Title: A Just Man – Choosing Family Book 4
Author Jennifer Raines
Genre Contemporary romance
Publisher Inkspell Publishing
Book Blurb
No matter where you run, the past will find you…
Kelly needs to enhance her resume. Why else would she accept a placement in Tullamore facing her phobia about country towns? Years ago, a rookie cop humiliated her during an illegal strip search. Problem is, that former cop is now the deputy principal of her new high school and her boss. Sharing a house, a commute, and now an investigation to unravel a series of disasters that look like sabotage, Kelly takes the previously unthinkable step from enemies to allies to lovers.
Taking a job as deputy principal to uncover suspected corruption at the school, Mick plans to use the appointment as a stepping stone to principal of his own school. Then Kelly, his biggest mistake in his short time on the force, walks through his door. Given the chance to make amends brings peace for both, until Kelly is caught in the crosshairs of his investigation. Protecting her is his only goal.
Excerpt
Mick scrubbed his hands across his face. Still locked out of the school IT system, despite Dom Ellis’s promises. An oversight or a pattern? Patterns fascinated Mick; one reason he’d found himself enrolled in a teaching degree majoring in maths after his exit from the police force and a year spent wandering Australia trying to get his head straight.
When the landline rang, he automatically reached for it. “Tullamore High School.”
“Who are you?” Low-pitched and husky, her voice was better suited to a smoky bar, bluegrass and heads tilted toward each other to catch every word.
“Mick Jamieson. Can I help you?”
“Maybe.”
Before she could hang up, Mick interrupted. “I’m replacing Ayesha Patel.”
“Not possible.” Her tart response suggested he lacked the skills.
“I’ll rephrase that. I’m acting deputy principal, while Ms. Patel is on leave.”
“I know she’s on leave.” With a hint of concern added, her low-pitched voice gained a gravelly vibrato. “Is she okay?”
“As far as I know. At this stage, she’s asked for indefinite leave.”
“That makes no sense.” She had the sexiest voice Mick had heard since Grace Cumming’s debut album.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m Kelly Steele, the librarian.”
“I know. I mean, I know Kelly Steele is the librarian.” He’d be living with that glorious voice, a hint of sex and soul over morning cereal. Did she eat cereal?
Get a grip, Jamieson.
“We’re housemates.”
“You’re room 2?” She paused. “I took your Tim Tams.”
“I’m sure we can negotiate a repayment plan.”
“I replaced them. The removalist needed a sugar hit for the ride home.” Her crisp confession got past his guard faster than a police records check.
“Better than the alternative stimulants. I’ve cooked an Indian curry for dinner. You’re welcome to share.”
“That’s”—she seemed to be searching for a word—"kind.”
“But you don’t eat Indian?” He didn’t need to eat; he could survive on her voice.
“Indian’s a favourite, if you don’t count Italian, Thai, Turkish or French or anything that’s barbequed.”
“It’s a while since I’ve been in share housing. You’ll have to explain the protocols.”
“What makes you think I know the protocols?”
“Then we make our own.” Mick wasn’t looking to share confidences, but sharing a house with a straight-talking woman with an incredible voice couldn’t be all bad. Although her questions confirmed she was curious. She’d spent time with Ayesha, knew the woman was being white-anted, and had suddenly disappeared.
Ros hadn’t given Kelly his name. An oversight or deliberate? Or did it just mean Mick was a cleanskin to Kelly, as she was to him? Two flatmates might share their impressions of a new school and new town. Potential allies? You never said no to an ally, especially when it was notoriously difficult to pin deliberate bias on an offender if no one made a formal complaint.
“I was planning to do a quick walk-through of the library later this afternoon. See where we’re up to,” she said. “I’ll need to check a few things first.”
“I’d like to join you, have a look around. I arrived Saturday. Still finding my feet.”
“A sudden decision?” What was she asking him?
“I’m on the unattached list. And sudden decisions are part of the nature of compassionate requests. If you meet me here at four, we can walk across together.”
“Works for me.”
The music of her voice lingered after she’d ended the call. Sight unseen, he had a good feeling about Kelly Steele.
***
Mick trawled through the emails Ros had forwarded from Ayesha Patel. He followed his usual routine—delete, deal with immediately, save for review, forward to someone else to action. A routine he’d learned too late to help him as a whistleblowing cop. He’d pinned the staff chart to the notice board in his office and was trying to put faces to names before classes started. He wasn’t the only one spending time at school, the heads of English and Science had both dropped in to chat. Both had been in the school longer than the headmaster. Neither was interested in taking on the top job. Both were curiously non-committal about the sudden departure of Ayesha.
The knock on his door had him lifting his head.
Kelly Steele—it could only be her—was searching his face, disgust chasing disbelief and confusion in horrified succession.
“You!” She spat the words. Her body trembled, and Mick would bet his promotion she hated showing the slightest sign of weakness.
Shit. Kelly Steele was Kelly Manners. He’d looked for her, dreamed of her and fretted about her for years. Now, she was here.
He closed his eyes. Briefly.
She’d been terrified. By him. Of him. So, Mick had ended his search for her. Realisation of other implications followed more slowly. She could also blow his cover as an ex-cop. Maybe he should worry about that?
Except Kelly’s peace of mind was more important. Sorry, Ros.
“Hello, Kelly.” He stayed in his seat, barely breathing. Sudden moves might spook her more.
“You knew I’d be here.” She was poised in the doorway, ready to flee, like the girl Mick had wronged all those years ago.
“I knew Kelly Steele would be here. I had no idea you were Kelly Steele.” He gentled his voice. “No one told me you’d married.” He remembered her eyes, a rich dark chocolate, almost black, giving away emotions she’d wanted to hide.
“I changed my name,” she said reluctantly.
“I looked for you.” Mick had waited years for this chance. Ironic it should happen now when revealing his history could potentially allow another misogynistic arsehole to go free.
“To charge me.” Rage was replacing shock, and that was a good sign.
“To ask you to testify against Senior Sergeant George Hogan.”
“Bullshit.” She sounded like the Kelly he remembered.
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Author Biography:
Australian Jennifer Raines writes contemporary romances set mainly, but not exclusively, in Australia – think Malta, Finland, New Zealand or ? A dreamer and an optimist, her stories are a delicious cocktail of mutual respect, passion and loyalty because she still believes in happily-ever-afters.
Social Media Links
Website – https://www.jenniferrainesauthor.com