Read Online There's Always Plan B by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online Page A

not,” Carly said, trying to relax. “She’s deathly afraid of coming face-to-face with one of my old, um, former teachers and have him or her tell the class I used to go here. So if she is in your class I would appreciate you not saying anything. Lucky for me, I didn’t mention I’d ever had Mr. Everwood for math.”
    He raised his eyebrows. “We’re both adults, Carly. You can call me Steve now.”
    Steve? Steve? No. That wasn’t going to happen. She’d been raised to call teachers by their last names and there was no way she could ever think of Mr. Everwood as anything but a teacher. Steve?
    â€œOkay. Sure.”
    The humor faded from his eyes. “I sometimes speak with your mother,” he said. “I’m sorry to hear about your divorce.”
    News sure spread fast, she thought, knowing she shouldn’t be surprised. “Thanks. I’m okay with it.”
    â€œI’m glad to hear that. Of course your husband’s stupidity is my gain.”
    Carly knew her mouth was open because she’d felt her jaw drop. Was Mr. Everwood coming on to her?
    â€œYes, well, at least we’ve managed to stay on speaking terms.” She swallowed. “Me and my ex-husband. Not you and me. Of course we can speak, too.”
    â€œI’d like that.”
    He would? Why?
    â€œOkay. Great. Look, I really have to get back to the B and B.”
    â€œSure. Would you mind if I gave you a call sometime?”
    Him? Call her? For what?
    She wanted to run shrieking into the night, except it was day and shrieking would only make her look stupid.
    â€œThat would be fine,” she said as she backed toward the door. “You probably have the number.”
    â€œOf course. Good to see you, Carly.”
    â€œYou, too, Mr., um, Steve.”
    Â 
    Carly drove directly to the B and B, then breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Maribel’s car still parked in the side lot. She flew across the gravel and raced into the kitchen.
    â€œWhere’s my mom?” she asked Maribel, who had just put a bowl into the refrigerator.
    â€œUpstairs. Why? Is something wrong? Were you in an accident?”
    â€œWhat? No. Oh, God.” Carly pulled out a stool and sank down, then she looked at her friend and started to laugh. “I registered Carly for school,” she said, between bursts of laughter.
    â€œSounds like it was a fun experience.”
    â€œIt was fine, but afterward I ran into Mr. Everwood.”
    Maribel sat next to her and patted her arm. “We’re all adults now, Carly. It’s okay to call him Steve.”
    â€œThat’s what he said,” Carly told her even as she lost control of another burst of giggles. “I think he asked me out. He said he was going to call. Mr. Everwood. Twenty-three years ago I would have been thrilled, but now it’s just plain weird. Besides, isn’t he married?”
    â€œA widower, and something of a ladies’ man. You be careful around him.”
    Carly held in another shriek. “Our former math teacher is a ladies’ man? I can’t grasp the concept. And you don’t have to worry about me. I’m not going out with him. There’s a huge ick factor. This guy used to be my teacher.”
    â€œTwenty years ago.”
    â€œI know, but still. I can barely call him Steve. I certainly can’t date him.”
    Dating? Not in this lifetime. Or at least not for a very long time. She already had too much going on.
    â€œI’m still trying to get settled here. Plus, I was married for nearly seventeen years. The last thing I’m looking for is another man.”
    â€œWhat about sex?” Maribel asked with a grin.
    Carly stared at her. “You can’t expect me to have sex with Mr. Everwood!”
    â€œI guess not if you can’t call him by his first name. He’s actually pretty nice and not bad looking. I’m just saying be careful. He has a reputation