Win Me Over Read Free Page A

interesting.”
    â€œYou’re being sweet. Hipsters and feminists are interesting. My mother is—”
    â€œShe’s an abomination. But we love her.” Eric cut Callie off as he breezed through the kitchen to grab a package of napkins and head back out front.
    â€œWe do love her. But visits from her exhaust me emotionally.”
    â€œSorry, Cal.” Mike picked up the box and began to herd Claire toward the door. “Why don’t you go over to Anne’s tonight? She’s a mess trying to prepare for the conference, and I know how hanging out together always makes you feel better. Drink wine, eat cupcakes, or do whatever female bonding shit you do.”
    â€œUncle Mike, the s word is a no-thank-you word, ’member?”
    Callie laughed at Claire’s scolding of Mike. Their sweet little Claire was an original. In Callie’s professional opinion Mike and Anne needed to get the child a sibling and quick. In a crowd she was sweet and shy, but around those she was close to she was a little princess herself.
    â€œI seem to use a lot of no-thank-you words,” Mike said quietly before he followed Claire back to the front of the store. He turned to Callie once more at the front door, giving her a serious look. “But seriously, Anne would never say so, but I think she could use a visit. She’s stressed, and I’m not good with things I can’t fix for her. I’d appreciate you going over and cheering her up.”
    Callie groaned. “Why do you have to keep being so perfect? It’s really annoying.”
    Mike grinned. “I adore you, too, Callie.”
    Eric tossed Mike a bottle of chocolate milk for Claire and then before he and Claire left he called over his shoulder, “Thanks, guys. See ya later.”
    The door shut behind them and Callie glanced at the clock. “Oh crap!” She ran to the back, untying her flour-dusted apron. “Eric, I’m gonna be late to practice if I don’t get out of here.”
    The dance team met immediately after school except for Fridays, which were often game days. If it was a home game the team would perform at halftime. Admittedly, this second job had turned out to be a little bit more of a time commitment than Callie had first anticipated, but she was surprised at how much she’d instantly fallen in love with it. So far it was worth the craziness in her life. She figured this was the time. She was young and healthy. Single and definitely not looking. If she was going to live, she intended to live big and stay busy.
    Plus it was dance, which had always been her escape. Her life had always been hectic; when she was younger it was schoolwork, pageants, and all the drama that came along with being the daughter of Her Hines and the King of Plungers. No matter how crazy life had been, Callie had always made room for dance, ever since her mother had enrolled her in tap and ballet at the age of three. That had started a lifelong love affair. She loved it all, jazz, modern, even ballroom, which she’d taken in college, where she’d earned a scholarship to be on the university’s dance team. Now she’d come full circle, she was teaching, and it was amazing.
    Twenty minutes later Callie was in the high school gym breathing in the stench of teenage sweat, hairspray, and Victoria’s Secret lotion. But she was happy. The music was pounding, and she was joining her girls in a hard stretch before they practiced their latest routine, the one they’d be performing tomorrow night. She let out a breath and felt all of her stress fade away.
    *   *   *
    Bennett Clark was late for practice, which really pissed him off, but a student needing some extra help on a homework assignment took precedence over football. For at least a few minutes.
    Bennett had texted his assistants to let them know, but he hated to be late. Especially when it was only the third full week of school. These