The Good Daughter by Jane Porter Read Free Book Online Page B

wouldn’t know what cat tasted like.”
    “How about horse?”
    “Of course I don’t eat horse.”
    “Do you think you’d know if you did?” Polly retorted sweetly, too sweetly, carrying her steaming cup to the table and taking a seat opposite Kit’s. She had the coiled tension of a cat before it pounced.
    Kit exchanged glances with Shelley, aware that Polly would soon annihilate Bob if he didn’t back off. But Bob didn’t understand women, and he never backed off. He was too besotted with Polly to do anything but engage.
    Everyone on the staff knew that forty-something-year-old Bob had a thing for Polly. He’d harbored the crush for years. The staff also knew that beautiful, brainy, irreverent Polly always had some rich, successful, impossibly good-looking boyfriend, which put her firmly out of Bob’s reach. But Bob couldn’t let the dream of Polly go, and like the awkward teenage boy he must once have been, he forced her to acknowledge him by inserting himself into all her conversations.
    All the time.
    “Heard the girls’ basketball team has a big tournament this weekend,” Kit said to Shelley, trying to change the subject, hoping she could distract Polly from toying with Bob. He wasn’t a mouse, she’d told Polly more than once. There was no reason to torment him.
    “Yeah, in Sacramento,” Shelley agreed. “We’re leaving right after school. Five games tomorrow. Three more Sunday if we’re inthe winning bracket. Four if we’re in the losing bracket. Kids are going to be exhausted.”
    Kit had taught with Shelley, a Walla Walla native, and a former softball all-star at the University of Washington, for fifteen years now and was one of Kit’s favorite faculty members. They rarely saw each other outside of school, but every now and then they’d all go out for drinks and Kit enjoyed Shelley’s mellow personality. Shelley was cool, all-around company. “I wish I could attend some of the games, but I’ll be in Capitola. Too bad you’re not closer. Like San Jose. I could have driven over for some games there.”
    Polly allowed herself to be diverted. “Less than three hours now until we go. Thank you, Jesus. So ready for a break. I can’t focus today. I’m sleepy, and restless, and keep staring at the clock.”
    “Oh, the joys of being a teacher,” Bob sonorously intoned, closing the lid on the little plastic container he brought his sandwich in. “But as you know, one doesn’t teach for the money. It’s a calling.” He launched himself with difficulty onto his feet. “Like the priesthood. Not everyone can do it.”
    “This is madness,” Polly muttered, dropping her face to just inches above her steaming cup. “I should have gone back to my room.”
    “It’s okay,” Kit whispered back. “He’s on his way out.”
    “Thank God. I want to punch him.”
    But then Bob dropped back into his chair, apparently having second thoughts about leaving. “We have to rise to the challenge,” he said. “This isn’t just a job, it’s a mission, a—”
    “Calling,” Polly finished impatiently. “Like the priesthood. Got it. And I don’t want to be rude but I really don’t want to do this right now, Bob.”
    “Do what?”
    “This.” Polly waved her hand in large circles. “The lecture. Or inspirational address or whatever you call it. I’m tired. Hungry. And dying to have a little girl talk with Kit, so…”
    His chest puffed out. His ruddy cheeks turned crimson. “Am I intruding?”
    “No, of course not.” Polly smiled and her expression turned feline. “Not at all. I just wanted to warn you that the topic was going to get personal. I have terrible cramps because it’s that time of the month and I’m not sure everything’s all right down there with my plumbing—”
    “Oh, no.” Bob shot to his feet, bumping the table. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to have a look at a malfunctioning printer in the computer science lab.”
    Kit suppressed her laughter until the door