“Wait, how many Midnights are in this town?” The question comes out higher than I intended.
She grins. “Which one have you met?”
“Theo. He’s the parent of one of my students, and I just moved into his studio apartment.” My cheeks are getting warm and I know she can see it, which makes it worse. Why am I blushing just from saying his name?
She throws her head back and laughs, the sound bright and delighted. “Of course you did. Of course Theo’s the one who rented to you.” She’s still grinning when she looks back at me. “Well, Theo is my brother-in-law. I actually lived in that studio briefly before I moved in with my husband, Calvin. He’s one of the other Midnights. And Susan was their mom.”
I shake my head, trying to process. “Wow. People say small towns are small, but this is next level.”
“You have no idea. The Midnights are everywhere. Can’t throw a rock without hitting one.” She reaches across the bar. “I’m Maren, by the way.”
“Emma. Emma Hayes.” I shake her hand.
“Nice to meet you, Emma.” She slides a menu toward me. “Can I get you a drink? Food? I bet you could use both after a day with twenty-something first graders.”
My stomach growls on cue, loud enough that we both hear it. Perfect timing. “Both, please,” I say, laughing at my body’s betrayal. “I’ll take a glass of red wine, whatever you recommend. And any suggestions on food? I’m not picky, just hungry.”
She taps the menu thoughtfully. “I’d go with the short rib tacos if you’re in the mood for something hearty. Jayson’s an incredible cook, so honestly everything is stellar, but those are my personal favorite. Braised for hours, pickled onions, cilantro lime crema. They’re ridiculous in the best way.”
“Sold. That sounds perfect.”
She calls the order back to the kitchen, then turns to pull down a bottle of Cabernet. The pour is generous, which I appreciate more than she probably knows.
“So you teach Chloe?” she asks, sliding the glass across the bar.
“Yeah, she’s the best.” I take a sip, and the wine is rich and smooth and exactly what I needed. “She’s smart as a whip, asks a million questions about everything, has this incredible curiosity about the world. Keeps me on my toes.”
“That’s Chloe,” Maren says, smiling. “She’s actually mentioned her new favorite teacher this year, so it’s nice to put a face to the name.”
Warmth blooms in my chest, and not just from the wine. “She’s a great kid. One of my favorites.” I drop my voice to a stage whisper. “Don’t tell the other kids.”
“Secret’s safe with me.” Maren winks. “So how are you settling into town?”
“Good, actually. Really good. People are friendly, the air smells like trees instead of exhaust, and I’m finally starting to feel like I belong here.” I take another sip. “Eventually I want to start hiking and exploring more. I used to love that back in Seattle—day trips to the mountains on weekends—but I’ve been so focused on getting my footing with teaching that I haven’t had the chance yet.”
“Oh, there’s so much amazing hiking around here!” Maren’s enthusiasm is contagious. “I used to be not super outdoorsy, but my best friend got me into running a while back, and now you can’t keep me away from the trails. I even joined a women’s hiking group. We go out to a new spot once a month, you should totally come!”
“That sounds great,” I say, and I mean it. This is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping for when I moved here. “I would love that.”
Maren pulls out her phone. “Give me your number and I’ll text you the details. The next one is in a few weeks.”
I rattle off my number and she types it in.
“Perfect,” she says. “We’ll get you out of your hermit shell, don’t worry.”
I’m about to respond when her eyes shift to something behind me and she brightens. “Hey, Theo!”
My stomach flips. I turn on my stool, and there he is, walking toward the bar with that easy confidence he carries everywhere. He looks surprised to see me, which makes two of us. He’s wearing jeans and a dark shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and even in the dim light I can see those forearms that have been living rent-free in my head for days.
His hair is slightly mussed and there’s stubble along his jaw that wasn’t there before, and the overall effect is doing things to my pulse that are probably medically inadvisable.
“Emma,” he says, and a smile replaces the surprise. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
“Well, you mentioned I should stop by,” I say. “Ask and I shall obey.” The words are out before I can stop them and I immediately want to die. Just cease to exist. Vanish into the ether.Ask and I shall obey.Like I’m auditioning to be his good little girl or something.
Not that I’d be opposed. But maybe not in front of his sister-in-law.
Theo’s smile falters for a second, his eyes widening. I can’t tell if he’s more shocked or intrigued. “Uh, good. Well, I mean, I’m glad you stopped by.” He’s flustered, which would be adorable if I wasn’t busy dying of embarrassment.
