Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,13

he’ll be able to fit in another visit before he has to return to the service.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to let her know that he wouldn’t be going back but he said nothing. That would just open up questions for the kids that I don’t want to answer right now. He nodded. “I can arrange to come back easily.”

Her worried expression fled, and it struck him how glad he was that he’d been able to give her an answer that brought about such a beautiful smile. Turning to look toward the kids, he was more relaxed now that he saw their eager faces. “I’m glad to have the opportunity to thank you for writing to me. It was a real surprise when I got the first letter, and I wasn’t sure that I had anything to say. But I was grateful as the letters kept coming, giving me a little piece of home no matter where I was.”

“Did you miss home?”

The question came from a girl in the front row, her blue eyes sharp behind her glasses as she held his gaze.

“Yes, of course. I had moved around a lot as a kid, but this was where I made some of my best memories, including my teenage years, so… yeah. I missed Maine.”

Other hands lifted into the air, and for a few seconds his breath caught in his lungs, hating to talk about himself, but Lucy’s soft voice cut through his panic.

“Okay, class, you need to thank Sergeant Roster for dropping by and then form a line. Mrs. Carswell will be here momentarily.”

With efficiency worthy of military precision, she had the class lined up at the door and watched as they were escorted down the hall. Before he could blink, he was alone with her. But seeing her standing in front of him, her dark eyes peering up and her lips curved, he hated that he had no excuse to stay.

“You shaved.”

He blinked, lifting his hand to his clean-shaven face. “Uh, yes.”

She laughed, the sound already familiar from having heard it while she sat on the floor of the hardware store. “I mean since your photograph.” She nodded toward the bulletin board at the front of the classroom. “The one you sent. You had more of a dark beard then.”

“Oh, yeah.” He nodded in understanding, then jerked his gaze back to her. “Did you recognize me at the store?”

“Goodness, no, or I would have introduced myself. There was something about you. Something familiar, but I couldn’t place it. And then I… well, I made a complete fool of myself.”

A deep chuckle rumbled forth. “No, you didn’t. It was just an accident. It could have happened to anyone.” While he doubted that most people would have tripped so spectacularly over their own feet, he didn’t want her to feel self-conscious.

She threw her head back and laughed. The sound of mirth so pure pierced his chest.

“You’re very polite, John Roster, but believe me, my family would disagree with you. I am known to be a bit of a klutz and sometimes get so lost in my head that I’m not surprised I trip over my feet. Although, in my defense, I was trying to figure out why you looked so much like… um… our class pen pal but couldn’t imagine you were in Maine.”

“At least you didn’t run into a display and knock it over.”

“Oh, I’ve done that before. In the grocery store, and it was a display of peas. Cans of peas ended up rolling all over the floor.”

Lifting a brow, he grinned. “I wish I could have seen that.”

She rolled her eyes, another delightful blush rising over her cheeks. For a moment, silence settled between them, and he desperately wanted to keep her talking. “I’m sorry to have just dropped in. It never dawned on me that the class would have a schedule—”

She halted his words when she placed her hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. “Oh, no. Please, don’t apologize. I’m so glad you came. I mean, it was a treat for me… uh, and the kids… of course, the kids.”

He stared down at the warmth spreading up his arm from her touch and wondered if she felt it, too. From the way a blush rose from her neckline to her forehead and her eyes widened as she stared down at their connection, he figured she did. At least, he hoped she did.

“I should get your number if that’s all right.” He heard the words