Love Lessons Read Free

turtleneck underneath. He stopped for a few seconds at her mahogany hair that fell in a mass of curls halfway down her back. Beautiful but wild, which he guessed was due to the wind. Her light scent of vanilla hung in the air, a reminder even after she’d left that she’d been in his car. His memory of her sloe-eyed gaze, so dark it was almost black, prodded him to give her a chance at the job. For a moment in the living room, their eyes had touched, and he hadn’t been able to deny the sense of connection. Which was why he was leery.
    He’d decided on the ride to her place not to hire her. As she’d talked earlier at his house and in the car, he’d realized she was too different from what he was used to. And too young. He’d learned, painfully, opposites didn’t really attract. His ex-wife and he had gone in different directions since they had gotten married. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
    Although he wouldn’t have to be around Alexa much, her whimsical attitude would drive him up the wall in less than a week. What teacher didn’t have lesson plans? Okay, she was still studying to be a teacher and maybe she hadn’t gotten to that part. But still surely structure and organization were important to any teacher. And having a routinewas definitely important for Jana. That was what had kept them both sane these past few months doing something he’d never dreamed he would do. That and the Helping Hands Homeschooling Group.
    No, he’d go with the first candidate he interviewed two days before—a retired teacher whom the agency had sent. A young woman just wouldn’t give Jana the stability she needed right now in her life. Jana’s world had been rocked when her mother walked out on them fourteen months ago, a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. She hadn’t even called her daughter on her last birthday or at Christmas. She’d only sent lavish presents with a signed card and a brief note, as if that were enough. The Fergusons—father and daughter—definitely didn’t need another flighty, irresponsible woman in their lives.
    As he turned into a parking lot at a strip mall, his grip on the steering wheel tightened until pain streaked up his arms. Tracy had left him for another man and obviously didn’t even care about her own daughter. What kind of God would do that to a little girl whose world used to revolve around her mother?
    Half an hour later Ian returned home after finishing his two errands. His daughter stood at the door to the garage waiting for him. After each interview, Jana had given her opinion of the candidate and none of them had pleased her. She wasn’t happy with him having to work more. She craved his attention, and was wary of strangers. He certainly understood why after her mother abandoned her—and him—for a man Jana had never met.
    â€œHey, pumpkin.” Ian entered the house, the scent of dinner teasing his senses. “Ah, Madge is making her lasagna for us. I love Tuesdays and Thursdays when she’s here to cook dinner.”
    â€œYep, your cooking isn’t exactly up to her standards.”
    â€œI’d have to take classes for years to be up to her standards.” Another job he’d had to take over when his wife left. At least he’d graduated from putting prepared dinners in the oven to heat up to actually following a simple recipe.
    â€œI asked her for lasagna because nothing is going right. Well, except the rocket launch.” His daughter’s mouth twisted into a pout. “I don’t want anyone else to teach me.”
    â€œI can’t do it all right now. It’s only until the end of April. Not a life sentence.”
    â€œI’ll work on my own when you need me to. I promise.”
    â€œYour education is too important to me to leave it to random chance.” Sighing, he made his way to the family room and sat on the couch. He might be sorry, but he