Read Online Fixer-Upper (Spinning Hills Romance 3) by Inés Saint - Free Book Online
Authors: Inés Saint
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Romantic Comedy, Dreams, best friends, small town, Bachelor, Surrender, Mistaken Identity, Community, Ohio, quirky, little sister, Forever Love, Single Woman, Captivated, Challenges, Family Tradition, Spinning Hills, Town History, Amador Brothers, Hammer & Nails, Renovating Houses, Line Streets, Old-Fashion Town, Settling Down, Houseful Of Love, Fixer-Upper, Masquerade Parties, Mystery Woman, Sexy Charmer
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which he knew was the acronym for English Language Learners. The kids in Marissa’s class all had one thing in common: They’d failed English proficiency tests. The kids in Amy Jared’s class had failed to meet state math standards for their grades.
He decided to stop by Marissa’s and Amy’s classes and introduce himself to the kids, as Mrs. Simmons had suggested. Marissa’s classroom happened to be the first one down the hallway. He stood by the door, where he wouldn’t be disrupting, and waited to see if it was a good moment.
Marissa’s shoulder-length, loose waves kept her face hidden from him. With her white crop pants, ballet flats, and an orange and white polka-dot top, she looked professional, fresh, pretty, and fun. The kids were watching something on a screen and laughing.
“Sharks and Jets, dumbest gangsta names ever,” one of the boys was saying, doubled over in laughter.
So they were watching West Side Story . Johnny bit back a smile.
“That’s actually great feedback!” Marissa hit pause on the DVD player. The earnest look in her eyes tugged at Johnny and he took a step forward. “The story you’re watching was set in the nineteen fifties, and it was based on Romeo and Juliet . If you want your own Romeo and Juliet version based on your own experiences, you need to choose names and a setting that speaks to you. I told you, it’s up to you. This is your project. I’m only here to guide you along.”
A few kids shouted out different suggestions.
“Junkies!”
“Daggers!”
“Crackheads!”
Others, whom Johnny guessed knew little English, looked somewhat lost, but animated all the same.
Undeterred by their colorful suggestions, Marissa went on in her intense, enthusiastic way, saying, “Javier will jot down the names you suggest only if you raise your hands first. And remember, we need to keep it appropriate if we want to win the race. We can vote before we break for lunch.” She stopped pacing and gave them a self-deprecating smile. “Hey, I know the movies and stories I’m showing you might seem silly to you, but I love them. They’re classics and great influences for your own musical.” She gestured as she spoke, trying to get those who didn’t know English at all to understand.
The words win and race worked like magic. The kids began raising their hands, and making suggestions. Javier, the kid who’d called Marissa “hot” and whom Johnny guessed Marissa had identified as a leader, was busy taking down names, keeping him too occupied to cause more trouble than a few inappropriate suggestions of his own. Meanwhile, Marissa went around to a few of the kids, explaining things in what sounded like Spanish, or using an app on her phone to translate into another language.
Names like Thugs, Longboards, Forties, Eightballs, Drifts, Hackers, Dime Bags, Bolts, and Strikers were quickly tossed about and either jotted down by Javier, or discarded by Marissa.
“Hey,” a boy called to him when he spotted him at the door.
“Hey.” Johnny smiled and lifted his head in greeting.
“Oh. Hello, Dr. Amador. Are you here to meet the class?” Marissa asked, her voice pleasant, but schooled into extreme politeness. Her expression was unreadable.
“Mr. Amador,” Johnny corrected and waved hello to the class. It would be another year before he was Dr. Amador.
“Whatdja think of our gangsta names, Mr. A?” Javier asked, a mischievous look in his eyes.
Mr. A . Johnny grinned; he liked that. But he knew Javier had managed to sneak some drug terms past Marissa. “ Mucho nombre loco ,” Johnny teased, letting Javier know he was on to him. The classroom erupted into laughter and even Marissa smiled. “I also think Miss Medina should look them all up before you vote,” he added.
Marissa slanted a disappointed look Javier’s way, and he lowered his head.
“Can he stay?” a girl named Veronica asked, nodding toward Johnny.
“Well . . .” Marissa looked like a deer caught in
He decided to stop by Marissa’s and Amy’s classes and introduce himself to the kids, as Mrs. Simmons had suggested. Marissa’s classroom happened to be the first one down the hallway. He stood by the door, where he wouldn’t be disrupting, and waited to see if it was a good moment.
Marissa’s shoulder-length, loose waves kept her face hidden from him. With her white crop pants, ballet flats, and an orange and white polka-dot top, she looked professional, fresh, pretty, and fun. The kids were watching something on a screen and laughing.
“Sharks and Jets, dumbest gangsta names ever,” one of the boys was saying, doubled over in laughter.
So they were watching West Side Story . Johnny bit back a smile.
“That’s actually great feedback!” Marissa hit pause on the DVD player. The earnest look in her eyes tugged at Johnny and he took a step forward. “The story you’re watching was set in the nineteen fifties, and it was based on Romeo and Juliet . If you want your own Romeo and Juliet version based on your own experiences, you need to choose names and a setting that speaks to you. I told you, it’s up to you. This is your project. I’m only here to guide you along.”
A few kids shouted out different suggestions.
“Junkies!”
“Daggers!”
“Crackheads!”
Others, whom Johnny guessed knew little English, looked somewhat lost, but animated all the same.
Undeterred by their colorful suggestions, Marissa went on in her intense, enthusiastic way, saying, “Javier will jot down the names you suggest only if you raise your hands first. And remember, we need to keep it appropriate if we want to win the race. We can vote before we break for lunch.” She stopped pacing and gave them a self-deprecating smile. “Hey, I know the movies and stories I’m showing you might seem silly to you, but I love them. They’re classics and great influences for your own musical.” She gestured as she spoke, trying to get those who didn’t know English at all to understand.
The words win and race worked like magic. The kids began raising their hands, and making suggestions. Javier, the kid who’d called Marissa “hot” and whom Johnny guessed Marissa had identified as a leader, was busy taking down names, keeping him too occupied to cause more trouble than a few inappropriate suggestions of his own. Meanwhile, Marissa went around to a few of the kids, explaining things in what sounded like Spanish, or using an app on her phone to translate into another language.
Names like Thugs, Longboards, Forties, Eightballs, Drifts, Hackers, Dime Bags, Bolts, and Strikers were quickly tossed about and either jotted down by Javier, or discarded by Marissa.
“Hey,” a boy called to him when he spotted him at the door.
“Hey.” Johnny smiled and lifted his head in greeting.
“Oh. Hello, Dr. Amador. Are you here to meet the class?” Marissa asked, her voice pleasant, but schooled into extreme politeness. Her expression was unreadable.
“Mr. Amador,” Johnny corrected and waved hello to the class. It would be another year before he was Dr. Amador.
“Whatdja think of our gangsta names, Mr. A?” Javier asked, a mischievous look in his eyes.
Mr. A . Johnny grinned; he liked that. But he knew Javier had managed to sneak some drug terms past Marissa. “ Mucho nombre loco ,” Johnny teased, letting Javier know he was on to him. The classroom erupted into laughter and even Marissa smiled. “I also think Miss Medina should look them all up before you vote,” he added.
Marissa slanted a disappointed look Javier’s way, and he lowered his head.
“Can he stay?” a girl named Veronica asked, nodding toward Johnny.
“Well . . .” Marissa looked like a deer caught in
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