Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67398 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 337(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
“I like Mr. Bell. Think he’s gay?” Ryder, who was supposed to be pulling things for dinner out of the freezer, nearly made me drop the water dish.
“None of your business.” Just because Nolan had come out to me easily didn’t mean he’d want to be out to the students, and Ryder was something of a gossip at the best of times. Not to mention, he’d spent the last year or so trying to hone his own gaydar, often with disastrous results. Luckily, I was hard to embarrass, but the phase where Ryder had loudly asked whether any two dudes dining together were a couple had been a little uncomfortable.
“He doesn’t wear a ring.” Ryder beamed as he arranged frozen tacos, potato wedges, and chicken tenders on a baking sheet. All the major food groups. “And I suppose he could be bi or pan like you.”
“Ryder…” I groaned. I loved that my kid told me every last thing on his mind, even when it was a bit of a curse.
“Are you trying to matchmake Dad with Mr. Bell? That’s creepy.” Legend glared at his brother. Creepy was his current word for everything he didn’t like. “And why do we even need a holiday festival?”
“Because a lot of people find it fun. And it raises money.” I took the tray from Ryder and slid it into the waiting oven.
“How much money?” Legend narrowed his eyes. The way Ryder felt about music and sparkly things was how Legend felt about making and saving money.
“Enough to cover the field trips in the spring.”
“Mr. Kekoa said two years ago they got to go watch canoes being built and help build them.” Legend had my love of building things coupled with a deep appreciation for Hawaiian traditions and culture. “That would be cool.”
“It would. So we need the festival to be a success.” I forced a positive tone. I hated that ensuring enough money for our cash-strapped school meant working closely, too closely, with Nolan.
“Mr. Bell will make sure it’s fabulous.” Ryder used another of his favorite words. “I can’t wait to see what he comes up with.”
“Me too,” I lied. If Ryder’s hero worship continued, it would be a long, long two months. And whatever Nolan came up with was likely to be expensive and complicated, but I had little choice but to hope Ryder was right. We needed a fabulously profitable festival, and I needed to stop seeing Nolan’s movie-star-worthy looks in my brain every time I heard his name. We were both here to do one job.
Three
As another reminder, please remember not to run in the halls. And speaking of halls, our annual locker decorating contest will start after Thanksgiving. Start thinking of ideas now!
NOLAN
I was many wonderful things, but a morning person wasn’t one of them. However, helping Cara and working at the school meant waking up as a peachy hue crept across the Oahu sky. I walked the short distance from the nearby studio-sized guest cottage I was renting. The early morning held a crisp chill, and I had the coffee on and the kids getting ready all at an hour I’d usually be deep asleep back home.
“Do you have everything you need?” I asked Cara. My sister-in-law had arranged her dark curly hair in a haphazard bun and was in her pajamas as she nursed Noah Craig on the couch. She had the TV remote, a mug of tea, a fuzzy lap blanket, and a stack of cloth diapers nearby. While the baby was finally out of the NICU, Cara herself was still healing from a rather traumatic birth, and I hoped she’d spend the whole day right there in her couch nest.
“Yes, Nolan.” She gave me a dutiful smile, but knowing her, she’d be up and checking email along with straightening the house as soon as the baby napped.
“You know, I could still pass on this substitute gig—”
“Too late.” Her smile widened. She’d been the one to spy the job opening after Dory Crenshaw fell at the school’s fall festival. Apparently, I’d been hovering a bit much, and Cara was eager for me to find something more to occupy my days other than playing footman for her and the baby. “The kids are counting on you.”
“Mom!” Athena barreled down the stairs. At thirteen, she was almost as tall as her mother with a similar dancer’s build. Cara was slightly taller than my five foot nine, but Athena might beat both of us with her long limbs. And right then, her giant feet pounded on the wooden staircase as she came in with a head of righteous indignation. “Stella stole my favorite comb and the clip I wanted.”
“I can—” Cara started to stand, but I waved her back down.
“Sit right there.” I gave Cara my sternest glare. “That’s what you can do. Uncle Nolan to the rescue!”