Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Book #1
RIVALS AT LOVE CREEK
Is also her greatest temptation…
Shanna Jacobs has ambitions to be the next superintendent. But when a cheating scandal rocks her school, she’s put under the supervision of her sexy ex, Lynx Harrington. Also a school principal, Lynx has his eye on the same job. Working to clear an accused cheater’s name—albeit a beautiful one—only complicates the plan. But their attraction is undeniable. And Shanna’s kisses are a perfect ten. Maybe their fledgling partnership will make the grade after all?
Chapter One
All it took was one social media post for Shanna Jacobs’s life to become entangled like a ball of twine.
From a young age, she had learned to smile even when she was feeling broken inside. She had carried that lesson with her for her entire thirty-three years and became good at playing the part.
Seated across from Patrick Harrington in one of the black leather chairs in his office, she couldn’t pretend the situation that had brought her here was nothing. She couldn’t pretend it would pass like a Florida thunderstorm.
Not after the superintendent of the Love Creek school district’s words: “I’m sorry, Shanna. This scandal might affect your consideration for the superintendent’s position.”
That meant Lynx Harrington—the principal of Love Creek High and her enemy, of sorts—would become the top candidate. Okay, since she had once fancied herself in love with Lynx when she was a teen, she couldn’t call him her enemy.
Now he was her competition.
Serious competition.
Before Shanna could open her mouth to answer, Patrick continued with, “In fact, your job might be on the line.”
Shanna gripped the chair, glad she was sitting, because her legs felt weak. Patrick’s office boasted two conference rooms, a private bathroom and a large oak desk that had been handcrafted by one of his seven sons. Every time she entered this room, Shanna pictured herself occupying this space, her certificates and diploma on the wall, each of her plants tucked in the corners of the large room.
The past five days had ripped through her life with the savagery of a tornado after Austin Green, a twelfth grader who had graduated with honors, posted on social media that he’d had help on the SATs. From a teacher. Help that had led to his Columbia University acceptance.
“You would fire me?” she sputtered. “Patrick, you know me. You know I’m not involved in this mess.”
“The board already terminated Todd and Mark,” Patrick said, his tone somewhat accusatory.
“You made me hire them,” she said. “They were your choices. Not mine.” Patrick had wanted them because of their coaching background. He’d had plans for their football and basketball teams.
“I’m aware of that. But they were under your leadership. Your guidance. At least, that’s how the board—the nation—sees it.”
She leaned forward and jabbed a finger on the desk. “I can’t be held responsible for the actions of two grown men who were all about winning. That’s how we got into this predicament.”
Austin had bragged in his series of tweets that Todd Smith and Mark Houghton, her assistant principals, had been behind the plan. Then he’d stated he wasn’t the only one who had been provided with answers. His post had gone viral in hours, and the ensuing frenzy was one she would remember for a lifetime. Austin had already been interviewed, along with four other students from the graduating class.
Cheating.
On the SATs.
Three teachers had also been fired two days before Shanna had been summoned to Patrick’s office. She was next. Just thinking about it made her stomach queasy, but Shanna was a fighter.
She pinned her boss with a glare. “Where do you stand? How do you see it?”
“It doesn’t matter what I think.”
“It does to me.”
“I know you’re not involved, but with everything going on, I think it might be best if you resign.”
Resign. Give up. Her chin wobbled, and her eyes welled up. The fact that everything had happened under her watch was unacceptable. Like black ink splattered across a white page, this scandal was a huge slash through her impeccable record and stellar career. All she had done to overcome her broken past would be blotted out, tarnished because of other people's misdeeds.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Shanna said, jumping to her feet. “Unless you plan to fire me, I’m going back to my office.”
“I’m not firing you,” he said after clearing his throat. “I was hoping you would—”
“Slink away like I’m guilty?” Eyeing a photo of Patrick with his son, Lynx, she lifted her chin. “Not a chance. Finish your investigation. I’m sure at the end of all this, I’ll be vindicated.” Then she would prepare for the most important interview of her career.
He got to his feet, ignoring that the suit jacket on the back of his chair had fallen to the ground. “I’m on your side, Shanna. I’m confident you’ll be cleared, but your reputation is another matter.”
“I’ll be fine,” she said, her heart pounding in her chest. “And when this is all over, I will put in for the superintendent position.” After all these years of hard work, she wasn’t about to let her prize go. The finish line was too close. And if she ran away, Lynx would win.
She wasn’t having that.
Patrick shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pants pocket. “I think you’re making a big mistake. I could give you a glowing recommendation, and you can move to another state and salvage your career.”
“Love Creek is my home,” she said, pointing her index finger downward. “I’m not going anywhere. No scandal is going to run me out of this town.”
Patrick clamped his lips. “This isn’t going to get better, Shanna. This scandal is like a sore that’s growing and gathering pus.”
She cocked her head and placed a hand on her hip. “I thought you, more than anyone, would be urging me to fight. Unless…you’re using this to get me out of the way so your son can get the superintendent position. Because we both know I would’ve won.” Shanna couldn’t believe her sass, but she couldn’t say she regretted her bitter words.
His eyes darkened, and his voice held steel. “Since you’re under a lot of stress, I’m going to excuse what you just said. I have supported and mentored both you and Lynx—and quite frankly, I’m appalled that you would hint at any nepotism on my part. The school board conducts the interviews and determines my successor. You know that.”
Properly chastised, Shanna squeaked out an apology before adding, “Within a week, this will be all over. You’ll see.” Her words lacked confidence, and her voice sounded shaky, which she hated.
“I’ll be speaking with the board, and then I’ll be in touch,” Patrick said in a cool, dismissive tone.
All she could do was nod and hurry out of the room. She should not have mentioned Lynx, but it was hard to be around his father and not think of him. Especially since his photo was on display, boasting his lopsided grin, oozing with confidence, heating her blood to dangerous degrees.
Lynx had been the first man to take her heart, then smash it like crystal on concrete. A heart she had placed in his hands. A heart he had crushed because of a lie. If she could help it, Lynx wouldn’t get the chance to get anything that should be hers.
And no scandal was going to keep that from happening.
She would be the next superintendent of Love Creek.
Chapter Two
A week after her meeting with Patrick, Shanna sat alone in her office at River’s Edge High School and acknowledged the emotion coursing through her body.
Fear. Gut-shaking fear. Fear she could lose her job, her home, her career—and not because of anything of her own doing. Undeserved fear. Normally, her office centered, calmed her. She had chosen a shade of brown called Mexican Moonlight for her walls and had decorated the space with light oak furnishings, deep orange leather chairs, a loveseat and a large plush turquoise rug in the center of the room. She had a couple of plants, smooth jazz and a plug-in grapefruit-scented air freshener.
She scrolled through Austin’s social media posts, her heart racing in her chest like a bobcat chasing a squirrel as she read the responses.
A sob escaped, and the dam broke. Her shoulders shook under the weight of her tears.
Her mother needed health care.
Her sister, Yanique—“Yanni”—was in college, pursuing her master's degree in sociology.
Shanna lived modestly so she could support them. The thought of disappointing her mother and Yanni—or worse, no longer being able to support them—pierced her heart. She rested her head in her hands and gritted her teeth to keep from screaming before wiping her face. The worst part of this ordeal would be defending her ignorance. Ignorance of the plot happening under this very roof. Yet she would bear the blame like a halo. As the head of the school, anything that occurred within these walls ultimately rested on her shoulders.
Scooting her chair close to her desk, Shanna scanned more comments on social media before emitting a shocked gasp. The scandal had garnered national attention. People were coming for her from across the nation.
Despite her innocence.
This level of anxiety was overwhelming.
Shanna raced into the bathroom and upchucked her Caesar salad. Furious with herself for this act of weakness, she swished water in her mouth to rinse before washing her hands. Her cell pinged from on her desk. Shanna’s cell and office phones had rung nonstop for days, but she had to make sure it wasn’t her sister reaching out. She had received text messages from fellow administrators and Yanni. She had given all of them the same answer, which was that she was okay.
Shanna rushed to read the message on her phone and groaned. It was a text from Lynx, the last person she wanted to hear from. Never mind that her heart rate accelerated.
How can I help?
She read his words several times through narrowed eyes. Though her fingers shook, she wrote NONE NEEDED in all caps before hitting Send and dropping her phone onto the desk.
As if she would dare ask him for assistance. Not for one second would she believe the sender of that text meant those words. He was probably seeking a way to gloat at her downfall. He must have heard that she had once again been requested to meet with Patrick.
His response was a simple K. Like she wasn’t worth the bother of an O before the K. Not that she cared. She just found it…interesting. With a shrug, she dismissed Lynx and returned to her spot on the chair.
Shanna decided to pull up her emails. Hundreds of well-wishers were reaching out. She rubbed her head and clicked out of her screen. No point in responding when she might be out of a job.
Another text came through.
Girl, I’m worried about you. Call me. Her heart lightened when she saw it was her best friend, Laurie Hightower. Since they both had iPhones, Shanna used FaceTime. She needed to see the face of someone who loved her. Laurie was about the same height as Shanna, except she had a deeper brown tone, to-die-for sharp cheekbones and a pair of sharp hazel eyes.
As soon as Laurie answered, more tears threatened.
“Girl, I know you told me not to call, but I can’t get on that plane without talking to you.” Her friend’s eyes held a mixture of worry and sympathy. Laurie was on her way to Turks and Caicos to celebrate her engagement with her fiancé, Craig.
Shanna could see the bustle of the other passengers going by on the screen. “I don’t want you worrying. I need you to celebrate for the both of us,” she said, sniffling.
“I can’t have a good time knowing my friend is in pain.” Laurie chewed her bottom lip. “Maybe I shouldn’t go.”
“No. No. You must go. I can’t be the reason why you have another broken engagement.”
Laurie had been engaged four times, and each time, about a month before the wedding, she had ended things. She had earned the moniker the Runaway Beauty of Love Creek, a title Laurie hated with a passion.
“You know that’s not even right,” her friend said, tossing her hair. “You know I’m picky because of Cooper,” she added, referencing her son and Shanna’s godson.
“We’re now boarding first-class passengers,” Shanna heard the flight attendant call out.
“That’s you.” She blew a kiss. “Tell Craig I said hello, and please don’t worry. Be safe.”
Laurie looked ready to argue, but Craig ushered her off the phone after giving Shanna a quick wave. Shanna picked up her office phone and called the custodian to ask him if he could drive her car to the rear of the school. The news media was camped outside the building, waiting for her to emerge, and she hoped to thwart their plans.
Shanna powered off her cell and tossed it in her purse, shutting out all further communication. If only she could shut the scandal out of her life that easily.
Looking at the love seat tucked in the corner, where she had taken many naps before after-school games, and the walls lined with pictures of her with students and staff, Shanna tried to imagine vacating to make room for her replacement. She couldn’t. Rubbing her eyes, she traipsed into her private bathroom and ran her fingers through her shoulder-length curls. She had dyed it a deep shade of brown with copper highlights, with a part down the middle. Next, she brushed her teeth and applied a plum lip color that enhanced her full lips and blended well with her chestnut skin tone.
Satisfied, Shanna gathered her belongings.
Lifting her chin, she forced herself to smile and stepped out of her office, closing the door behind her. She made sure to keep her eyes planted straight ahead as she trekked down the hallway, ignoring the curious looks of pity thrown her way. Thankfully, teachers and students were out on summer break, so she only encountered a handful of other twelve-month staff. Most of them had already departed to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The ten-foot blue-and-yellow cougar—the school mascot—at the end of the hallway that usually felt so welcoming now appeared sinister, its dark eyes jeering at her as she drew close. Shanna pulled her bag strap higher on her shoulder and nodded at the custodian, Carl Jenkins. He had served at River’s Edge for over twenty years and knew all the comings and goings at the school better than Shanna did. It was close to four o’clock, an hour earlier than he usually came in, and she knew it was because of the scandal.
“I drove your Lincoln to the back lot like you asked, Miss Jacobs,” Carl said, slipping the key into her palm.
“Thank you, Carl. I appreciate that so much.”
She had purchased the Lincoln MKZ a month ago as an early birthday gift, but with her job on the line, she wasn’t sure she would be able to make the payments. She had a nest egg, but it was reserved for emergencies.
“Anytime.” He dabbed at his eyes. “I can’t believe after all the positive things you’ve done, our school ended up making national news over this standardized-testing mess. This will all blow over. You’ll see. I know you’re a good person, and I know you wouldn’t be a part of anything like this. I can reach out to the super and vouch for you, if you want.”
She patted his wrinkled brown hand and said, “Thank you for your faith in me, but I don’t want you reaching out or putting your name in the middle of this scandal.”
He cleared his throat. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad this school finally had a black female principal. It made me proud to see you up there at graduation time. You were the first, remember that, and no one can claim that but you.”
Shanna gave a jerky nod. Whether Carl realized it or not, he was sort of telling her goodbye in his own way. His words deflated her optimism like a pin in a balloon. Her shoulders curved. She willed her feet to move and continued down the hallway toward the reception area, drawing deep breaths. This doesn’t have to be my final walk as principal in these halls, she told herself.
Nancy Hughes, her secretary, sniffled and said, “I deactivated our Facebook and Twitter pages.”
“I’m sorry this is happening,” was all Shanna could say, swallowing. The guilt and burden of responsibility settled like bile in her stomach.
“I’ll take care of your plants,” Nancy choked out, covering her mouth with her hand.
Another goodbye.
“I watered them this morning,” she managed to whisper.
Her first day on the job, she had carried in several potted and hanging plants: a ribbon plant, a philodendron, a corn plant and a Madagascar dragon tree. Then she’d placed one in each of the four corners of the outer office. She’d taken meticulous care of the plants, pruning them, ensuring they had the right amount of water, and they had flourished under her care. The lush greenery spilled out of their pots, healthy and vibrant, a physical reflection of her thriving career.
Despite her fragile situation, Shanna smiled.
Her mother would have been proud. When Bernice Jacobs had been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, it snatched away everything except for her love of plants. Shanna had bonded with her mother by learning all she could about the different kinds of plants. Luckily, she had inherited her mother’s green thumb.
“You’ll get it all sorted out. I hope I’ll see you tomorrow.” Nancy made the sign of the cross. Even as she spoke the words, Shanna could hear the uncertainty mixed with hope in Nancy’s voice.
Shanna averted her gaze from the older woman’s face. If she made eye contact, she knew she would break down, and she was determined to remain composed. She curled her fingers around the strap on her purse and squeezed. No eloquent parting words could be uttered, her throat tight under the strain of keeping it together.
She gave a small wave and pushed open the glass door to exit the administration office. The sunshine state’s muggy, dry heat stifled her, stealing her breath as soon as she entered the main lobby of the school near the front entrance. The AC had been turned off in the rest of the two-story building to conserve energy, making it feel three times hotter than a steam room.
Keeping her back toward the front of the building, Shanna scurried toward another exit leading to the football field. The entire ten minutes it took to get to the rear of the massive building, all she could hear was the sound of her heels clicking to the tune of Scan-dal, scan-dal, echoing down the darkened hallway. This was when her tears flowed.
Once she was at the exit, Shanna placed a hand on the glass door and froze. Tears ran down her cheeks and down her chin. After all her wonderful days, she had to slink away and hide from the press. “This is not goodbye,” she vowed and squared her shoulders. It couldn’t be.
Drawing a deep breath, Shanna wiped her face with the back of her hand, clamped her jaw and pushed open the door. She peered outside and looked around with the stealth of a child stealing an ice-cream bar late at night before heaving a sigh of relief. An empty, open land of freshly mowed green grass awaited her.
Smoothing her dress, Shanna slapped on her sunglasses and treaded carefully across the field to ensure her three-inch pumps didn’t sink deep into the grass. At five-nine, if she fell, she would land hard, and it wouldn’t be pretty. It had stormed that morning before the sun came out, and the earth hadn’t fully dried. Her heels dug into the wet ground, causing tiny drops of mud to hit her ankles.
Sweat beads rolled down her back. The sun’s rays were merciless.
She wiped her brow, wishing she had thought to carry a bottle of water from the mini refrigerator in her office. Thank goodness she kept napkins and deodorant in her glove box, because she was surely going to need them.
Entering her vehicle, Shanna’s shoulders slumped from relief. She hadn’t been discovered. She pressed the start button, before applying deodorant and rubbing hand sanitizer on her hands. The vehicle gave a quiet hum, and the AC kicked on.
The clock read 4:12 p.m. She had about forty minutes before her appointment to pull herself together. She lifted the visor and looked into the mirror. Her face looked flushed, and she could see the worry in her eyes. “Don’t fall apart,” she told herself, even as her stomach constricted. The gravity of the situation barreled through her mind at full force.
For a quick second, Shanna debated skipping the meeting and jumping on the highway. But this was her life. There was no escaping it, and her mother hadn’t taught her to skulk from the truth. She straightened and patted her curls. She wouldn’t slink away in shame when she had done nothing wrong. Even if the nation believed otherwise, she knew the truth. She would stand on that. If today was to be her last day, she would leave with the glory of a comet trailing across the sky.
After her pep talk, Shanna retrieved the napkins to wipe her face and reapplied face powder; then she placed the car in gear.
Chapter Three
Lynx Harrington pulled the golf cart into the spot designated for the principal of Love Creek High School. He had spent most of the day helping his coach unload the new equipment for the second gymnasium that had finally finished being built. The Florida sun in the summer was brutal, and some of the members of the Navy ROTC and football team had passed out during practices a few days ago due to dehydration. Lynx had attended this very high school, and because of his size and bulk, he had been quarterback for the Love Creek Gators, so he knew about the danger of the sun.
He couldn’t risk anyone suffering a heat stroke, so on days when the temperature was above ninety-five degrees, the gym would be a smarter, safer option. Lynx had taken three years to fundraise, irritating businessmen in the area until he had the funds to break ground on the gym. Next up would be a new state-of-the-art theater. That’s what he wanted to spend his summer working on—not talking about a scandal that had nothing to do with him. News media from across the country had been calling and emailing to get a statement. Of course, he hadn’t complied. He heard they had set up a tent in the River’s Edge parking lot. That’s why he had reached out to Shanna, though he knew she would rebuff his help.
Still, he had tried.
And he had received a swift no.
It was close to 4:30 p.m., and all the other staff had left for the day. Dressed in the school colors—a burgundy polo imprinted with the words Love Creek High, along with a small replica of a gator, and a pair of tan slacks—Lynx had been overdressed for the Florida sun. He wished he could go home, stand under the shower and allow the heat to beat his sore muscles. Then he would work on his watches.
When he wasn’t working for the school, Lynx focused on fixing his antique watches. When Patrick and Tanya Harrington adopted him, he had inherited a grandfather, Sterling "Pop" Harrington, who Pop loved to repair old watches. Lynx had been drawn to the large, silent man, who looked like a brown version of Santa Claus, and he’d begged Pop to teach him. Together, they spent hours fixing all kinds of watches. When Pop died, Lynx had carried on his legacy. To date, he had fixed twenty watches and had sold some to other collectors.
Tinkering with his collection would have been an ideal end to the day. Instead, his father had called, requesting Lynx’s presence at the district office. He called the custodian using his walkie-talkie and asked him to cover the golf cart and park it in the shed. He wasn’t worried about the cart being stolen. With the school’s name emblazoned on the side, it would be easy to find. Besides, Love Creek had been voted one of the best places to live because of its low crime rate. But he was concerned about the rain and bugs and snakes. When he navigated the school campus, Lynx didn’t want unexpected traveling companions.
Lynx went into the building to use the restroom and wash his face and hands. He welcomed the cool air after being in the stifling heat for most of the day. He kept spares of the school shirts in his office. When he entered the office, he realized he had left on the television mounted opposite his desk. The volume was off, but the closed-captioning was on. After changing into a fresh polo, Lynx drank two bottles of water, reading the captions on the news channel.
Just as he took the last gulp, his cell phone rang.
Excitement rose when he saw the name on his screen. “Please tell me you have good news for me,” Lynx said by way of greeting the older man on the phone. Pietro would only be calling for one reason.
“I have more than good news,” Pietro said, Russian accent thick. “I think I have found the watch you’ve been looking for. It fits the description to a tee.”
Lynx’s heart raced. “You’re about to get my hopes up.”
“It looks just like the one in the picture. I’m pretty sure that you finally made bingo. It’s going to be in North Carolina this weekend.”
Instinctively, Lynx felt his pocket for his wallet. “I was coming up that way, so I'll hit the auction house before I come back home. Text me the location. You best believe I'll be there. Thank you for looking out.” Pop had given Lynx a picture of a special watch he’d had as a youth, and Lynx kept it in his wallet. The watch was considered an heirloom, dating back to the early nineteenth century. Pop had sold it to save his home and to support his family. Lynx had scoured garage sales and traveled across states to find it, but to no avail. He had to see if Pop’s watch had been recovered.
“It's my pleasure," Pietro said.
Lynx pressed the button to start his Audi from inside his office. He couldn’t wait to drive to North Carolina to investigate. If he hadn’t made other plans, he would have already been on the highway. “Let me know how much I owe you for all this digging.”
“Don’t sweat it. You repaired my grandmother’s watch when no one else would touch that smashed glass. So I’m glad to return the favor. I only wish I could be there to see your face when you get that timepiece in your hand.”
“Man, it’s going to take a lot to keep me from acting the fool.”
The men wrapped up their conversation. A picture of the Love Creek district office flashed across the television screen. The brick building had once been the location of the town’s first high school, with a total student population of 125 students. Then, once the town grew, the high school was relocated and the building repurposed. Five years ago, the building had been destroyed by a hurricane, and the school board had approved the two-story structure built out of brick and cement.
Lynx rushed to turn up the sound on the television. A reporter was rehashing the scandal, but his eyes were drawn to the woman threading her way through the mob to get inside.
Shanna.
She walked with poise and confidence, lifting a hand to ward off the questions. She looked close to six feet tall in those heels. The press followed her like she was the Pied Piper.
He quirked his lips, admitting that admiration swirled within. If he was the one facing the heat of speculation, he didn’t know if he could keep his cool. Maybe Shanna was okay, he told himself as he exited the building and drove the half-mile distance to the Love Creek district office.
When Lynx swerved into the parking lot, his brows rose at the large number of reporters. It hadn’t looked like so many on the television screen. Judging from the tents that lined the parking lot, it looked as if they had been there for hours.
Lynx understood why they were here, but he didn’t like it. He searched for his sunglasses—a poor disguise, but they would cover his eyes. He slung his backpack on his shoulder before getting out of the car.
He would rather face twenty linebackers than the crowd of reporters. Glancing at his G-Shock, he saw he had ten minutes till he was scheduled to meet with his father. He sped up. His father and superintendent, Patrick Harrington, didn’t tolerate tardiness.
Within seconds, Lynx found himself surrounded by microphones pushed close to his face. He lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the bright light of the cameras and stormed through the throng. He jutted his jaw, refusing to answer any questions tossed at him.
“Are you worried about your school coming under investigation?”
“What will happen to Ms. Jacobs?”
“Have you read the accusation on social media?”
Lynx kept moving, relieved when the crowd parted, though they followed him to the entrance. There was a sign on the door banning the press from entering the building. Since it was after-hours, he had to use his fob to access the building. Plodding past the reception desk and waiting area, Lynx arrived at another set of closed doors. These had been installed after a robbery at the local bank. He swiped the fob and took take the stairs to the second floor. He strode pass the Curriculum and Special Education departments before arriving at the superintendent suite, which boasted two conference rooms, a secretary’s office and his father’s office.
Lynx glanced into the smaller conference room, noting Shanna was in there with her back turned, then proceeded toward his father’s office. He could hear the muffled sounds of his father’s deep bass voice joined by another. His brother Caleb was present, which was no surprise, as Caleb was the school district’s attorney. He rapped on the half-open door before entering.
His father and brother were huddled together, reading a document. As they stood side by side, with their jackets tossed onto the backs of their chairs and their shirtsleeves rolled up, the resemblance between them was strong. Both were the same height, with a lean build and pecan-toned skin, though Patrick sported a low fade and Caleb had a clean-shaven head. It was at these odd moments that Lynx remembered he was adopted. Patrick and Tanya Harrington had opened their hearts and home to foster two white brothers, and their lives had changed drastically.
For the better.
He would never stop thanking God.
Abandoned by their mother at five and seven, Lynx and his older brother, Hawk, had been welcomed into the Harrington household, which already had three boys—Tanya’s son, Axel; and Patrick’s sons, Drake and Ethan. Though Lynx and Hawk had jet-black hair and blue eyes, they blended in, their personalities meshing with the other boys. Soon after that, Patrick and Tanya welcomed fraternal twins, Brigg and Caleb. As the eldest of the now seven brothers, Hawk had claimed Brigg as his baby, and Lynx had claimed Caleb. All of them had grown to become “successful, contributing citizens to their country,” to quote his father’s words.
Lynx eyed the small platter of turkey sandwiches, potato chips and water bottles. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast, and his stomach was quick to remind him.
Patrick waved a hand. “Susan’s preparing a press statement to handle this mess. I have a few months left before I retire, and I don’t want to go out with this mark on my record. I’d like you to look over it once I’m done.”
Susan Phillips was the district press secretary and publicist.
Lynx dumped his backpack in the chair and pointed behind him. “I think I saw Shanna in the conference room?”
Shanna Jacobs.
Back then—his first crush.
Right now—his rival.
Since they’d met in third grade, Lynx and Shanna had been in competition, each desiring to do better than the other, a race that culminated with Shanna becoming valedictorian and Lynx salutatorian of Love Creek High. Some would say he was salty and a sore loser. But it was more than that.
He knew it.
She knew it.
“Yes, I set up a meeting with her. Caleb and I plan to talk with her, and we were hoping you’d join us.”
“I’m not an HR person, so why would you want me here? Besides, given the choice, I don’t think Shanna would want me involved,” Lynx said. His entire family knew how he felt about Shanna Jacobs.
“It’s not up to her,” Patrick replied with steel in his tone. “My HR manager is on vacation, so this ordeal rests on my shoulders.”
“Our social media page is filled with people clamoring for her to be replaced. With actresses like Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin making headlines for SAT bribery, this is something we can’t sweep under the rug or ignore,” Caleb said, rubbing his eyes. His brother spent too much time in the books and behind a computer screen. He was the only one of the seven brothers to need prescription lenses. Caleb had been in glasses since the fifth grade, before changing to contacts his freshman year at college.
Lynx made a mental note to invite his brother to go fishing or hiking—something, anything, to give Caleb a break from the books.
He snatched one of the turkey sandwiches off the tray and took a bite before continuing. “But Shanna isn’t a celebrity. She’s one of ours—Love Creek born and raised. Is that what we do to one of our own?”
Neither man answered.
Lynx stuffed another sandwich in his mouth and focused on the photos of his father’s numerous awards and pictures that lined the rear wall. He strutted over to look at the one in the middle of Lynx accepting his principalship. He had graduated from the University of South Florida, top of his class, after earning both his bachelor’s in education and master’s degree in education administration. Patrick Harrington was the reason Lynx had chosen a career in education. He wanted to help other young men and women find their path, and he had done that.
Next to his picture was a photo of a young woman with full ruby-colored lips—lips he knew from experience were luscious and soft—smooth flawless skin and cinnamon-colored curls. Shanna had been beautiful as a teen, and she had aged like fine wine. She wore a bright smile, clutching her principalship certificate. Lynx knew Shanna had her eye on the superintendent position. She wanted it almost as much as he did.
His father came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.
Lynx shook himself to the present to focus on his father's words.
“I’d like to propose that you assume leadership at both schools. Then Shanna can remain in her position as your assistant. She will continue with her duties overseeing the hiring, training, discipline for all staff but will report to you.”
Lynx’s eyes went wide, and he swung around to look at his father. “You can’t be serious? I won’t agree to this.” He splayed his hands. “There’s no way she would go for that. I know I wouldn’t.”
Patrick folded his arms. “This is her only choice. The board wanted me to offer a termination package.”
Termination.
For some reason, he couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to her. He knew there was only one thing to do.
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Except from Rivals at Love Creek by Michelle Lindo-Rice. This material is protected by copyright.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Book 1: Rivals at Love Creek
Book 2: Cinderella's Last Stand
Book 3: Twenty-Eight Dates
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