Casting Doubt: Baxter Academy ~ The Academy, #3

By Jane Charles

Deirdre O’Brien had briefly met Jesse Tinley, an art instructor at the Baxter Academy of Arts, one Sunday afternoon in November. After returning to classes at Vassar, Deirdre could not stop thinking about him. When spring break arrives, she knows exactly who she wants to spend it with.

Jesse Tinley was immediately attracted to Deirdre O’Brien, but they only had an afternoon together. Even though he’d like for there to be more, he knows it’s not possible. Deidre’s still in college and he has two jobs and a son. When Deidre shows up in his studio the first day of Spring break, he begins to hope for more.

Unfortunately, any romance could be snuffed out before it has a chance to begin. All because of a babysitter named Larry.

This is an expanded version of the short story that appeared in the “Fifty Ways to Kill Your Larry” box set.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jane Charles
• Release date: Oct 12, 2015
• ISBN: 9781519932174

Jane Charles

Jane Charles has lived in the Midwest her entire life. As a child she would more likely be found outside with a baseball than a book in her hand. In fact, Jane hated reading until she was sixteen. Out of boredom on a long road trip she borrowed her older sister’s historical romance and fell in love with reading. She long ago lost count of how many fiction novels she has read over the years and her love for them never died.  Along with romance she has a passion for history and the two soon combined when she penned her first historical romance.  What turned into a hobby became a passion, which has been fully supported by her husband, three children and three cats. JaneCharlesAuthor.com Jane can be contacted at: [e-mail] Twitter and FB: JaneACharle  

Book preview

Casting Doubt

Casting Doubt

A Baxter Academy Novella ~ The Academy #3

Jane Charles

Contents

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

More

EXCERPT – BETWEEN THE LINES

About Jane Charles

Jane Charles’s New Adult Romance

Jane Charles’s Historical Romance

Copyright

Copyright © 2015 by Jane Charles

Cover Design 2016 Covers By Lily

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Created with Vellum

Dedication

For Michael – who enjoys the old romantic movies as much as I do.

---

Jane

One

Taking a deep breath and wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, I round the corner and step onto the square. I don’t want to seem obvious so I pretend I’m out for a stroll and doing a little window shopping, just in case I happen run into him . Not that I expect to, but I’m still nervous.

It’s crazy, I know. Nobody is paying attention to me. A few of the shops hold my interest and if I wasn’t intent on my main goal, I would have probably gone inside. It’s a beautiful spring day and a number of people are out and about. Especially teenagers, enjoying their first day of Spring Break. It’s odd that the first day is a Wednesday, but from what I understand, the public schools in the district only used two snow days of the seven planned, plus they begin the school year two weeks earlier than everyone else because they’ve always gone over in snow days. Now they’re ahead of schedule. Since ending school early would mess with end of school year activities, like award banquets, prom, spring musical and graduation, they extended Spring Break by three days to give the kids, and teachers, a longer vacation before the final push.

My Spring Break began yesterday at exactly three o’clock when I learned that my Wednesday morning classes were cancelled because both professors were sick. There’s a nasty flu on campus and I was ready to get out of there before I got sick too. As for my Thursday classes, one professor has been sick, another offered up homework in exchange for not attending class, and a third had already cancelled because they had an early flight to Jamaica. It’s been a long, tough semester, with half of the student body and a good number of the professors coming down with the flu in the last few weeks, some developing pneumonia, that we all just need to go somewhere else not so germ-filled. And, since I don’t have any classes on Friday, I packed and came home last night.

My friends are headed to the beach. I could go, but I’m really not in the mood for a week of partying. Okay, I could be in the mood, but I don’t exactly have the money. I’m probably the poorest student attending Vassar. Not that I care all that much, but a number of my friends and roommates just don’t get that I can’t just charge whatever I want, whenever I want, simply because it’s something I want.

Besides, since this past winter, I’ve been waiting for the moment when I can run into Jesse Tinley. I met him last November and we spent a pleasant afternoon before Thanksgiving at Sullivan’s Pub. Something clicked that day, and I’m not sure what it was or if I was the only one who felt an immediate connection between us. I did come by his studio during winter break, but by the time I got to town he’d already closed down and wouldn’t be opening back up until after the first of the year. I considered trying to find out his home address, but that seemed rather stalkerish. And, it isn’t like we made plans to see each other ever again.

I did try to find him on one of the many social media sites, but he isn’t anywhere to be found. I thought there would at least be a website or Facebook page for his studio, but nothing. If Alexia, the art teacher who works with Jesse and lives with my brother, Kian, hadn’t mentioned him in passing, I’d wonder if I imagined meeting Jesse. But, I had, and it’s an afternoon that has stayed with me. I can’t stop thinking about him and I need to know if there really was a connection, for lack of better description, or if I simply imagined it.

Not that I intend on getting involved with anyone at this point in my life. I’ve still got two years and six weeks of school left. That’s hard enough without being in a relationship. Yet, I can’t ignore what I feel and until I talk to Jesse again, it’s going to bug me and I’ll always wonder what if.

His gallery door is open and my heartbeat increases. I was only in here for a minute last time, when Jesse stopped in to let his employee know that the two of us would be at Sullivan’s. The teenage girl had given me a nasty look. I remember working retail and wanting to get out of the store as soon as possible. Especially when there were no customers. She probably wasn’t happy about being stuck there while the owner went off for a beer.

Taking another deep breath, I step inside and glance around. Paintings cover the walls. Those had not been there before. It adds a cheeriness to the place. On different stands are various ceramic work and sculptures. These are Jesse’s. Or, at least I assume they are. He is a potter and sculptor and teaches ceramics at Baxter Academy of Art in the afternoon. Baxter is not a public school, but privately run. The school year runs from the first Monday after July 4th to May 31st, with a one week break in September, December and March or April, only because they try to have the same mid-year breaks as the public school. They will go through Friday though because Baxter doesn’t concern themselves with snow days since they easily meet the state requirement of school days.

May I help you?

The same girl who was here last November is standing by the counter. Her break from high school just started and already she’s working. That must suck.

At least I know Jesse isn’t around. He should be at school and as much as I’m hoping to run into him, I don’t expect to and consider this more of a practice of how I’m going to bump into him unexpectedly. I’m just looking.

Well, let me know if you need anything. She steps forward and frowns. Do I know you?

I was in here last year, right before Thanksgiving.

Her eyes harden. With Jesse.

Yeah.

Well, I hope you don’t want to see him now because he’s too busy.

I hadn’t even planned on asking. I was nervous enough coming in here. I’m certainly not bold enough to ask to about him. That is the whole point of hoping to run into him. Though not well planned, I was going to look over the displays and think about purchasing something then come back Friday when I assume Jesse will be around. Or, maybe later this afternoon, after school has been released.

Larry? Jesse’s voice calls from the back.

Shit! What’s he doing here now?

The young woman grits her teeth before answering. Just a minute, Jesse. Her tone is all sweetness and light despite the quick irritation that swept across her face.

Do you know where we put the new glazes? His voice is louder, like he’s coming nearer. My palms begin to sweat all over again.

I’ll get them, she calls back before turning an indulgent smile on me. Jesse would be lost without me.

Oh, I didn’t know we had a customer. His eyes meet mine as he steps from the back and a smile comes to his face. Deirdre?

He remembers me. Yes!

What are you doing here? He wipes his hands on a towel as he saunters forward.

Damn, he’s just as hot as he was back at Thanksgiving. Straight, light brown hair, longer than most guys wear it, with a smile full of promise and hypnotizing green eyes.

I shrug, trying to act nonchalant and praying he can’t read my mind. Just out and about, shopping along the square.

I’m glad you stopped in. He hitches his hip against a display counter, completely comfortable with himself. How’s school going?