Hummingbird Lake Page 0,69
my job.”
She stopped abruptly. “Why?” Then almost immediately, she added, “Don’t tell me you got into another fight.”
“I didn’t get into a fight the first time,” he responded. “I quit my job at the CSB because working there didn’t allow me to accomplish the job I went there to do in the first place. I think I can be more effective outside government than inside.”
“How is that? You won’t have the big stick of government regulation in your pocket.”
“I don’t have that now. Unfortunately, I can’t wave a wand and get regulations put on the books and wave it again and get everyone into compliance. However, since I do have that government stick, people tend to spend all their time covering their asses and looking over their shoulders for lawyers instead of listening to what I have to say.”
“All right, that makes sense. But what can you do outside of the CSB?”
“Do you remember the woman who came with me to your show in Fort Worth?” He told her about the chemical spill that had killed Melody Slaughter’s husband and how when they’d spoken, Melody had expressed her regret that Colt hadn’t given his presentation at the plant where the accident occurred. “She said the owners are good people, and that they’d have made the changes if anyone had identified the problem. I’ve seen that myself dozens of times. Owners don’t want to have industrial accidents, but they also don’t want to borrow trouble in the way of citations and fines. I’ve gone into business as a consultant, Sage. I have the paperwork all done.”
Interest lit her gorgeous green eyes. “So you’ll, what, inspect factories like an OSHA guy?”
“I’ll do inspections, but instead of giving them governmental grief, I’ll give presentations like I did in Fort Worth. I have some pretty horrific stories I can tell. They tend to get people’s attention.”
“People are ghouls,” she snapped. Then she closed her eyes and gave her head a little shake. “So you’ll travel all around the country?”
Now he hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “I will do some traveling. Based on the research I did prior to making this decision, I could go every week if that was what I wanted. But that much traveling would get old fast, so I decided to do something else, too. I’m going to return to teaching.”
“Really? Are you returning to Georgia Tech?”
“No. I’m going to teach science classes. I’m pretty excited about it. I’ll be sort of a roving teacher for everyone from kindergarten through high school. It’ll give me a nice balance between travel and staying put.”
“You have a Ph.D. You’re going to teach first graders?”
“They have inquisitive minds. That appeals to me.”
“I’ll give you that.” She nodded. “But what about middle school? Do you really want to attempt to teach thirteen-year-old boys?”
He grimaced. “Well, no job is perfect.”
She laughed, then asked, “So, what school district is lucky enough to get your services, Dr. Rafferty?”
Well, here goes. Judging by her reaction so far, he suspected she might not throw herself into his arms out of joy when he told her. Hope her response is warmer than the water in Hummingbird Lake. “This one. Starting in September, I’ll be teaching at Eternity Springs Community School.”
Sage halted abruptly. “Excuse me? What did you say?”
“I’m moving to Eternity Springs. Actually, I have moved here already.”
The expression on her face was a discouraging mixture of alarm and shocked dismay as she repeated, “You moved here?”
“Yes.”
“Permanently?” Her voice squeaked.
“Barring the unforseen, yes.”
She closed her eyes. “Can this day get any more worse?”
She’s making Hummingbird Lake look tepid. “You know, that’s downright insulting. I thought we were friends.”
“We are friends. We’re long-distance friends. You can’t come here. This is my town.”
Now she was getting under his skin. He folded his arms and said, “To quote your sister, it’s a free country.”
“Oh no.” Her eyes rounded with concern and she took a step away from him. “Don’t tell me Rose has moved here, too.”
“I don’t know anything about your sister.” Colt reached out and took hold of her arm. “I’m not concerned about her. I’m concerned about us. What’s going on here? Why are you so threatened by this?”
Her chin came up. “I’m not threatened.”
“Yes, you are.” Their walk had taken them to the small camping area south of Reflection Point, and Colt tugged her along toward a picnic bench beside the water. There he sat her down and said, “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on in that gorgeous head