“The first day is always the hardest,” Graig Case said to himself. He wasn’t sure how else to psyche himself up. He walked out of the main office of the high school. He stopped in front of the auditorium and drank in the view from the top of the marble steps. After the craziness of the last few months—the moving, the uncertainty of his job situation and playing a hunch with his career…he had a job. He still hadn’t wrapped his mind around having earned the final interview and being offered the position. He wasn’t a substitute any longer. Now, he was the real deal.

He stared at the keys in his hand. This year he’d been given an honest-to-God classroom, not a portion of the library. He’d been assigned to the art hallway. Sure, that was probably the only open room and not too big, but who cared? The classroom was his!

He leaned on the wall. A row of staff photos decorated the space above the bank of doors leading to the front of the school building. My colleagues. They’d been nice to him during the previous year, but half of them hadn’t expected him to return. The substitutes tended to be there for the school year and moved on or burned out by the next.

Graig chuckled. He wasn’t out or giving up, since he had a classroom right down the hallway from Tessa Martin. Just thinking about her warmed him all over. He’d flirted with her the year before and had almost asked her out twice, but had lost his nerve. They were friends and he’d told himself not to screw things up with her. She’d been nice to him and had given him the tipoff when her apartment complex had a few units open. Without her, he wouldn’t have his current place—right across the courtyard from her. During the summer, he’d run into her a few times in the parking lot. Each time they were together, she made him think twice about her. If he hadn’t gotten into a relationship with his last girlfriend, Lila, he would have made a play for Tessa. But he’d chosen Lila.

He snorted. Lila. She’d been a mistake from the start. She refused to support his career and hadn’t wanted him to take the substitute teaching job. When he’d signed the lease for the apartment, Lila had left him. According to her, he was wasting time at the high school and making a fool of himself by getting a place to live right there in town. She claimed he was meant for bigger and better things. He wasn’t so sure.

Not that Lila’s opinion mattered all that much. She’d broken things off with him. She’d acted almost sincere when she’d told him to go to hell after he revealed he’d been offered the contract to work at the high school. She’d dumped him on the spot.

He focused on someone better—Tessa. Who was he kidding? Running into her and those chance conversations weren’t enough, but he’d never quite gotten her out of his system. When he’d seen her and spoken to her, she’d blush, smile and hurry away before he could get much conversation going. He should’ve stood his ground and asked her out for coffee. But he hadn’t. He’d given her space.

Tessa’s image grinned from her spot on the wall. In the photo, she’d pulled her dark hair away from her face and the cowl-neck sweater bunched up beneath her chin. It wasn’t the best photo, even if she did look happy. He shouldn’t stare. It wasn’t polite, but like last year, he was still drawn to her. She had such a pretty face, bright smile and infectious laugh. Being around her made him happy and put him at ease. But she always hid herself under those baggy sweaters and bulky aprons. Her clothing choices hadn’t flattered her figure.

Part of him wanted to tell her how he felt—that she was a diamond in the rough and had so much sparkle within her. But his tendency to speak his mind and say the wrong things would put her off. Not that he blamed her.

Maybe she needed some encouragement…just like he did. She seemed so shy, but once he’d gotten to know her, she’d gained a little confidence. Could he help her find more? He doubted he’d be the catalyst, but he had an entire school year down the hall from her.

He noticed someone coming toward him out of the corner of his eye. Once the man got closer, Graig recognized him—a fellow teacher named Adam. A couple of inches shorter than Graig and stockier, Adam seemed like a nice enough guy. Shy, but decent and good with his students.

“Hi,” Graig said. He stood tall. “I got the job.” He’d spoken to Adam a few times over the previous year and counted him as an acquaintance. Would Adam care if he’d been hired? He wasn’t sure, but the thrill of having a job overrode his ability to keep his mouth shut.

“Nice.” Adam stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets. “Then why are you standing here? Your classroom isn’t in the foyer…is it? I hope not, but with the different downsizing, I’m not shocked by anything.” He stayed beside Graig. “What’s so exciting about the staff photos? Or are you getting amped up about being on the wall? We never seem to look classy in those pictures.”

Shit. Not only had he been caught staring at the pictures, but also deep in his thoughts. Maybe Adam hadn’t noticed which photo he’d been standing in front of and would continue to believe he wanted to be part of the group. “You’re right. I’m awestruck and drinking in the moment.” He laughed. “I didn’t think I’d get the job and knowing I’m going to be included is pretty awesome.”

“I knew you would. You’re reliable.” Adam shrugged. “I bet your girlfriend was thrilled. Now you can settle down and buy a house. All of the new hires buy houses. It’s like a rite of passage or something. I didn’t, but I don’t want one yet.”

He rocked on his heels. Adam’s words were the last thing he’d expected to hear. “Wow. You just put the cart and everything else before the horse. I’m starting with the apartment in town. A house and settling down are the last things on my mind.” He shook his head. “Besides, my girlfriend dumped me because she didn’t like my career choice.”

“Ah, so you’re making room for Tessa.” Adam stared at him. “You know she’s not interested.”

“Um…okay.” Shit. Adam was more perceptive than he’d thought. Graig measured his words. He’d stumbled onto the one sore topic with Adam—Tessa. Adam had been in love with Tessa forever. But he’d been the one acting skeevy by staring at her picture. Graig sighed. “I’ve been assigned to her hallway and she’s going to be the department chair. I might not be in her group, but I want to make a good impression and get her to like me enough to talk to me more.” He’d bumbled all over what he’d meant to say, but trying to save face wasn’t going to happen now.

Adam’s eyebrows rose. “Like or like?”

Oh, Jesus. Was Adam testing him? He hesitated a moment to think through his answer. “I want her to see me as a colleague. I don’t want things to be awkward because I’m new or if I have to come to her with an issue. We talk, but I need someone I can trust.” Did I just make things sound worse? Crap. “She can be a little intimidating.” Besides, he wanted to be included.

“Once you get her to open up, she’s a good egg. I don’t blame you for trying.” Adam shrugged again. “As long as you keep things civil and professional, it’ll be fine.”

This time, he stared at Adam. A good egg? Where had Adam come up with that phrase?

“One of these days, she’ll agree to a date.” Adam puffed out his chest. “She will. She just doesn’t realize we’re meant for each other.”

“Adam…she’s a person. She’s got free will. If she hasn’t agreed yet…then she might not. You have to treat her like an equal.” He’d popped Adam’s bubble, but if Tessa hadn’t agreed yet, then there was a good chance she might not ever. He doubted Adam cared to hear the truth and it wasn’t his job to speak it, but it was too late.

“I do.” Adam frowned. “Do you think she’s hot? Would you date her if she said yes? What do you think?”

He paused a moment. He had to be careful since Adam had pretty much steamrolled over his last burst of truth. “Well, I think she’s beautiful, yes. I’d like to get to know her better and I think if someone can get beyond the surface and reach her, they’d be very happy.” Happy? Better than that. He sensed a fire within her that just needed to be stoked. He wanted to be the man to make her burn.

“Well, get in line behind me.” Adam started to walk away, then paused. “Good luck this year. It’s a whole new ballgame.” He wandered off without another word.

Graig leaned on the marble again. Of course this year was a new one. He had no idea what to expect, but he’d knock this one out of the park. The school believed in him and he had faith in himself.

As he considered Tessa’s photo again, his phone pinged and vibrated in his pocket. A text. Without thinking or taking his gaze off Tessa, he tugged the phone free. He glanced down at the screen to check the message. Christ. It was from Lila.

Are you going to be home later? I’m coming over. See you then.

He sighed. She loved to pull him in, then shove him away when things didn’t go her way. At least she didn’t have a key to his apartment. If she had, she’d probably be waiting there for him. Hell, she would’ve already gone to his place and snooped. He turned his back on the view and the photos, then raked his fingers through his hair. He had to answer. But how to be delicate without leading her on?

We split up. You don’t need to come over.

As soon as he’d sent the message, another one from Lila popped up.

I have some of your things I want to give back to you. I want to see you rather than leave them in a box by your car.

He groaned. Of course she had something for him. Always a reason to meet back up. Fuck.

Why don’t we meet at the Perk? I’ve got school tomorrow and should come in early. I’d rather meet there.

There. He’d been truthful and to the point. Besides, the place was in public and he could leave without her. They’d broken up. Why in the hell did she want to keep toying with him?

His phone pinged again and he brought up the message.

No. I’ll be in the neighborhood of your apartment and won’t take no for an answer. Will be over after work. Smooches.

He rolled his eyes. She wasn’t giving up. He’d lost this round. He tucked his phone back into his pocket. Did he have to answer the door when she showed up? No, but he’d be taking the coward’s way out. Another groan bubbled in his throat. He’d face her and try to let her down gently…again.

When he glanced down the hallway, he noticed Tessa in the flesh in the corridor with her sister. His heart skipped a beat. He wiped his clammy palms on his pantlegs. He felt an odd kinship with Adam—he wanted to know what it would be like to be with Tessa, too. He liked her more than he’d thought and wanted a chance. She made him laugh, was smart as hell and adorable. He stood tall. Now was the time to talk to her and see if the attraction could blossom into something mutual.

* * * *

Tessa stopped in the office and picked up the first pieces of interschool mail. She snorted. None of the papers were all that important—order forms for staff shirts, memos about the upcoming meetings and a reminder to bring a dish to the break-out meetings the next day.

“Do you have lots to do?” Peri asked. Her sister elbowed her. “Are you ready? Or do you need a few more minutes?”

“Me?” Tessa chuckled. “This is my last day of freedom. I have plenty of things to do, but not many can be done today. What did you want?” She eyeballed Peri. She’d always been jealous of her sister—Peri had the beauty, the sweet personality and the extroverted qualities she wanted. Whenever they went out, she ended up being relegated to the fifth-wheel status.

“How about your love life? Got a guy yet?” Peri leaned on the counter. “Anyone?”

“No…and I’m not looking.” She sucked in her belly. Being beside her sister stirred up her anxieties. She’d never be as tall or thin as she’d wanted. She’d never be Peri.

“I heard there is a guy who might be interested.” Peri grinned. “Denny and I could set you up. Wouldn’t that be good?”

I’d rather stab myself in the eyeball with a paintbrush. “I’m not going out with Adam. No thanks.” Adam was a sweet man and cute, but there wasn’t any attraction.

“Oh. No.” Peri shook her head. Her blonde hair slipped over her shoulder. “Not him.” She froze, then a wide smile broke out on her lips. “Will you go with me to the car? I need to give you a couple of blouses. I bought them but the colors are better on you. I guess I was subconsciously shopping for you.”

“Are you kidding? They’ll be too small.” Her sister was a size two, which was a far cry from her size ten. Besides, if the blouses were even close to the right size, they’d be clingy on her and she hated anything too constricting. Trust Peri to unintentionally emphasize how much they weren’t alike.

“I got them baggy.” Panic flickered in Peri’s eyes. “Just come out to the car.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. She had enough issues with her paunch and the lack of attention from the opposite sex. A form-fitting blouse wouldn’t help, especially in the August heat.

“Please?” Peri asked. She stuck out her bottom lip.

Tessa bit back her frustration. One of the few things she couldn’t handle was her sister’s pleading. “Let’s go. Maybe they’ll be perfect.”

“Don’t sound so thrilled.” Peri grabbed her keys, then Tessa’s hand. “You won’t regret it. They’re made for you.”

Sure. She allowed Peri to drag her out to the parking lot. Heat sizzled on the blacktop and bees flew around the apple trees lining the lot. She swiped at the bugs and grimaced. Nature wasn’t her friend. The bees liked her too much and she worried she’d get stung. She noticed Graig Case’s car next to hers. She sighed. Boys’ junior varsity baseball coach, subbing until a permanent gig as a history teacher in the district opened up… Graig embodied her ideal for male perfection. They’d become friends of sorts over the last year, but she’d never tell him how much she drooled over him.

Wherever Graig Case went, her damn libido seemed to follow. Who cared if he had inky black hair thick enough to run her fingers through and a smile guaranteed to light up a room? It didn’t hurt that he filled out the baseball jersey perfectly, all long legs and lanky arms. She wondered what it would be like to be held in those arms and feel the scruff on his cheeks abrading her own.

Was he back? She hoped he’d earned a better position than being a substitute teacher. They didn’t have to report until two days before the school year started and that was only if they’d been contracted in the permanent sub role. Had he been brought on as a permanent sub? Or had he nabbed the vacancy in the history department? He deserved the history teaching position.

She sighed. Graig made great eye candy. He fit the bill in the tall, dark and handsome department. Her belly tightened and her skin tingled as she thought about him. But Graig was so out of her league. Handsome men like Graig weren’t interested in her. She knew the dance too well—she was friend, not girlfriend material. Not that she could blame him. When she looked in the mirror, she saw all of her imperfections. Even if she tried, she’d never been right for him. But not being ‘right’ didn’t mean she couldn’t admire him from afar and still be friends with him. It didn’t mean she couldn’t give a change in appearance a shot—she’d drink more water, eat less and go walking more often. But she’d end up sweating and hungry. She bit back a groan. She needed to get a handle on her insecurities.

“Okay.” Peri opened the back door of her SUV and dug through a bag. “Here they are.” She pulled two blouses from the sack. “This one is extra big on me, but it’s meant to be. The blue will go with your eyes. This one says it’s one size, but I’m sure it’s not labeled right. Still, the neckline is just what you need—pretty and reveals a little, but it’s school appropriate.”

Tessa rifled through the garments. The baggy one would fit, but the other would be way too small. She frowned. No amount of exercise would get her down to the size to wear Peri’s clothes.

“Oh, hi.” Peri grinned and batted her eyelashes. “Graig, how are you?”

Tessa tensed and didn’t turn around. Graig. So he was the reason Peri had jostled her out to the lot. Tessa blew out a long breath and faced him. They’d talked before. She could do this. Hell, she’d given him the tip on the open apartment at her building and now he had the unit across the courtyard from her. When he turned on the lights in his place, she saw everything. He seemed nice, natural and easy to get along with, but he intimidated her. Why? Because he was hot and she wasn’t.

“Hi, Peri. Tessa.” Graig stood beside Peri. “Those are cute tops. Did you go shopping together? Or did I miss a birthday?”

“I picked them out for Tessa. Don’t you think she’d look great in the blue one? I do. It’ll bring out the brown in her hair and the blue in her eyes. She’s a hottie, but she doesn’t want to admit it,” Peri said. She grinned and tipped her head.

Had Tessa gotten the message? Yes. Peri was trying way too hard to sell her as something she wasn’t. The brat.

Graig shrugged. “I’m sure it will. Blue is your color, Tess.”

She finally met Graig’s gaze and pressed her lips together to help keep her jaw from hitting the asphalt. He’d paid enough attention to notice blue was her color?

“See, Tess?” Peri shoved the blouses into Tessa’s arms. “I need to go back inside. I’m supposed to meet Denny.” She closed the car door and hit the fob to lock the vehicle. “See you.” She ran up the sidewalk, leaving Tessa alone with Graig.

Tessa gritted her teeth. Her sister could be a snot sometimes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think she just set me up,” Tessa blurted. As she realized she’s vocalized her thoughts, she shrank away from Graig. “Sorry.”

“For what?” He swept his gaze over her. “You’re fine.”

She wasn’t fine. Her insecurities welled to the surface. She’d worn an old concert T-shirt and a pair of rumpled jeans to the school. Neither garment flattered her figure or covered her up enough. She clutched the garments in front of her and hoped he didn’t zero in on her hips or her paunch.

“Your sister is nice,” Graig said. “Quirky, but nice.”

“Ah. See, you have to say that. She’s the vice-principal’s wife and she runs the office. You have to make a good impression.” Unfortunately, a good impression was the last thing she was making.

“You’re right. Being nice doesn’t hurt.” Graig folded his arms and widened his stance. “Are you excited about the school year?”

“Yeah. New year. Fresh students. Clean slate.” Can I use any more clichés? “Sorry. I’m psyching myself up.”

“Nothing wrong with that. I’m trying to do the same thing.” He cocked his head. “Those shirts will show off your eyes and will be pretty against your skin. You should wear them.”

Is he flirting with me? No. She had to be imagining things. He could have any woman and didn’t need to pander to her.

“I can’t wait for this year to start,” Graig said. “It can only get better.”

“Good attitude.” She allowed herself a quick glance over him. Holy shit, he could make casual hot. The board shorts fit him like a glove and the T-shirt clung to his lean-muscled frame. She caught a whiff of his cologne… Good God, he was handsome and smelled wonderful, too. She wondered what it would be like to be caught up against him. Part of her wanted to ask him to get coffee, but the rest of her screamed to run.

“Will you be at the staff meeting tomorrow?” Graig asked.

“Yeah, I’m the de facto department chair for music and art. I can’t exactly miss it.” She leaned against her sister’s car. “You’ll be there? Nice.” She mentally patted herself on the back. She’d just flirted with him, too.

“I will and I’ll find you.” His eyes flashed.

Find me? Is he serious?

“You’re one of the few members of the staff I like to sit with at those things. You make them less boring and uncomfortable.”

“Thanks.” She bit back her shock. “You do, too.” Right. She wanted to spend time with him at a meeting. How about at a coffee shop or the park? Oh God. If she said those things, he’d walk away.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Save me a spot at the meeting.” He winked. “See you.”

Warmth spread through her limbs. “Yeah, see you.” In the grand scheme of sounding silly, she’d hit the top, but too bad. He’d noticed her. Spending time together at a meeting wasn’t her idea of great, but she’d take it.

Graig waved, then strode to his car and stopped. “You know, I’m glad you gave me the tip on that apartment. I love mine.” He grinned. “I can see you from my balcony. We should get together some time and hang out. Oh, and when you turn on the lights in your place, I can’t help but notice.”

“I’ll turn on a few less lights.”

“I don’t know. I like the view.” He waved, then sank behind the wheel of his vehicle.

She appreciated having her sister’s SUV for support. If not, she’d have fallen over. Had he said he liked the view? Holy shit. She waited until he drove out of the parking lot before she unlocked her car. The tingle in her soul wasn’t a fluke. He’d started something with her. If he was like other men, then he wanted friendship and wouldn’t be interested in doing anything else with her, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t fantasize about him. Graig Case was a masterpiece. Could he give me a chance?