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Aero turned in his desk chair to face Sam, who was seated on his bed with her laptop. “Um, thriving?”
“Yes!” Sam snapped, and then her fingers were flying over the keyboard again.
He chuckled, watching her squint at the screen through her cats-eye glasses, one of his work shirts hanging off her shoulder. She looked stunning.
She’d spent several nights at the clubhouse each week writing and rewriting her essays while Aero worked on his invoices and job quotes. They fell into a routine, working alongside each other in companionable silence. Occasionally, she’d ask him for help with a word or how to express an idea, and she was actually quite good at troubleshooting design issues on his blueprints.
Aero had convinced her to ask Blaze for a letter of recommendation, and he’d been happy to oblige, writing several pages of wonderful things about Sam, how hard she worked, what a joy she was to be around, and why she was more than deserving of financial support for her classroom. He’d sent it to Peggy the week before, who raved about it in an email to Sam the next day.
“I don’t know who this Ethan Spencer is, but he clearly thinks the world of you. Keep working hard. This is looking great! - Peggy”.
Sam had grinned like a fool with her eagerness and faith in her ability to get the grant renewed. She redoubled her efforts and worked tirelessly to perfect her submission.
“Okay,” she said, letting out a loud breath. “I’m done.”
“Great,” Aero said, smiling at her. “Send it to Peggy, and we’ll go celebrate.”
“Let me just reread it one more time,” Sam insisted, scrolling back to the top of the document.
Aero moved from his desk and sat beside her on the bed, reading over her shoulder.
At the top of the very official-looking document wasThe Preston Foundation for Education, followed by the instructions for filling out the forms. There were six different essay questions, all of which Sam painstakingly answered and edited, then spaces to type in the names of those who were providing letters of recommendation. She had listed Peggy herself, Blaze, and Jill Gardner, who was the paraeducator assigned to Sam’s classroom.
“All right. Here we go.” Sam opened an email to Peggy, attached all of the documents, double-checked that everything was correct and included, and then clicked send. “Done.”
“Well done, Sammy.” Aero kissed her temple. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Aero.” Resting her head on his shoulder, Sam felt like an immense weight was lifted from her shoulders with the submission of the documents.
“She replied. That was fast,” Aero said, pointing to an email from Peggy at the top of Sam’s inbox.
She opened the message and read,“I will be out of the office for the next week. For any emergencies, please contact the front office or superintendent. Otherwise, I will respond to your emails upon my return.”
“Well, crap,” Aero muttered.
Sam shook her head. “It’s fine. The submission isn’t due for two more weeks. I’m sure Peggy will be back before then. And even though she’s sick, I know she’s checking her email.”
“Okay. Maybe give her a call, though, just to make sure,” Aero suggested.
“I will. So, how should we celebrate?”
“Wanna go out?” Aero asked, much to Sam’s surprise. “We can see if everyone wants to go to Rogue for a few drinks.”
Sam smiled up at him. “I’d like that.”
Chapter 14
“No, not in your mouth,” Gemma said, taking the plastic ring from Levi. Again. “That’s gross.”
“Ew!” Ashlyn shouted, then giggled from her spot atop Blaze’s shoulders.
The kids had been playing the Ring Toss game for about ten minutes, collecting pocketfuls of prize candy while their parents chatted with Sam and Aero.
“How’s it been going?” Evie asked, shifting Elliot from one arm to the other while he snoozed on her shoulder.
“Great. We’ve raised about a hundred bucks so far.”
“Daddy!” Levi shouted, seeing Zed’s tall frame from across the soccer field where the Spring Carnival was set up. The toddler hopped up and down, waving his hands, as his father approached.
