A Matter of Destiny (3 page)

"Yes, and the newspaper office. That's as far as I've gotten. They all say they'll keep me in mind, but no one pays much, if anything at all. I could drive into Sandpoint if I have to, but I think the boys need me close by."

At that moment, Sharon spotted Father Simmons as he sauntered into the small family restaurant and headed straight for their table.

It was obvious he'd just been to the barber, his white hair was so short. His lined face was untroubled, as if he hadn't a care in the world, but she knew better.

"Sharon, Paula, how've you been?"

"Fine," they both answered, then Sharon asked him to sit down.

He did. "What're you lovely ladies up to?"

"Job hunting," Sharon explained, and briefly outlined her day thus far. "Paula's here to boost my spirits."

The priest listened intently, rubbing his chin as she spoke. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle with an inner light.

"Have you tried the school district? They might need someone. Right after the new semester begins, the administration posts the openings they haven't filled."

Sharon thanked him for his suggestion and promised to check into it after lunch. He excused himself, and joined an elderly couple at another table.

After he'd left, Sharon turned to her friend. "How's Ty?"

Paula stared out the window, her blue eyes filling with tears. Turning back to Sharon, she said, "We can't seem to get along at all, and he won't talk to me about it. He just..."

She stopped, and Sharon reached over to squeeze Paula's hand.

"I wish you'd talk to Father Simmons. He's counseled married couples for years and might be able to help."

Paula shook her head. "I couldn't. Ty would be furious if he knew I'd talked about our marriage to anyone, especially someone he didn't know."

"You have to do something. I'll go with you if you want."

Paula drew her lips into a straight line. "No, Sharon. Thank you, but no."

Sharon sighed. "All right, I'll drop it." She felt helpless in the face of Paula's unhappiness.

The waitress brought their chicken salads, the spicy meat and tangy dressing making a delicious combination. Sharon ate with relish, admitting to a twinge of envy that Paula had a husband to worry about.

She was certain Ty loved Paula very much, but he was such a proud man, dissatisfied with the way things had turned out. Sharon knew Paula was still awed by the big Scandinavian she'd chosen as her second husband.

Ty was over six feet tall, with hair bleached nearly white by the sun. He worked hard on their small farm, but had been irritable and restless lately.

Tom had tried to find his friend work at the logging company before the accident. She set down her fork and swallowed hard, trying to concentrate on Paula's anecdotes about her eight-year-old Jason.

"I've never seen a child with so much energy," Paula said. "It wears me out just watching him."

Sharon laughed. "You should have seen Luke when he was small. Believe me, I know what you're going through. Maybe they grow out of it eventually."

Paula shook her head and laughed. "That's encouraging."

Sharon's attention wandered as a sudden vision of Tom wrestling with a four-year-old Luke popped into her mind. She stared out the window, seeing only the past.

Paula touched her arm. "Sharon, are you all right?"

"What? Oh, I was just..." She stopped, realizing she didn't want to burden her friend, who had her own problems. She pushed back her chair. "Thanks for meeting me, Paula. Once again, you've given me the courage to face the world."

Paula smiled, but the worry remained in her eyes. "Good luck. Call me tonight and tell me what happened."

Sharon headed for the Hollow Bend Middle and High School, located on Tamarack Hill where the school overlooked the Kootenai River. She felt a budding excitement at the prospect of working there.

She pushed through the heavy glass door into the Administration Office and shivered when a stiff breeze brushed past her legs.

Sharon hesitated when she saw the receptionist. The woman looked about twenty-five and exuded an air of complete confidence. Her blue business suit was beautifully tailored, and her dark hair cut very short, the picture of the perfect secretary.

There's nothing wrong with the way I look, Sharon told herself. Clearing her throat, she said, "Excuse me." The woman glanced up, and waited for her to go on. "I was wondering, are you taking applications?"

The secretary rummaged through a drawer, then stood with several papers in her hand. "There are three openings right now, a receptionist/clerk position, cafeteria worker, and library assistant. Fill out this application and questionnaire, and we'll keep them on file."

She handed the papers to Sharon, along with a pencil, and went back to her desk.

Sharon surveyed the room for a place to write and spotted a row of school desks lined up against the wall. She eased into one of them and studied the forms. As she tapped her pencil on the desk, trying to figure out the best answers, the outer door opened and Joe Reardon came into the office.

Chapter Two

Sharon's breathing halted. She was stunned by her instant response to the teacher's good looks. Maybe it was his sensitivity that appealed to her. Not since she'd first met Tom had she felt such an attraction to a man.

A wave of guilt swept over her. She shouldn't be thinking about such things.

He didn't see her, so she sat quietly, studying his tall frame. His shoulders were so broad his blue shirt stretched to fit. The back of his dark hair curled over the collar.

Sharon wondered how he maintained his tan with the rapid approach of winter.

"Susan, is Mr. Greaves back yet?"

His deep voice was warm and vibrant. The secretary smiled sweetly. What a change in her personality, Sharon thought.

"No, he isn't, Joe, but I'll buzz you as soon as he comes in."

I'll just bet you will, Sharon thought wryly.

"Thanks." Joe turned and his gaze met Sharon's with a slight jolt. "Mrs. Quinn, what are you doing here? Are the boys okay?"

"They're fine, thanks. I'm looking for a job."

He tried to slip into the desk beside her, but couldn't quite fit. He stood towering over her instead. She had to lean back to look up at him.

"Any luck?" he asked.

She shook her head, and glanced at the secretary to see if she was listening. "Not yet."

Joe put his foot on the chair next to her and rested his arm on his knee. His face was close to Sharon's as he said, "I'll keep my ears open."

They stared into one another's eyes for a long moment, neither capable of looking away. Then Joe moved, but not before Sharon recognized a certain vulnerability, not unlike her own.

"I'd better get back to class," he said in a slightly husky voice, and cleared his throat. "Good luck."

His wink lifted her spirits, and she felt invincible, if only for an instant.

He turned to go, and she said quickly, "Thank you, Mr. Reardon."

He raised his hands in protest. "Please, call me Joe. I feel ancient enough with the kids calling me Mr. Reardon all day."

Sharon already thought of him as Joe. "All right, Joe. Bye."

She stared at the closing door, and shifted in the chair. Her gaze met the secretary's calculating glare.

How much had she heard? Sharon smiled, but the other woman went back to her work, ignoring her. Sharon sighed and returned her attention to the papers.

Joe's image kept intruding. What was he doing in a place like Hollow Bend? She could imagine all the hearts fluttering in the small town. With the forms completed, she took them up to the counter.

The woman looked over the application while Sharon waited. There wasn't a hint of encouragement on the secretary's face.

"That's all for now, Mrs. Quinn. The positions must be posted for a full week before we can begin interviewing. We'll be in touch."

Deflated, Sharon murmured her thanks and turned toward the door. What had she expected, a red carpet and brass band to herald her return to the job market?

On the way home, she passed the cemetery, but didn't go in. She didn't want to see Tom's name on a plot in the ground.

Was there something wrong with her for refusing to acknowledge the gravesite? Most widows she knew made weekly visits and seemed to draw comfort from it. The whole ritual was alien to Sharon.

Resolutely putting it out of her mind, she thought about the position at her sons' high school.

"I know," Joseph explained to Serena, "but I didn't help her directly. Father Simmons is an ally we've used before. He knew what to do, once I'd whispered in his ear."

Serena gazed at him for a long moment, and Joseph felt his soul laid bare. He squirmed uncomfortably, and tried a crooked grin.

Serena waved her hand in dismissal as she smiled with him. "All right, no harm done. But remember, Joseph, you're not one of them. What if you make the wrong choices for Sharon?"

He swallowed hard past a very human lump in his throat. "I'll try to do better."

Joseph wondered if Serena heard his deep sigh as he left her presence. Probably. He'd never been very good at hiding anything from the Head Guardian.

The boys knew enough to tiptoe around her the whole next week as she waited for a call. Sharon heard Luke tell David,

"Mom's in one of
those
moods, so watch out."

She made a few more half-baked attempts at job hunting, but had her heart set on the receptionist position. Sharon called the secretary once and was politely, but firmly, told that she would be contacted soon.

The mail brought a MasterCharge bill one morning. Sharon was puzzled as she looked it over. "Madelaine's Lingerie Shop, Portland, Oregon, $85." She didn't know what to make of it.

She would've remembered if Tom had brought her lingerie, especially something that cost eighty-five dollars!

Maybe he'd had it in the truck when he crashed, and the police had thrown it away, thinking it would only be a distressing reminder. She didn't think they could do that.

Cramming the statement into the bill box, she slammed the drawer shut.

When the call from school finally came, Sharon was a wreck. The secretary asked her to come in the next day for an interview and typing test.

"Typing test? It's been a long time." Sharon's palms grew moist.

"It's a requirement for all applicants," the woman explained, a bit on the impatient side.

"I'll be there," Sharon assured her and dropped into a chair after she hung up. Typing test. She should have borrowed a typewriter and practiced.

It was too late now. The best thing to do was to relax and get a good night's sleep so she'd feel fresh in the morning.

By the time Sharon left the Admin Office the next day, she was in a state of shock. She was positive she'd failed the typing test, and this fact had made her tense during the interview with the principal, Mr. Greaves.

He had stood after talking with her for only ten minutes.

"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Quinn. We'll be sending letters to all the applicants in just a few days."

She touched his extended hand briefly, and left the room. A few days! More waiting. The principal's description of the hours and salary involved had only made her covet the position more.

As Sharon walked to the car, her feet dragged.

"Hey, why so glum?"

Sharon snapped out of her woolgathering to find Joe Reardon walking beside her. "Oh, hi."