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"I like it.It's different."Stephanie tried not to stare at Jason, thinking of what might have been, but he caught her looking.
"What are you thinking?"
"Have you ever wondered what direction our lives would have gone if that madman hadn't stormed the high school with an assault weapon?"
"A great many times."
The two of them might have married, had kids, and followed their dreams.Jessica would likely have gone on to university and met a wonderful man to spend her life with.The town would never have been in mourning and life would have gone on as it should."Me too.I keep thinking about all the "what if's" in life.But we are stuck with playing the hands we were dealt."
Jason took a drink of his water."Tell me about yourself.How did you end up in Harmony?It's a little off the map."
"That is exactly how I found it."She laughed, deliberately keeping her tone light."Off a map."
"I need to hear this,” he said, his blue eyes warming.
"Here goes."Steph settled on her chair, glancing toward the front door.No customers."I'd been teaching middle school for several years—at home during the pandemic.My thirtieth birthday was looming.My mom sat me down, saying it was time for a serious discussion. She told me that I needed to fly the coop before I forgot how to flap my wings.I didn’t argue.Jessica and my parents hadn't needed me in years, but I couldn't go anywhere until Covid was over.”
Jason nodded with understanding.
“I didn’t renew my contract.Instead I started searching for a good job that would support me while I continued to write my books.It was difficult weeding through the process for the right one, but finally I got an interview from a high school at Brookside, Maine.As an English teacher, which I thought would be perfect.They had hired someone to start late August, but she'd called to say she couldn't take the position after all."
"That was convenient," Jason said.“Lucky for you.”
Her lips twitched."I Goggled the place and it looked amazing.Near Portland and the ocean, plenty of restaurants and things to do.Anyway, I was really excited about this and agreed to show up on Friday.They told me they'd narrowed it down to the final two.Myself and one other applicant."
She sipped from her bottle to settle her rolling stomach.
"They must have been impressed with you being a published author...”
"Not really.Romance writers are not highly respected with academics."
"Hmm.A bit snobbish, if you ask me."Jason put a finger to his nose, which made her laugh.
"My only practical experience was teaching middle school for five years.Anyway, I packed my bags the next day and everyone, even old friends of the family, showed up to congratulate me.There were hugs and kisses and tears, but I finally made it to my car, still waving at everyone who'd gathered on the front porch."
"I can see it now."Jason leaned back in his chair, a small smile on his face.
Her body tensed."Yes, well close to six hours into the drive, my Prius began to shake and shudder until it finally stopped.I pulled over to the side of the road and called Triple A who arrived fifteen minutes later."
"I'm getting the drift of an unhappy ending."
She eyed the ceiling and bit her lower lip."After an hour of frustration and worry about missing the interview, the mechanic informed me that an engine part would need to be shipped overnight.I was still sitting in the driver’s seat of my useless car."
"I'm sorry."
Stephanie glanced down at the table, then at Jason.His eyes were twinkling with suppressed laughter."Don't be, I'm not."She carried on."I called several rental places, but it was two days before Labor day weekend, and no one had a car available.Even the luxury vehicles were reserved for the next few days."
"That's still sad.You must have been crushed."
She folded her fingers around her water bottle, recalling the incident with painful clarity."I was.By the time I checked into a local Holiday Inn I figured my chances were next to none.Still, I called the board who'd be doing the interviews, explained the problem, and told them I could be there in the morning, noon at the latest."She shrugged.“They told me that it was too late, and they’d given the position to the other applicant.”
He put a hand on hers.“Ouch.And yet, you ended up here?At my uncle’s bookstore?”
"I didn't want to go back home and have everyone feeling bad for me.I was so ashamed to show my face.This was to have been my great new beginning.So, I pulled over and put my finger on the map...”
“It landed on Harmony?”His tone was incredulous.
“No.It landed on Newark, but I ran out of gas in Harmony, saw the Help Wanted sign in the window of the bookstore, and decided to apply.”She grinned at him and was rewarded by his smile.
