The Best Is Yet to Come (45)

Hope sent a quick text back. I’m glad you know about Hunter. I should be home around five. I’ve got a couple errands to run after classes.

Hope’s head was buzzing with a warm feeling from Cade’s text as she stopped off at Bean There for her morning latte.

Willa greeted her with a knowing smile. “Something tells me you’re in an especially good mood.”

“I am,” Hope said, on a cheerful note, as she paid with her debit card.

“I don’t suppose this has to do with that handsome young man I saw you with at the football game?”

“And I would say that it most likely does.” Hope had dated a bit while in college. However, between school and her part-time jobs, there’d been precious little time for relationships. Then, after getting the news about her twin, it felt as if her whole world had imploded. She’d been too depressed and melancholy to even think about dating. Eventually she realized she needed a fresh start and had found one in Oceanside.

And with Cade.

“I remember what it was like when Sean and I first started seeing each other,” Willa said. “It seemed every day was full of sunshine even when it was cloudy and raining.”

“That’s how I feel,” Hope said. Happiness seemed to bubble up inside her as she waited while Willa brewed her drink.

“It was dark for a long time after my sister died,” Willa added. “I’ll be forever grateful for how patient Sean was with me.”

“You were right, you know, the pain never leaves, but it gets to the point that it’s tolerable.”

“I glad you’re coming to that place,” Willa said.

Only someone who had experienced devastating loss would understand the importance of finding a home, a place where they belonged and were appreciated.

“You should know,” Willa continued. “When Dr. Annie first arrived in Oceanside, she’d recently lost her entire family in a horrible mudslide. She found love and a home here, and you will, too. In fact,” she added, “it sounds like you’ve got a good start. I don’t know Cade very well, but I like what I see.”

“I do, too,” Hope said.

How confident Willa sounded about Hope’s future. That reassurance was exactly what she needed to hear. “Thank you,” she whispered, and gave Willa’s hand a quick squeeze before collecting her latte and heading to school.

Hope loved her job. This was her first year teaching teenagers, and she found she enjoyed her classes. In the computer science class, she noticed Callie broke away from her traditional seat and sat down in the chair across from Spencer.

She wasn’t sure what exactly was going on between them, but it seemed as if their dynamic had changed.

In her U.S. History class, the last one of the day, Callie once more made a point of sitting across from Spencer. Hope watched as she slipped Spencer a note. He returned it without opening or reading it.

At the sound of the bell, her class raced out the door. She watched as Callie gathered up her things and charged after Spencer.

While she was grateful that Spencer was showing some backbone where Callie was concerned, Hope couldn’t help wondering what was so important for her to chase after Spencer. Although she’d subtly tried to get Spencer to talk to her, he’d brushed her off.

Since this wasn’t one of her assigned counseling days, Hope gathered up her own things. She paused long enough to check her phone to see if she’d gotten another text from Cade. Her thoughts were full of him.

Sure enough, she found one waiting for her.

I’ll stop by after therapy

Sounds good

Hope was smiling to herself when she started out of the building. The football field was in view, and she noticed the team running practice drills. They had narrowly won the last game and Coach wasn’t letting the players get overconfident. She admired the relationship he had with the team and how closely he kept tabs on each player, making sure their studies were up to par and their behavior, too.

She was almost to her car when Lois Greenly called out to her. “Hope, there’s someone in the office asking for you.”

“For me? Man or woman?” She didn’t think Cade would come by the school; he might, though, if his session had gotten canceled.

“Woman.”

Doing an about-face, Hope headed back into the school and to the receptionist desk.

Just as Lois had told her, an elegantly dressed, middle-aged woman stood as Hope arrived. The first thing Hope noticed was the thousand-dollar Louis Vuitton handbag. The only reason she recognized it was because she’d recently seen one like it advertised in a woman’s magazine and looked it up on the Internet. The price tag was far and above anything she could afford.

“I understand you’re looking for me,” she said. She didn’t recognize the woman and was sure if they’d met previously, she’d remember. The woman was cultured and attractive.

“You’re Ms. Goodwin?”

“Yes.” She guessed this must have to do with one of her students. Perhaps a parent. The other woman seemed far too young to be a grandparent.

The woman blinked and seemed ill at ease.

“Would it be possible for us to speak privately?” she asked.

“All right.” Hope led the other woman into the room she used as a counselor.

“What can I do for you?” Hope asked, turning back to face the woman.