THE HEART TEACHES BEST (REAL ROMANCE COLLECTION Book 2) Read online

  “She was going to meet me,” Laney murmured.

  “What is that, Laney? Speak up, dear, I can’t hear you,” Camille sniped, seeming irritated.

  “She was going to meet me there, Mother. All right?”

  “Well, you needn’t yell. I’m not that hard of hearing yet.”

  Laney sighed. “I’m sorry, Mother. I guess I’m just sort of unnerved—”

  “Well, really, Laney. Can you imagine how I must feel? To receive a call when you’re halfway across the globe, telling you your daughter has been strangled?”

  One of Laney’s hands lay on the table, clenching a napkin. She looked down and relaxed her grip. “Yes, Mother, of course.” Cooper’s eyes slid from mother to daughter during the exchange, incredulous. Didn’t Camille Essex realize Laney had stumbled right into the murder scene? What could be more difficult than that?

  He cleared his throat, unsure for a moment how to proceed. “Mrs. Essex, I’d appreciate any information you could give me which might help in the investigation. For instance, besides her writing, what type of things was your daughter into?”

  “For heaven’s sakes! I have no idea. Do you have any children, Detective? No, of course you don’t,” she answered herself. “You’re far too young to have grown children, anyway. But let me tell you, they leave and go about doing whatever they damn well please, and you don’t have the foggiest idea what that is, and don’t really want to.”

  The waiter arrived then and took their orders. Cooper looked over the top of his menu at Laney while Camille went into an in-depth description of how her order was to vary from the item she was choosing printed on the menu. Laney’s face looked pinched and tired, jaw stiff, eyes tense. He saw her slip two fingers to her temple and rub briefly. She must have a tremendous headache to match the one sitting next to her. He tried to figure out a way to continue his questioning without causing her any more pain, but for the life of him, he wasn’t sure which way to approach the old goat who’d given birth to Laney and Sydney.

  After he gave his order and the waiter left, he leaned forward, crossing his hands on the table in front of him, and began again. “Mrs. Essex, perhaps if you could describe Sydney for me, it might help me to get a better handle on things.”

  For the first time, he thought he saw a glimpse of pain on the older lady’s face. “Sydney was…beautiful, stunning, really. You would have found her attractive, all the men did. She was vivacious, creative, not like Laney.” She reached over and patted Laney’s hand on the tablecloth as if sympathetic to her. “She’s my quiet one.” Camille smiled at her condescendingly, “My little Plain Jane.”

  He studied Laney. Her hands were squeezed together now on the table and her jaw set but she remained silent. Why wasn’t she sticking up for herself?

  “Of course,” Camille continued, “having a flamboyant daughter like Sydney does have its drawbacks. She could be a source of embarrassment at times.”

  Laney’s head snapped up, her eyes flashing. It seemed she’d found something she would fight for. “Sydney was not a source of embarrassment. She was just different from you, Mother.” She addressed him now. “Syd was full of life, she was always there when I needed her—” Her voice broke, but she recovered it. “She was a good friend to everyone, funny…she could walk into a party, and suddenly everyone would want to be near her, to listen to her stories, to…just watch her face as she talked…”

  Cooper could not imagine anyone’s face being more beautiful than Laney’s was at the moment. Her deep blue eyes were warm and sincere, her face open and honest. Her admiration for her sister colored every word she spoke, and the pain laced through them was palpable. His heart went out to her. Camille Essex looked at her daughter in horror, shocked she would contradict her. Laney stopped, self-conscious.

  “Is this the kind of rudeness you learn from those snotty-nosed kids you teach?”

  “I teach high school students, Mother. They pretty much know how to blow their nose by that age.”

  “Well, then, they spend their time doing other disgusting things…probably fornicating and—”

  “Oh, Mother! As if you weren’t ever a teen in the back seat of a car—”

  Without warning, Laney’s mother reached across the table and slapped her, hard, across the face. In the stunned silence which followed she said, her voice low and steely, “Don’t you ever talk to me that way again, Laney Cassandra Essex.”

  The waiter chose that very moment to show up with their food.

  “Excuse me,” Laney whispered hoarsely, and rose to leave the table.

  Camille seemed further appalled by her daughter’s departure. She turned to him. “I must apologize for my daughter’s—”

  “No, Mrs. Essex,” Cooper said, sliding out of the booth. “You don’t need to apologize for Laney. With all due respect, however, you should apologize to her.” The waiter raised an eyebrow to him. “I’ve lost my appetite,” he said in reply, peeling off bills from his pocket and laying them on the table.

  “I don’t want your money,” Camille Essex screamed after him, apparently scandalized he would think she would not take care of the bill herself. “Well, I never!”

  Chapter Five

  “Laney? Laney? Wait!”

  Cooper was running after her. She was so mortified. How could her mother have done such a thing? She quickened her steps, pretending not to hear, but when she reached for her door handle, his hand came down to cover hers.

  “Laney,” he panted. “Please, wait.”

  She stood still, not looking at him while he caught his breath. Her hands were shaking.

  “It occurs to me, you’ve been physically accosted twice in the past twenty-four hours.”

  She raised her head a little to look at him. It was sort of an odd statement to make, but she shook it off. “Yeah, well. Maybe my behavior was out of line, in both cases.” She tried to yank on the door handle again, but he gently resisted.

  “Laney, no. There’s no way with that creep last night. And, no offense, I know she’s your mother and all, but she was way out of line.” He gestured with his thumb back toward the restaurant.

  She exhaled, frustrated with everything. “Yeah, maybe. But, I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

  He reached up and ran the back of his hand down the side of her face where the slap still burned. “Laney, give yourself a break. You’ve been through hell. The fact you were able to roll out of bed this morning is a testimony to your will.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “And the fact you’ve been attacked twice, now that’s plain bad luck.” He grinned at her.

  She looked at him sideways, and a smile spread across her face. She hesitated for a minute, but then turned to him, asking tentatively. “Detective, it seems one of the Essex women owes you lunch. Would you like to join me?”

  His smile widened. “It would be my pleasure.” He nodded his head down the sidewalk. “There’s a place a few blocks south. Not much in the way of atmosphere, but they have fantastic pizza.”

  “Sounds terrific.” She smiled and her shoulders relaxed.

  They walked side-by-side down the street.

  “So, you teach high school English. I think that’s pretty incredible.”

  She grimaced, looking straight ahead. “My mother obviously doesn’t.” She sighed, looking down and shaking her head. “I’m sorry. Bad habit. I’ve spent so much of my life trying to please that woman and always falling far short. But I don’t need to let it ruin my day. Or yours,” she added, looking up at him and smiling wryly. “I’m so sorry you had to witness our little dysfunctional family scene.”

  “No biggee. Someday you can come over and see one at my family’s.”

  She studied him for a second, not sure of how to take that comment, and then laughed. Gosh, he was good-looking. That easy, surfer-boy charm, blond hair shining in the sun, which had decided to peek out from behind the clouds, and built. Man, was he built. Lean and trim, but with a muscular chest an
d arms. Not to mention having the whole cop thing going for him. He may not be in uniform, but he still projected that tough, in-command mystique. She looked away, embarrassed to be ogling him when he glanced in her direction.

  She tried to recover. “So, do you have a big family?”

  “No. Just me and my two sisters and a brother. Oh, shoot! That reminds me. Do you mind if I call my mom real fast? I need to find out what to bring for dinner tomorrow, and if I don’t do it now, I’m liable to forget.”

  “Sure, go right ahead.”

  He flipped open his phone and dialed, smiled at her and leaned against the old building that appeared to house the pizzeria they were going to. “Hey, Mom. What’s going on? Oh? Are you sure?” Hearing the worry in his voice, Laney tried to read his face, concerned. “Yeah. I think that’s a good idea. Do you want me to come over and take you?” He glanced up and caught Laney’s eye, and smiled. He reached out and ran a finger under the lapel of her suit while he talked, his blue-green eyes dancing over her face.

  She wondered if he could tell how much her heart raced whenever he brushed a finger over her face or casually handled her, as he was doing now. She was not used to having someone touch her like that, but she was thinking she could get used to it.

  He finished his conversation and hung up the phone.

  “Anything wrong?”

  “Cat’s sick.”

  “Oh. That’s too bad. Do you need to go take her to the vet?”

  “No.” He opened the door for her. “Mom said she’d take care of it.”

  Laney entered a quaint bar inside the older brick building resting on the corner of the street. Tables were squished in between the bar and the wall, leaving barely enough room to squeeze through. The room was dark and the bar old and nicked, but it had a homey feel to it.

  The bartender, spying Cooper, grinned, lifting his chin in greeting as he stood behind the bar drying a mug.

  “Hey, Coop.”

  “Hey, Mike.” He wove through the narrow aisle, leading her to a table up front near a big window, which did let some light into the deep room. He pulled out a chair for her.

  Mike, who had followed them over, reached out to shake Cooper’s hand. “Long time no see, buddy.” He was barrel-chested with dark, curly hair in need of a trim, coming to just above his collar.

  “Yeah. It has been a while.” Mike’s curious eyes had turned to her, so Cooper made introductions. “Mike Zimmerman, meet Laney Essex. Laney, this is Mike.”

  She shook the hand he offered. “Nice to meet you.”

  “No, the pleasure’s all mine,” Mike responded suavely, his eyes lighting up as they trailed over her. Cooper’s smile dimmed.

  Laney suppressed a chuckle. “Cooper tells me you make a mean pizza.”

  “Cooper has good taste,” Mike countered, shifting his eyes to Cooper’s. “Can I get you guys something to drink?”

  Cooper raised an eyebrow at Laney.

  “I’ll have a beer.”

  His eyes widened. “Make it two.” He sat down next to her. “I hadn’t pegged you as a beer kind of girl.”

  “Just what is that supposed to mean?” She was quick to challenge.

  “Nothing, nothing.” He laughed, holding his hands up innocently. “I just saw you more as a fruity drink or, maybe, wine drinker.”

  “Hmmm.” She studied him, her lips turning up as she began to feel playful. “Spoiled little rich girl, eh?” She leaned toward him and he reached up to loosen his tie.

  But he was saved from answering by Mike arriving with the brews. “He giving you trouble?” he asked with a faux frown.

  Laney hesitated, not taking her eyes from Cooper’s. She was enjoying making him squirm. The moment stretched out, Mike waiting expectantly for an answer. She reached for her mug. “No, he’s okay, I guess.”

  Cooper looked up at the bartender, seeming unduly happy with his mini-victory, wearing a “Na-na-na-nana” expression on his face.

  “Well, you let me know, Laney—” Mike seemed to emphasize the fact that he remembered her name, “if this guy gets out of hand, and I’ll come put him in his place.”

  She smiled up at him. “I’ll do that, Mike.”

  This time it was Mike whose face registered triumph. “Are you ready to order, Coop?”

  “You want to try the pizza?” he asked Laney.

  “Sure.”

  “What do you want on it?”

  “Anything. I usually get pepperoni and sausage, but I can pick off anything I don’t like.”

  He handed the menus back to Mike. “One large pepperoni and sausage.”

  Mike looked at Laney with a smile. “Coming right up.”

  They waited until Mike walked away. “I thought I liked that guy,” Cooper muttered.

  “What?” Laney blinked. “He seemed very nice to me.”

  “Yeah. Too nice.” He turned toward Laney to give her his full attention. “So, what school do you teach at?”

  “Walter Davis.”

  Cooper whistled. “Wow, that’s a pretty rough crowd over there.”

  “Yeah. It can be. But a lot of them are really good kids. They just sometimes lack…guidance.”

  “Well, that’s a nice way to put it.”

  “I did have a student threaten me last year, though,” she said thoughtfully, taking a sip of her beer. It felt cool and comforting as it slid down her throat.

  “You’re kidding?”

  She shook her head. “He said, ‘I know where you live, and I know what kind of car you drive’, and then he recited my make and model and license plate number,” she said, with a shiver. “He said, ‘I won’t get you now because we’re on school property, but I’ll get you.’” She shrugged it off. “Then he called me several colorful names.”

  “What did the dean do?”

  “The dean, who was a woman, had it in for me for some reason, maybe because of the family name. So she accused me of bringing it on.”

  “You’re joking?”

  “Nope.” She took another drink of her beer, wondering over how relaxed she felt in Cooper’s company. Normally, eating lunch with a man she didn’t know would make her nervous. Not to mention eating lunch with someone as attractive as Cooper.

  “Why was the kid upset with you?”

  “I gave him a zero on a paper.”

  “Why?”

  “Because he didn’t turn it in.”

  “Man, you are a hard-ass!” he said sarcastically. “He threatened you because he didn’t turn in a paper, and the dean thought you were to blame?” She nodded. “That takes the cake!” he sputtered. “So, what did you do?”

  “Nothing. Luck for me he was picked up for breaking and entering the same night and I never had to see him again.”

  Cooper sat there, stunned. “And you went back there?”

  She shrugged. “I like to teach. And there are a few kids who make it all worthwhile.” She smiled, thinking of several.

  Cooper watched her eyes. They displayed her emotions so clearly. “Tell me about one of them,” he said, his voice soft.

  Laney paused. “There was this girl, J.J.—J.J. Jenkins. She came in after school one day and told me she was pregnant. She told me I was the only one she had talked to about it. That’s when you realize there are kids out there you are reaching. When they feel they can trust you with more than grading their essays.” She stared off into space.

  He put his hand over hers on the table. “I bet you’re a great teacher.” She looked up into his eyes, and he saw dozens of emotions swimming there, hope, gratitude, and fear, but chiefly fear. She became guarded, her body stiff, she removed her hand, but they were saved any awkwardness by the arrival of the pizza.

  “All right, Gorgeous.” Mike scooted things around on the table so he could place the pizza down. He lifted a piece and held it to her mouth. “Try me.”

  He about choked. What a stupid come-on.

  She dutifully took a bite. Her eyes grew wide. “Mmmm…this is delicious.”


  “What did I tell ya?” he responded with a wink.

  “Hey, Mike.” A loud, heavyset man in a velour jogging suit strode across the restaurant toward him.

  “Sorry. Gotta go. This guy’s a food critic.”

  Laney glanced in his direction. “Oh. Good luck.”

  Mike headed off, giving the newcomer an enthusiastic greeting.

  “I’m beginning to think I should have never brought you here.”

  “Why?”

  Before Cooper could tell her he didn’t appreciate the attention Mike was giving her, another male voice spoke from behind her.

  “Ms. Essex?”

  She turned to a young, lanky man with the pizzeria’s t-shirt on standing beside her chair. He looked like he had a little Latino in him with dark hair and pimpled skin. “Jimmy Johanson!” She leapt out of her chair and threw her arms around him. Cooper rolled his eyes and set his napkin on the table; this was not going to be his day. “How are you?”

  “Good, good.” He ducked his head for a moment, seeming uncomfortable. “I’m really sorry about your sister, Ms. Essex. I read about it in the paper this morning.”

  “Thank you, Jimmy. That’s nice of you to say.” She paused. “So, you work here?”

  “Yeah. But I’m going to school, too,” he added. “I even took a Shakespeare class, thanks to you.”

  “Shakespeare? Well, how did you do in it?”

  “I got a ‘B’.” He grinned, looking proud of himself.

  “That’s awesome!” Laney shouted, but then she glanced around and reeled her enthusiasm in. “Oh, Cooper. I’m sorry to be so rude. I’m just so excited to see this guy.” She slung her arm around his waist. “Cooper Sullivan, this is Jimmy Johanson. He was a student of mine.”

  “No kidding? Nice to meet you, Jimmy.”

  “You, too, sir. Well, I better get back to work. I just wanted to say hi.”

  “Well, I’m glad you did. You made my day. How’s your mom, by the way?”

  “Better. The second round of chemo seems to have taken care of things.”

  “Fantastic! Tell her I said ‘hi,’ would you?”

  “Sure thing, Ms. Essex. Good seeing you again.”