Chapter 3 – The Rule
As she swirled her coffee cup Elizabeth took some deeper breaths. What was it about this man that had her feeling so unsettled? Was it just the uniform? She didn't think so. Was it just how good looking he was? She recognised, while she was evidently very partial to his cobalt eyes, his crooked smile and his chin dimple there was something below the surface that was intriguing. Causing her to feel a little off kilter. A little less sure. A little less controlled. Could it be that she was attracted? With a start, a flutter in her stomach, she realised that's exactly what this feeling was. Interest. Real interest. In a man. Aside from a few dating dabbles in the previous couple of years, she hadn't felt like this since Jack. She glanced up at Nathan, only to realise he was watching her intently. Swallowing, she refocussed her gaze out the window, willing her heart rate to slow. Taking in the scene of Allie, Jack and Scout playing touched her heart, a warm smile spreading across her face "She seems to be really at ease with Jack under her wing".
He ducked his head. He hadn't meant to gaze at her. She was just so captivating. Beyond her obvious beauty he acknowledged. Nathan could see a strength to her, a steely resolve. He found himself wanting to know what she was thinking about. Wanting to know so much more about her. Watching her closely Nathan noticed how her smile lit her face, making her more beautiful. "Yep – she's always had a way with younger children. Her teacher's comment on it often". He didn't expand further, but in private, Allie had asked Nathan numerous times if she would ever get a sibling. Nathan wished he could have gifted her with a brother or a sister, and a surrogate mom, but it just hadn't worked out that way. There'd been women, but none serious enough to meet Allie in the past few years. He had begun to accept that he'd be a single dad forever.
"Speaking of teacher's, we better get going, we have to grab a few more school supplies for next week and I want to rip that bandaid off quickly haha. Although, she's excited about new stationery".
"Oh, young girls often are." She chuckled. "I was the same. Still am, actually. I love new stationery. What grade is Allie going into this year?"
"Grade 4. Although, she does an accelerated Mathematics and English programme."
A lightbulb went off for Elizabeth "She's Alison Grant?"
Surprised, Nathan asked "How do you know?"
"Well...I'm a teacher…Elizabeth Thornton to be precise. I'm going to be her teacher this year."
"Oh. Wow. Ok. Well. There you go! Allie-girl?" he called her back in. "We just figured out Elizabeth will be your teacher this year!" Had he really mentioned his rule about not dating Allie's teachers.