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how you start your day.”
    The boys looked at one another, and Brian added, “I know I’veseen you at our church meetings, but I’m afraid I don’t remember your names.”
    â€œI’m William—third grade. These are my bruders . Tom is in second grade.”
    Tom pushed up his glasses.
    â€œAnd Stevie is just beginning this year.”
    Stevie offered a little wave.
    â€œGood to meet you, William, Tom, and Stevie. Since you’re my first students today, I’m going to be counting on you to help me out.” Katie had cocked her head and was watching him. He avoided her gaze and focused on the boys.
    Stevie giggled. “You’re the teacher. How can we help?”
    â€œYou could start by telling me how the first day of school usually goes. I found some lesson plans in the desk, but the first day only said…well, it said first day . Not much help, I’m afraid.”
    Katie smiled. “That’s because the first day is generally about establishing rules and procedures. Haven’t you ever taught before?”
    â€œYes. Yes, I have, but it was…different.”
    â€œ Englisch? ” William asked.
    â€œIt was.” Brian left it at that. No need to drag out his experiences in a college classroom. While that may have impressed his old friends, the four youngsters—correction, three youngsters and one woman—standing in front of him couldn’t care less about such things.
    â€œWe’ll help you,” Tom said. “But we’d better get to it. The other kids will be here any minute.”
    Brian smiled weakly at Katie and then glanced away as he remembered he should try to be unapproachable.
    Together, the five of them made a quick lesson plan for the day. He’d also found some workbooks in the desk, but he had no idea what to do with them. William was able to tell him the general timetable forlessons. Tom found the supplies they would need, and Stevie eagerly placed pencils and paper on each desk.
    Katie added their schedule to the left-hand side of the chalkboard. Brian had to admit her handwriting was much better than his, and he felt better having another adult in the room. It was silly to be intimidated by children, but then there would soon be so many of them, no doubt in all shapes and sizes.
    Katie turned and gave him a reassuring smile, which he ignored. No doubt she would think he was rude, but that was the least of his worries. He couldn’t spend the next four months working with a young, beautiful woman. The memory of Bridgette jumped into his mind again, but he pushed it away. He was living a new life now, and he was not going to repeat the same mistakes. He wasn’t going to allow even the possibility of putting someone else in danger.
    Which was ridiculous. What danger could she be in working in a schoolhouse? That wasn’t the point, though.
    He didn’t want to be working with a young woman. He didn’t need the sharp reminder of Bridgette and how he had ruined her life. Perhaps Katie would marry soon, and then she would quit. He could learn to handle a classroom of forty, especially with the boys’ help.
    But he’d never actually been in a classroom with so many children. As they entered the schoolhouse, placing lunch boxes near the coatracks at the back and jostling for seats, he realized he was completely out of his depth. He’d never been afraid of lecturing. He’d always enjoyed sharing what he knew about Shakespeare and Milton and Yates. If only this were so simple.
    Taking a last sip of his coffee, he stood and walked to the front of the room.

FIVE
    Katie watched Brian standing at the front of the room and wondered what she’d gotten herself into. She’d expected an elderly man, someone wrinkled with gray hair. He was older, yes—close to thirty if she guessed right—but his hair wasn’t gray. It was red. She’d never known anyone with red hair