Randall Pride. Judy Christenberry
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wouldn’t be any worse off if he leaves again.”
They all nodded, as if in agreement, but Elizabeth had to hold back. She wanted to protest, to tell Jake he couldn’t let Toby leave again. But it wasn’t her business. And why did she think he shouldn’t go away again? She didn’t want to answer that question.
Red brought her out of her thoughts. “I fixed you lunch, Elizabeth. Don’t forget it.”
“I won’t, Red, but I’m going to gain weight if you don’t put less in it.”
“You need some meat on your bones, little girl. Some of those students are bigger than you.”
Elizabeth choked on her orange juice. “Red, I teach kindergarten!”
“But they still have big kids at the school. Those seniors can be difficult.”
Red’s words ended just as Drew, a senior, entered.
Red immediately dished up food for him.
“Maybe you shouldn’t feed Drew so much, Red. After all, he’s one of those dreaded seniors,” Elizabeth said, grinning.
“Hey, what did I do?” Drew asked, watching Red fill his plate.
“Nothing, dear,” Megan reassured him. “Red was concerned that some of you are bigger than Elizabeth.”
Drew snorted in disgust. “You bet we are. We’d all be shrimps if we weren’t.”
Everyone smiled, but Jake added, “Say, Pete, I wondered if you wanted to let Casey move out with the guys now that Toby’s back. He’d keep an eye on him.”
Janie protested at once, but Pete threw him a grateful look. “That’s a good idea.”
Elizabeth thought they were mistaken about Toby watching out for Casey. The old Toby would have, but the new one didn’t seem to care that much…in her opinion. But she didn’t say anything because she knew how badly Casey wanted to be counted as a grown-up.
She’d decided for several reasons she’d better be on her way when the phone rang.
Everyone stared at it. There weren’t many calls in the morning except for emergencies. B.J. grabbed it. She and Anna frequently received those kinds of calls.
With a puzzled look, she said, “Yes, just a minute.” Then she turned to Elizabeth. “It’s for you.”
Elizabeth frowned too as she took the phone.
“Elizabeth, this is Bill Johnson. Is your fiancé there?”
“No, he’s leaving this morning for Laramie. Did you try the motel?”
“Yep. I guess he’s gone.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, maybe. Can I speak to you after class today?”
“Of course. I’ll come by as soon as I’ve finished.”
“Good. I’ll—I’ll see you then.”
Chapter Three
Elizabeth wondered what Bill Johnson had to say to her, but she didn’t have a lot of time to think about it. Her morning class consisted of seventeen five-year-olds. If she took her gaze off them even for a minute, they got into trouble. But she loved their energy.
When she did think of something else, her mind seemed naturally to flow to Toby, wondering about his first day working on the ranch. And why he’d come back. Not many people turned down fame and fortune.
She also wondered why he’d changed so much. She missed the Toby of her childhood, her teenage years…until she’d reached the age of sixteen. When she’d cried the last time he’d come home from college, her mother had explained that Toby probably had a girlfriend at school and his mind was on her.
“Miss Randall? Isn’t it time to go?” Davey, one of her brightest pupils, asked, staring at the big clock on the wall.
“Oh, yes, it is. Okay, let’s line up.” Times had changed. The kindergarteners were never released until someone came for them. A number of them rode a small bus to a childcare center nearby. The rest of them were claimed by their parents. Once Elizabeth had delivered each child to a guardian, she had an hour to eat lunch and prepare for the afternoon group. It was smaller because the morning was the preferred time. Most of the children scheduled for the afternoon were the oldest and soon to turn six.
Elizabeth headed for the teachers’ lounge and the refrigerator where she’d left her lunch. Then she settled at the round table. The lounge was filled with cast-off furniture, but it was actually a pleasant room. Just as she sat down, one of the first-grade teachers, also a native of the area, joined her.
“I heard Toby’s back home! Is he going to stay a while?” Abby Gaylord asked, her eyes sparkling.
“News travels fast around here. He just came back last night.”
“I know, but he’s famous. And rich. And the last I heard he was still single.”
“That’s the last I’ve heard, too,” Elizabeth admitted reluctantly. “But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a lady. He’s not acting like himself.”
“Ooh! I bet he has a broken heart! I’ll be glad to console him.” Abby’s gaze was intent on Elizabeth.
“Did you want me to tell him that?”
“No! Don’t be silly. He wouldn’t look at me. Not with you hanging around,” Abby said with a wry smile.
Elizabeth concentrated on her sandwich. “He’s my cousin.”
“Honey, there’s no blood kinship. Everyone knows that.”
Elizabeth’s heartbeat sped up. She’d never admitted to anyone in the family that she’d finally figured that out when she was sixteen. Toby was considered a Randall in every way. For almost a year Elizabeth had held that information close to her heart. Then Toby’s behavior had told her it didn’t matter.
“Do you think he’ll come to the big Halloween party?”
Elizabeth stared at the other woman. “That’s two months away.”
“I know, but we could get him to sign autographs for a dollar and make a lot of money for the teachers’ fund.”
“I can ask him. I’m not sure he’ll be here by then, but I’ll check with him.”
“Thanks, Elizabeth. Or he could have a kissing booth for five dollars a kiss. Then we’d really make a killing.”
Elizabeth ended that idea. “No. Toby wouldn’t like that.” She wouldn’t like it, whether he did or not.
“Okay. Just a thought. But ask him about doing autographs. That would be great. Oh, I’ve got a better idea. We could have a raffle and the winner gets a date with Toby. Yeah, he could do that and the autographs. It wouldn’t kill him to spend one evening with a local lady, Elizabeth. Please ask him.”
Elizabeth didn’t like that idea either. But it was more reasonable than him kissing a hundred women. With a sigh she promised she would.
“Is he still as good-looking as ever?”
Elizabeth was fast developing a headache. “Yes.”
“Come on. Aren’t you going to give me some details?” Abby asked, practically salivating as she waited.
“No. Abby, you’ve known him all your life. He looks the same.”
Abby sighed and lapsed into silence, staring into space.
Elizabeth knew what her friend was seeing in her mind. A tall man, muscular, but rangy, with a singular grace, light brown, almost golden eyes, dark hair, strong features…and a beautiful smile that varied between cocky and sympathetic. The desire