Cole because she’d thought her chances of success were uncertain at best. She’d wanted the option of persuading Mr. Dobson to go with someone else without the appearance that she’d failed.
Now she felt like a nitwit—one who didn’t know what the other hand was doing. Or at least, didn’t know what the school board was up to. She wanted to slump into a chair, but it would give Cole an even bigger advantage than he had.
“That kind of horse-trading is corrupt,” she managed.
“That’s life.”
“I didn’t have any idea.”
“Right.”
“You believe me?”
He made an impatient sound. “You’re a walking, breathing cliché. In this case, for one, you’re a naive and idealistic schoolteacher who’s been kept out of the loop.”
“Well, at least I’ve improved in your estimation in the last fifteen years.” She dropped her handbag onto a chair. If she couldn’t sit, at least she could get rid of some dead weight while she faced Cole. “That’s more than you would have said about me in high school.”
“At this point I have a good sense of when you’re to blame,” he shot back, not answering directly.
“Meaning you have plenty of experience?”
Cole gave her a penetrating look and then said, “Here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to tell the principal—”
“Mr. Dobson.”
“—that you’ve got me on board for the fund-raiser, but there’s one condition attached.”
“Serenghetti Construction gets the job.”
Marisa had been on a roller coaster of emotions since walking into Cole’s office. And right now elation that Cole was agreeing to be her headliner threatened to overwhelm everything else. She tried to appear calm but a part of her wanted to jump up and down with relief.
Cole nodded, seemingly oblivious to her emotional state. “Let Dobson deal with the board of directors. My guess is that the member with ties to JM Construction will have to back down. If Dobson plays his cards right, he’ll marshal support even before the next board meeting.”
“And if he doesn’t?”
“He will, especially if I say Jordan will show up, too, even though he’s not a graduate of the school. Pershing isn’t a public school that’s legally bound to accept the lowest bid on a contract. And giving the contract to Serenghetti Construction makes sense. The money that the school would save not having to pay a big name to appear at their fund-raiser tips the balance on the bottom line.”
She sighed. “You’ve thought of everything.”
“Not everything. I still have to deal with you, sweet pea.”
His words hurt, but she managed to keep her expression even. “Bad luck.”
“Bad luck comes in threes. Getting injured, needing to take over a construction firm, you showing up...”
“We’re even,” she parried. “I’ve been cheated on, gotten dumped by my fiancé and had to recruit you for the fund-raiser.”
He smiled, and she thought she detected a spark of admiration for her willingness to meet him head-on. “Not so diplomatic now that you know you have me hooked.”
“Only because you’re willing to be ruthless with your competitors.”
“Just like your douche bag fiancé?” he asked. “How did you wind up engaged to Sal? Are you hanging out in sports bars these days?”
“You know from personal experience that I visit boxing gyms.” She shrugged. “Why not a sports bar?”
His eyes crinkled. “You showed up at Jimmy’s only because you were tracking me. You’d probably claim your appearance was under duress.”
“I’m not going to argue.”
“You’re not?” he quipped. “What a change.”
“You’re welcome.”
His expression sobered. “For the record, you don’t know what to wear to a gym.”
“I came from school dressed like a teacher,” she protested.
His eyes swept over her. “Exactly. As I said, you’re a walking cliché.”
“And you are frustrating and irritating.” She spoke lightly, but she sort of meant it, too.
“Talk to my opponents on the ice. They’ll tell you all about it.”
“I’m sure they would.”
“It’s nice to know I bother you, sweet pea.”
Their gazes caught and held, and awareness coiled through her, threatening to break free. She wet her lips, and Cole’s eyes moved to her mouth.
“Are you still pining and crying your eyes out for him?” he asked abruptly.
She blinked, caught off guard. She wasn’t going to admit as much to Cole of all people, but she’d done enough pining and crying in high school to last a lifetime. Still, it would be pathetic if she’d met and lost the love of her life at eighteen. Her life couldn’t have ended that early.
“For whom?” she asked carefully.
“Piazza.”
“Not really.”
She’d dated since graduating from Pershing, but nothing had panned out past a few dates until Sal. It was as if she’d needed to lick her wounds for a long time after high school—after Cole.
There’d been initial shock over Sal’s betrayal, of course. But then she’d gotten on with her life. She had a low opinion of Sal, and she was still angry about being cheated on. But she wasn’t lying in bed wondering how she was going to go on—or wishing Sal would see the light and come back to her.
She’d been prepared to be hit by the despair that had assailed her after her teenage fling with Cole. So either she’d matured, or her relationship with Sal hadn’t been as significant as she’d told herself. She refused to analyze which was the case.
Cole shrugged. “Piazza isn’t worth it. He’s a cheating a—”
“You’ve never cheated on a woman?” They were getting into personal territory, but she couldn’t stop herself from asking the question.
Cole assumed a set expression. “I’ve dated plenty, but it’s always been serial. And you never answered my question about how you met Piazza.”
“Why are you interested?” she shot back before sighing in resignation. “We did meet in a bar, actually. Some teachers met for Friday night drinks, and I was persuaded to go along. He was an acquaintance of an acquaintance...”
Cole arched an eyebrow, as if prompting her for more.
“He was steady, reliable...”
“A bedrock to build a marriage on. But he turned out to be so reliable, he cheated on you.”
“What do you suggest constructing a lasting relationship on?” she lobbed back. “A hormone-fueled hookup with a woman as deep as a puddle after a light rain?”
She didn’t pose the question as if it was about him in particular, but he could read between the lines.
“I haven’t even tried for more. That’s the difference.”
“As I said, Sal appeared steady and reliable...” And she’d been desperate for the respectably ordinary. All she’d wanted as an adult was to be middle class, with a Cape Cod or a split level in the suburbs and a couple of kids...and no money worries.
Sal