A Storybook Finish by Lauralee Bliss Read Free Book Online Page A

Jeff cringed at the mere notion. No women like that
    existed in his circle of influence. If they did, they were
    independent and single-minded and refused to gravitate to his lonely
    field of interest.
    The thoughts did little to quell his nerves, especially when
    he thought of Lindsay Thomas fulfilling the eligibility status.
    He shook his head. Okay, so he was rattled by the strange
    sound of kissing emanating from the trunk of her car. Get it
    through your thick skull, Jeff. It was a prize and not a symbol of
    some future event. Besides, Lindsay most certainly had a boyfriend.
    She was that outgoing, friendly, attractive, with
    shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes to match. She was
    dating someone, no doubt about it. He was just plain, ordinary
    Jeff, the history teacher. She had made it crystal clear that
    history belonged in a Dumpster and not in her curio cabinet.
    46 Jeff swallowed down the rest of his coffee and grabbed his
    leather briefcase, stuffed to the gills with books and paperwork
    His thoughts shifted to the day’s lesson plan—a lecture
    about the Constitution—and the field trip he had planned
    with some of his brighter students this coming Saturday. In
    an afterthought, he grabbed the Christian tour guide that
    outlined the many monuments and other areas of historical
    interest in Washington, D.C. The idea of leading the students
    on a tour and pointing out the nation’s Christian heritage
    excited him. He discovered in the course of his readings how
    many of the glistening white marbled edifices heralded
    Scriptures or acclamations of God. In a nation where the
    news daily batted around the question of separation of church
    and state, the city of Washington, D.C., proclaimed God on
    nearly every governmental building and monument. This was
    what he wanted to show the students—God’s hand on a
    country, even if he wasn’t allowed to expound on that fact in a
    public school classroom.
    Jeff winced, thinking of the teacher who had accosted him
    that one morning while he read his Bible in the lounge. Then
    he smiled. There were other ways around the issues that
    divided people. And with God’s help he would teach the students
    not only historical facts, but also of the One who made
    it all happen.
    Arriving at school, Jeff decided to forego the donut and
    coffee break in the lounge and head straight for his classroom.
    The schoolroom was his sanctuary, a place where his enthusiasm
    for history pierced the minds of the young. The huge
    chalkboard still had the homework assignment etched on it.
    He wondered how many of the students had read about the
    Constitution in their textbooks last evening. He knew what
    47 they were thinking. Why bother learning about a document
    written eons ago? If only they could understand that their
    very rights as citizens of the United States stemmed from that
    important piece of parchment. Perhaps he could think of
    ways to stimulate their need to understand the document and
    history itself.
    A faint knock sounded on the door. Jeff turned to find an
    attractive woman standing in the doorway, outfitted in a black
    pantsuit, holding a briefcase in her hand. Lindsay Thomas
    looked stunning, as if she had just walked off the front cover
    of some beauty magazine. Her brown hair reflected a myriad
    of gold and auburn tones in the classroom lights. He saw her
    shift the briefcase from one hand to the other. He had come
    face to face with Miss America.
    “Good morning, Mr. Wheeler,” Lindsay announced. “You
    said you had some questions about the fundraiser?
    For a moment he couldn’t speak. He saw her shift the bag
    again. The gaze of her liquid brown eyes averted to the chalkboard
    before settling back on him.
    “Yes, I do. Come and sit down.” He presented her with
    a chair.
    Lindsay strode over and took a seat. She checked her
    watch.
    Business all the way, he thought. What does she do for fun, I
    wonder? Does she like touring museums? Visiting a