches, not Whitebridge at all. But she couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah,” she said. “Somewhere good.”

“Good for you, we all deserve a break,” he said. “God knows, I could do with one most days.”

She might be awake, but it was still four in the morning and there was the slimmest chance that she might sleep at some point. “What can I help you with, Stan?”

“Right, yes, well, it’s like this. The head of our English department is about to quit. It’s about time, he’s got enough years on him and he’s been known to bark at his students when frustrated. Anyway, not the point. The point is that we’re talking about interviewing candidates for the job and your name came up.”

“My name?”

“I know, I know. I told the board that you wouldn’t dream of leaving Alton High, but they twisted my arm and asked me to make the call anyway.”

A job. A new job. A job away from Serena and her new love, a job that she could love and make her own. A week ago she’d have been on a plane. A week ago it would have seemed like all her dreams had come true.

So why was she now so reluctant to jump at the chance?

“Actually, I’ve left Alton,” she said, not knowing until just that second that it was true. Technically she was on sabbatical, but she wasn’t going back. Not to the school, anyway.

“Really?” said Stan in a way that signaled he was eager for more information.

“Really. I’m, uh, I’m spending a year on exchange, teaching in the UK.”

“That’s wonderful, just the kind of experience we’re looking for. We’re talking about a September start anyway, so that should fit in with your plans.”

“I see,” Ava said.

“So? Can I put your name in the hat?”

She blew out a breath. Whitebridge wasn’t forever. It couldn’t be forever. The only reason she was reluctant to say yes was because she’d kissed Hope Perkins, and that was a foolish reason to turn down an opportunity like this.

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