“Pies?” he asked. “Nice idea! While you’re at it, make extra for the staff lounge. I’ll need about ten. Okay?”

“Anything you want, Mitch.”

“Gotta go. They’re lighting the fire. Hot time in the old town tonight!” Mitch ended the call without saying goodbye.

Bryony exited the car with care. Her leg hurt now, and the side of her face throbbed.

When she was in high school, Mitch had steered her away from the guys who he thought would be bad for her. Now he worried about men who were too good for her. Her ego joined her leg and face.

By the age of over fifty-five, one should not be controlled by the opinions of others. She was, she reminded herself, a strong, independent woman. Lillian reflected her strengths back to her every day. When would her father and brother see her in the same light? And if they never did, why let their opinions matter?

Peeling her clothes off on the small enclosed porch, Bryony walked through her house in her underwear to the bathroom, one of the many perks of living alone.

A hot shower revived her mood.

Wrapped in a clean fluffy white robe, she padded barefoot into the kitchen and cut a small sliver of peach pie. Seating herself at the table, she drew one leg up, placed the sole of her foot on the chair, and rewrapped the robe, cocooning herself as she slid the fork though fruity filling.

The memory of Cal’s arm brushing against her sleeve lingered with the peachiness sliding over her tongue and down her throat. He’d called back and said he wanted to try again. The idea ran through her mind, sweet, delicious, and maybe not entirely terrifying.

CAL GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND

Todd’s appearance in Cal’s classroom at the end of the school day came as no surprise. He stopped in at least once a week.

The young man settled into a chair facing Cal’s desk. “How are things going with you and Miss Green?” Todd asked.

“Too personal, dude.” Why was he asking? Maybe Todd saw them at the bonfire. Cal moved a paper pad and pen to a desk drawer and locked it. “I’m your teacher. We have to maintain a certain level of professional distance.”

“Would it be too personal to ask for fashion advice?” Todd asked.

“Fashion? Check this out, Todd.” Cal swept his fingertips from head-to-toe. He tried, but wearing khakis, a shirt, a tie, a semblance of color coordination, and clean socks were the sum total of his dress-for-success efforts. “Am I the guy you want to ask?”

“Your style”—Todd spread his fingers in Cal’s direction—“appeals to me more than this.” He mimicked Cal’s head-to-toe finger sweep down his own attire.

Cal surveyed Todd’s faded shirt and baggy, ill-fitting jeans, the cuffs resting on worn, canvas shoes.

“Anyway,” Todd said. “I wasn’t so much wanting to ask about what to wear as where to find decent clothes at a reasonable price. I’d like to look better when I go to work, but I can’t afford what appeals to me.”

“Again, I am not the obvious person to ask, but it just so happens I do have an idea about where you might look for help. There’s a consignment shop in the basement of the Methodist church that specializes in work clothes.”

“You’ve been in town for what, about two months? How do you know this place when I’ve never heard of it?”

“Mister Henderson left a resource list.”

“Sounds great,” Todd said, his voice flat. He sat in a chair, stretched out his legs, and crossed his feet.

“But?” Cal asked.

“But I feel a little uncomfortable about going to places like that.”

“Places like what?” Cal asked.

“Like secondhand stores. Dad says they’re for poor people.”

Cal scoffed. “Haven’t you heard of retro?”

“What’s retro?”

Cal sighed. “Do you want me to take you there?” Most people lacked an understanding of how far teachers would go to help their students.

“Yes, thank you!” Todd sat straighter in the chair. “When are you available?”

“How about now?” No time like the present. He would stop by the house to let out Bailey for a few minutes, and meet Todd at the church.

Twenty minutes later, Cal and Todd browsed shirt and suit racks, and stacks of men’s jeans and pants. Todd picked out eight items. Cal added an additional ten. After trying on all eighteen, Todd picked three pairs of black pants, two pairs of jeans, six shirts, two ties, a suit jacket, and a pair of black boots.

“Since when did work clothes include jeans and ‘skinny’ sizes,” Cal asked the woman at the cash register.

Glasses perched on the end of her nose, the cashier re-tucked the bottom of her pale blue acrylic blouse into a navy skirt. “Since after you and I were too old to wear them well.” She turned her attention to Todd and said with her nasal voice, “Young man, you have made wise decisions there. Where are you working?”

“Downtown at the coffee shop,” Todd answered.

“May I suggest you consider black patent loafers, without socks?”

“No socks?” Todd asked.

“I know!” she said. “Sounds bold, but with your build and those nice tight pants, going sockless will seal the deal. Of course, no socks means buying foot covers hidden inside your shoes, and going into colder weather might not be the right time to experiment, but come next March, April, remember what I am telling you.”

“Thanks.” Todd received change for the money he had laid on the counter. “Thanks a lot.”

“Come back any time, and bring your Dad, too.” She glanced sideways at Cal. “You might want to consider a little sprucing up yourself.”

“Oh, I’m not….” Cal started to say.

“Great idea!” Todd said. “Thanks!” He handed a bag to Cal and picked up the other two. “Let’s go, Dad.”

In the parking lot, Todd hooted as he took the third bag from Cal. “Awesome, Mister Forster! She thought you were my father. Wild.”

“Wild, yes.” Cal unlocked his car door with his remote. “I’m happy she didn’t assume I was your grandfather.”

Todd walked backward toward his car, brandishing the three bags with raised arms. “I can’t thank you enough.”

“Glad I could help.” Cal waved goodbye as he continued to walk to his car. Glancing at his watch, he knew he’d missed the chance to stop by the coffee shop before it closed. How long should he wait before asking Bryony out again? His sister would not be happy if she knew he was interested in seeing someone from Fieldstone, and dating the principal’s sister did fall right on the line of suitable women, but he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about her.

Today was too soon. He knew he should wait and give her some time to recover from the fiasco with Bailey.