Fumbled (The Girls of Beachmont #1) by T. K. Rapp Read Free Book Online

interested in my program when I was trying to
get it off the ground, but Tabor was a complete stranger who had asked more
about it in two simple questions. I tried to focus on that, and not the fact
that he hadn’t flirted with me at all.
    I took a deep breath and
began recalling how the after-school program came to be.
    “I started teaching at
River Valley two years ago, and noticed that many of my students came from
single-parent homes. Others had two working parents, so the kids were going to
empty homes for a couple of hours. Not the worst thing in the world, I know.
But some of the kids were getting in trouble because they had too much idle
time. So I went to my principal with the idea for River’s Kids.”
    “So the program’s been
running for two years?” His intrigued tone was something I wasn’t used to when
I talked about the program.
    “No. Unfortunately it
took longer than I thought to get the grant money—a year, actually. But
once we got it, it was only a matter of time until kids were lined up to
participate. Several of my co-workers have given their time for an hour after
school, which allowed us to open the door to more students.”
    “That’s impressive,” he
said. “So did you apply for more grants?”
    “I’ve been in the
process of doing that and talking to several businesses to see if they’d be
willing to sponsor us.”
    “That’s great,” he said,
not elaborating further.
    “So is this why you
called me?” I asked coyly.
    “Yes,” he answered
softly, adding, “and to make sure you weren’t going to back out tonight.”
    There it is, the flirting I’m looking for.
    “I told you we’re still
on,” I laughed.
    “Just wanted to hear
your voice to make sure you weren’t lying.” I imagined his cute smile appearing
at his words, and it made my heart flutter.
    “Did I pass the test?” I
asked him, using his words from the other day.
    “Yeah. You did,” he
laughed. “We’re going to have fun tonight. I promise.”
    “Are you always so sure
of yourself?” I teased playfully.
    “There are few places in
my life where I’m not sure of myself,” he quipped.
    “And those would be?”
    He sucked in a rush of
air and tsked. “Maybe once I get to know you better I’ll let you know.”
    “Good thing I agreed to
go out with you then, huh?”
    “I’m looking forward to
seeing you,” he said sweetly. “I don’t go out very often.”
    “Oh? Why is that?” I
asked, curious why the Greek god didn’t date.
    “Work,” he said quickly.
“Work has me traveling a lot, so my schedule is pretty tough.”
    “That sucks,” I
sympathized. “How are you going to meet anyone if you never get out?”
    “I met you, didn’t I?”
    “You’ve got me there.”
    “But really, that’s the
least of my worries,” he muttered under his breath. “Just too busy, I guess.”
    I found myself unable to
respond to his words because I found them confusing. In the brief conversation
we’d had, I’d learned that he traveled a lot and he was likely too busy for
relationships.
    I wasn’t looking for an ever after , but what was the point in
going out with him if it couldn’t go anywhere?
    “I’m in town for a
while,” he finally said, breaking me of my thoughts.
    “What’s that?” I asked,
shaking the cobwebs from my mind.
    “I just realized how all
of that sounded.” He chuckled lightly. “I’m not doing any traveling for the
next couple of months.”
    “Oh, that’s great,” I
said a little to eagerly. I didn’t know Tabor from the stranger on the street,
but the idea of not getting a chance to get to know him had unsettled me.
    “I better let you go so
you can finish up before tonight. I’ll see you at seven,” he said.
    “See you then,” I said
before hanging up the phone.
    I sat at the kitchen
table staring at my phone, wishing I had been more suave. Before Philip I had
been outspoken and outgoing, but that had disappeared and I hated that I was
missing that part of