That Second Chance (Getting Lucky #1)(55)

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

I follow Kim to her classroom, which is full of glossy posters—maps, presidents, and events in history set against colorful backgrounds. Her room is a dream, and I’m kind of jealous.

“Wow, it’s amazing in here.”

“Don’t let it fool you,” Kim says, taking a seat and offering me a desk right in front of hers, where I start unpacking my lunch. “I’ve been working on this for a few years now. Once you’re here for a bit, everything will start accumulating. You should see Mrs. Martin’s room down the hall. She’s been here for fifteen years, and it shows. Her room is gorgeous. Something to strive for, right?”

“Hey, you guys.” Hailey, one of the English teachers, walks in, holding a Tupperware full of salad and a fork. We make some quick introductions; I find out she’s actually married to one of the PE teachers, and they’re expecting their second child in January.

“Have you been able to settle down yet and make your way around town?” Hailey asks, breaking into the salad after shaking it up and spreading the dressing around.

I swallow a spoonful of yogurt and nod. “Yes, I’ve had so much fun exploring the town the last few weeks. I’m still in awe that I get to live here.”

“I moved here about ten years ago from Missouri,” Kim says. “And I’m never moving back. Once you live so close to the coast, it’s hard to go back to a landlocked state.”

“Oh yeah, I can’t imagine living anywhere without a coast at this point,” I say. “Plus, everyone is so nice here.”

“And all the men around here are easy on the eyes too,” Kim says with a raised eyebrow.

Smirking, Hailey says, “Are you single, Ren?”

Why is it the married women who always ask that question? I swear it’s their mission in life to get everyone married.

“I’m single.”

“Oooh,” Hailey answers a little too gleefully. “There are so many eligible bachelors in this town, and they’re all so fine. You have some great ones to choose from.”

“Except for you-know-who,” Kim reminds Hailey.

“Oh yeah, besides those four.”

Intriguing. It looks like I’m on the cusp of some good old-fashioned Port Snow gossip. “What four?”

Hailey twirls her fork in her salad and nonchalantly says, “The Knightly brothers.”

The who?

I wasn’t expecting that, though there is something going on with that family.

“What’s wrong with the Knightly brothers?” I ask, holding my breath, a little nervous about what they’re going to say.

“You haven’t heard?” Kim asks, shocked.

“Haven’t heard what?” I look back and forth between the two of them, searching out an answer. What am I missing here? My mind flashes back to the weird comments I’ve heard over the last few weeks, the ones I’ve been trying to ignore. Could this be what they’re talking about?

“I think I’ve seen you and Griffin hanging out around town, right?” Hailey asks.

“That’s right—Mrs. Davenport was telling me he rescued you from your car, and ever since, you two have been joined at the hip,” Kim adds. “You need to know.”

“Know what?” I feel almost sick to my stomach.

The other night, with Griffin . . . God, I felt so much. From our joking conversations at the party, to the serious ones, to the walk home . . .

And then dancing in the street, his large hand spanned across my back, holding me close to his body, his masculine scent flooding me with yearning. I’ve never experienced anything so romantic, anything so spur of the moment in my entire life.

But when he held my hand, easily entwining our fingers as if we’d been doing it for years, it melted my heart on the spot. I could hardly breathe the rest of the walk home, so nervous that if I made the wrong move, he would pull away.

And when we got to my house, his hand still in mine, his gaze fixated on my lips, his palm pressed against my cheek. In that moment, the world stopped spinning, pausing midmotion as he slowly moved his mouth down to mine, a breath away, only to bolt out of reach when thunder struck.

I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted to beg him to come back, to please just press his lips against mine.

I so desperately wanted him. It was the first time he’d ever let down his guard, seemed vulnerable. I saw that he wanted me, and in the blink of an eye, the moment was taken away.

I want a redo, one more chance to show him that the kiss we were about to share would have lasted him an entire night.

Kim and Hailey exchange one more look, Kim nodding at Hailey. They both lean forward, as if they’re about to reveal the secret of a lifetime.

Hailey presses her hand to the table, growing serious. “A few years back, the Knightly boys were down in New Orleans, celebrating Brig’s twenty-first birthday. They were drunk and having too much of a good time. Somehow they stumbled into a palm reader’s table and broke it.”

“Okay,” I say, drawing it out, wary. After all, this is Port Snow gossip, and it can’t really be trusted.

“Apparently she read Brig’s palm and was terrible at it, didn’t say anything they didn’t already know. So of course, being drunk idiots, they ended up calling the whole thing a hoax and a waste of money.”