remorse?”
Tiffany looked sheepish. “Yes, but I wanted to be in that circle of friends, so I figured it was worth the price. That was my heart talking to me, and my own selfish pride kicked it out of the way, didn’t it?”
“That’s right,” Jayden told her. “So, from now on, listen to your heart and kick the selfish pride out of the way.”
“You are even better than my therapist back home.” Tiffany picked up three cookies and headed for the door.
“Hey, that will ruin your dinner,” Jayden called out.
“One for me, one for Carmella, and one for Ashlyn,” Tiffany threw over her shoulder as she went outside.
What a difference seven weeks had made in all their lives, Jayden thought as she took the second pan of cookies from the oven. Not just the girls, either. Diana was excited about a new job. Novalene was really retiring from the camp, and Jayden had decided in that moment not to be afraid of change or taking a risk. While the cookies cooled, she slipped her phone from her hip pocket and called her school in Dallas.
“Listen to your heart,” she muttered as she listened to the phone ring three times. “If it goes to voice mail, then it’s a sign I shouldn’t stay here.”
She recognized the principal’s voice the minute she said, “Hello, Jayden. What can I do for you today?”
Jayden inhaled deeply, let it all out, and said, “You can accept my resignation. I’ll be sending it by mail tomorrow.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Melanie said. “Did you find another job?”
“Yes, but not in teaching.” Jayden told her about Piney Wood Academy.
“That sounds wonderful, and you’ll still be helping kids,” Melanie told her. “We will sure miss you, but I understand completely and wish you the best. I appreciate you letting me know this far in advance so I can get another teacher lined up. I just got an application today from someone with your last name. Do you know a Skyler Bennett?”
“That . . . would be my sister.” Jayden’s thoughts went spinning out of control. Had Skyler lied to her about going to Mexico to start a fancy school with her fiancé? “When’s the woman’s birthday? Dallas is a huge city. There’s probably a dozen or more Skyler Bennetts living in or near the place.”
“April third, nineteen eighty-six,” Melanie answered.
What in the world? “That’s probably her, then. I can’t imagine another person having the same birthday as she does.” Questions still ran around Jayden’s head like words on a merry-go-round.
“I told her that we only had an opening in middle school math, but I may call her back and see if she’d be more interested in high school English. Since she’s your sister, what do you think she’s best qualified to teach?” Melanie asked.
“I’m really not sure how to answer that question. I would think that she could do a good job in whatever she sets her mind to do, and she’s been working as a counselor for the past several years,” Jayden answered, even though she couldn’t imagine Skyler teaching in a rundown public school instead of a prestigious private one.
“Thanks for being honest. Stop by and see me if you have time when you come back up here to move your things.”
“I sure will, and you’ll have my formal letter of resignation in the next few days.” Jayden ended the call and plopped down in a chair. Should she call Skyler, or leave things alone? What could have happened that she would leave Glory Bound? It might be petty, but she hoped that Skyler was getting a little bit of her own medicine.
“Thought I’d run by for a pick-me-up glass of tea,” Elijah said as he came through the door, hot air whooshing in behind him.
“I’m hoping that offer to stay on here as the cook still stands. I just quit my teaching job,” Jayden spit out all at once before she lost her nerve.
Elijah rushed across the room, picked her up out of the chair, and twirled her around with her feet off the floor until they both started to wobble. Then he set her down and cupped her face in his hands. “Please tell me you’re serious.”
“Very much so. I can’t stand to leave future girls in the hands of someone like those two we interviewed,” she teased. “Seriously, I want to be here at the camp with you.”
His lips met hers in a fiery kiss that caused the whole world to disappear, leaving only