Free Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn Page B

remained. “You know, Jessica, denial is a wonderful thing when you’re in pain. It’s
not
such a wonderful thing when you’re in love.”
    “Pain?” Jessica questioned. She had learned a bit about pain lately. “Love?” she asked, secretly knowing that she knew very little about love. Then almost under her breath she said to Teri, “Aren’t they both about the same thing?”
    Teri looked at Jessica, her expression turning more solemn. “I don’t suppose they have to be, but sometimes I suppose they are.”
    Ms. Mendelson strode back to her podium and called the meeting to order. Jessica didn’t turn around to check if Kyle were still at his post at the door. It bothered her that she still felt fluttery in her stomach and decided the abundance of potato salad must be the cause. It certainly couldn’t be her emotions. If she couldn’t control those at age twenty-five, well then she might as well be a—what had she called them? Little crush cadets. Of course, Jessica
Fenton
could not risk anyone or anything controlling her, especially her own unruly emotions.
    The meeting broke at nearly five o’clock. Jessica felt exhausted; she was eager to get home and collapse on the couch. But at the last minute she decided to return to her classroom for one of the textbooks she hadn’t finished looking over. When she opened the door, Kyle was standing on a ladder checking something in the ceiling.
    “Hi,” he said warmly as Jessica entered the room.
    “Hi. Everything okay up there?” She checked her tone of voice, expression, and body language, being careful to address Kyle as she would any random firefighter who might be lurking in her room.
    “Yep. The sprinkler system checks out fine. So this is your room, huh?” he asked, coming down the ladder. Jessica wondered if he already knew that and had been waiting for her to return.
    “Yes, this is my room.”
    “Looks as if you’re all ready for the big day.”
    “I need to look through one more of the textbooks,” she said, reaching for the book on the shelf behind Kyle. Why did she feel she had to explain to him her reason for being in her own room?
    “So you’re going to be pretty busy tonight reading your textbook?” Kyle asked.
    Jessica wasn’t sure what to say. She held the book to her chest, with her arms crossed, and looked down at her shoes. She knew what Kyle was going to ask her next, and she didn’t want to answer him until the blush had faded from her cheeks.
    Just then the door to her room opened. “Hey, Jess,” Teri called out, “do you want a ride—” She stopped mid-sentence. “Oh hi, Kyle.”
    Jessica turned to face Teri and tried to appear natural. She guessed the blushing hadn’t completely faded yet, because Teri raised her eyebrows and said, “I guess Kyle can give you a ridehome. If that wouldn’t be too much of a
pain
for you, Kyle.” Jessica caught the hidden meaning of Teri’s emphasis on “pain.”
    “Sure,” Kyle obliged quickly. “I’d be glad to.”
    Jessica shot Teri a look that said, “What are you doing to me?”
    Teri only smiled back, nodded, and said, “Okay, so I’ll see you tomorrow, Jess. And I’ll see you whenever, Kyle. Bye, you guys.” With that, she disappeared.
    “Did you need to get anything else?” Kyle asked as he folded up the ladder.
    “No, this is it.” She walked back to the door with Kyle behind her, toting the ladder with one hand. Jessica gathered up her purse, handbook, and notes from the day, along with Teri’s aloe vera plant.
    “Can I carry anything for you?” Kyle offered.
    “No, I have it all. Thanks.”
    They walked silently down the hallway. Several other teachers greeted them, calling Kyle by name and nodding at Jessica as if they recognized her but didn’t quite remember her name. She wondered if it looked as if she and Kyle were “together,” and she wished they would pass Martin Monroe. She would love to give Martin the impression she wasn’t available.
    Kyle