Only You (Adair Family #5)(25)

When a child wasn’t succeeding in my classroom, I made it my personal mission to help them because I felt like I wasn’t succeeding right along with them.

Perhaps the butterflies for tonight, however, had more to do with the fact that I’d be interacting with parents that I went to school with. I’d also see Thane Adair for the first time in eighteen years.

My first parent was, lo and behold, Michelle Kingsley. It was clear from her frosty demeanor and nitpicking that she’d not forgotten our high school altercation over Brodan. Fortunately, her son was a sweet kid, and I had nothing but good things to say about him. He must have taken after his father, whom I knew had divorced Michelle a few years ago.

Thinking Michelle would be the worst of the lot, I tried to relax as the evening wore on.

I caught sight of Thane and his wife Regan waiting outside my classroom with the other parents and took a deep breath as I welcomed in the mum of a new student.

“It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Harrow,” I said as I gestured for her to take a chair opposite my desk. We actually met a week ago when her daughter Callie enrolled at the school. Sloane Harrow was a very young mother. It would surprise me if she was older than twenty-five, making her a teen when she had her daughter. I knew from our first meeting that she and Callie had moved from Los Angeles on Sloane’s work visa. She’d gotten a job at Ardnoch Estate as a housekeeper. It was all a bit mysterious to me why Sloane would leave the States for a remote village in the Highlands, but it was her business.

Sloane smiled as she sat down, and I noted not for the first time how pretty she was. She had a sweet look, a natural attractiveness that wasn’t overdone, but her smile was glamorous. I wondered if all LA people were born with that certain star quality. Sloane’s sun-streaked, shoulder-length blond hair fell around her face in beachy waves, her skin glowed with a tan that would disappear after a few months in a Highland winter, and a reassuring warmth filled her large, dark brown eyes.

“I know Callie only started a week ago, but I wanted to let you know how it’s going.”

“I really appreciate that.” Sloane nodded, clasping her hands in front of her. “She really likes you, and it’s made all the difference that she has a teacher who makes her feel safe and comfortable. I wanted to thank you.” She reached into her large handbag and pulled out a Tupperware box. “I bake. I hope you like cupcakes.”

Some parents were thoughtful and had their kids bring me gifts at the end of the year, but I’d never gotten baked goods on parents’ evening. Taking the box with a gracious thank-you, I gasped when I opened them. Inside were the most beautifully decorated cupcakes. Pink buttercream frosting piped on in three different nozzle styles with pink edible pearls and little hearts scattered over them. They looked professional. “You baked and decorated these?”

She grinned, pleased by my reaction. “Baking is my passion.”

“Well, these are beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome. So, like I said, Callie seems to be fitting in, but I wanted your opinion. And to see how she’s coping with her schoolwork.”

“She’s doing very well,” I promised, and she slumped with relief. I loved dealing with parents who really cared. Unfortunately, there were some parents who never bothered to show and others who only showed because it looked bad if they didn’t. It was clear, however, from the sincerity in her expression that Sloane Harrow loved her kid. “She made friends on day one.” With none other than Lewis Adair. I’d kept an eye out for Callie during the break this past week, and I’d spotted her on the playground with Lewis and his friends. “They’ve spent every break together, and they’re good kids.”

“Lewis.” Sloane nodded. “She’s been talking a lot about him.”

“Lewis Adair, yes.”

Her eyes rounded. “As in … my boss Adair?”

I nodded, hoping she wasn’t uncomfortable with that because I didn’t think it would be wise at this juncture to ask Callie to stop being friends with Lewis. “Yes. He is Lachlan Adair’s nephew.”

“Oh.” She considered. “Okay.”

“As for Callie’s schoolwork, it seems her American classes already covered a lot of what we’re doing. There are some differences in mathematic styles for her to get used to, and spelling and language differences are a little frustrating for her, but Callie is very bright, and I think she’ll be spelling favorite with a u in no time.”

Sloane chuckled. “That’s such great news. It’s … it’s been a lot moving here, and I’m very lucky I have a daughter who’s up for an adventure, but I worry. I worry about her. It’s a relief that she’s doing well.”

Even though I shouldn’t, I wondered how Sloane was coping with the big move. There was just something so endearing about her. I wanted to make sure she was okay. “Are you adjusting to the emigration?”

She seemed surprised by my question. “Uh … I’m … it’s … uh.” Her smile faltered. “It’s strange, but it’ll get easier.”

There was no rule that you couldn’t teach a friend’s child, but it was considered appropriate to recuse yourself from teaching any child you might have bias toward. That was very hard to do in a village school, and I knew what it was like to be lonely. I was lonely. Despite my history here, I had no true friends. My closest friends had been the Adairs, and I’d forsaken all others for them. Now I had nothing but a handful of acquaintances. No one to truly talk to. Maybe that was why I offered, “If you ever want to grab a coffee, I’m here.”