Spring Rain: Seasons, #3

By Aliyah Burke

Sometimes new things are discovered when honoring past memories.

Caitlyn Schneider loves teaching music even if she is considered a bit of a rebel in the school. On her own time, she enjoys hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail. What she doesn't expect to find is a man who she's been unable to forget since he appeared in her classroom.
Rip Walls is a cop, K9 handler, and most importantly, a single father. With his son almost being expelled, the last thing he needs is a sexy distraction, one who his son actually likes, even though she's not one of his teachers.
A chance meeting with her while he's out training with his partner and he realizes he can no longer ignore the spark of life she has brought to him. But while the passion is strong between them, will it last once they're back and amongst the rest of the world?
***This was previously published in Elle James' Kindleworld series. All links to her world have since been removed.***

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sensual Romance Publishing
• Release date: Mar 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781386045182

Aliyah Burke

Aliyah Burke is a USA Today Bestselling Author who’s an avid reader and never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She is happily married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi. She spends her days at the day job, writing, and working with her dogs. She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here. If you would like to be kept abreast of what's going on in the world of Aliyah, please join her newsletter: http://aliyah-burke.com/newsletter.htm and/or cozy newsletter: http://aliyah-burke.com/abnewsm.htm Other places to find her on social media are: Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.com/Aliyah-Burke/e/B007PQRFOQ Book Bub -  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/aliyah-burke Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/263660.Aliyah_Burke Website - http://www.aliyah-burke.com Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/aliyah.burke.5  Facebook Author Page -  https://www.facebook.com/AliyahBurkeAuthor Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/aliyahburke5 Twitter -  https://twitter.com/AliyahBurke96 Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/burke.aliyah

Book preview

Chapter One

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I don’t know what else to do, Simon. He keeps going at this rate and he’s going to get his ass kicked out of school. Then I’m going to kick his ass for that.

Rip Walls pushed a hand through his shaggy hair and cracked his neck as he sat in the parking lot of the school where he was supposed to meet his son’s teacher.

His cousin Simon Frederick cleared his throat on the other end. Have they given you any options or suggestions?

Yes, the latest one was stay home and be there for him. He clenched his fist. "Because I love being away from him."

Come out here to the Ozarks and work for Richard at Fox’s Metal Works. I know Richard would be thrilled to have another dog handler on staff.

He turned his gaze to land on his Giant Schnauzer Abel. The dog rested without a care in the world in the back of the large SUV, well aware if he were needed, the call would come. Right now, he slept, uncaring about the nerves pouring through Rip. Abel wasn’t a dog who reacted to every single response his own body gave out but looked for certain cues.

Stressing over his son’s impending expelling...apparently wasn’t one of them.

Maybe I will. You sure he’d be okay with me?

You’re prior military and law enforcement. Yes, he will be. I’ll put a bug in his ear, so think about it. This may be the change you need, to get away from the memories there.

The wind swirled the snow around outside the Yukon and he nodded. I will. I have to jet, so I’m not tardy for the meeting with the principal.

Wouldn’t be the first time, Simon joked. I know how you were in school.

He joined in, grateful to have something to smile about. Lord knew, this visit wasn’t anything he would put on that list. Thanks. I’ll let you know how this goes.

Good. I’ll look forward to your call.

Seconds later, he was alone with his own wayward thoughts. Another glance to Abel and he opened the door. I’ll be back, boy.

Abel yawned and flopped over on his side. This was their vehicle, not work, so the dog remained so much more relaxed.

Zipping up his bomber jacket, he hurried through the increasing snow. So much for spring, he muttered, yanking open the school door.

Twenty minutes later, he walked down the hall to a different part of the school where the principal told him his son would be waiting for him, after reminding him once more that the teachers had more than one student and couldn’t devote all of their time to a child set on creating distractions and problems. Steps echoing as he moved through the building, he stutter-stepped when a low, husky lilting laugh emerged from one room and wound around him. It set parts of him afire that had been dead for years.

Are you for real, Ms. Schneider?

This was a twofer in the shock department. The voice that was so potent to him and that his son was engaging with her, by all appearances, without any of the anger he’d just got finished being told was there all the time.

I am, Mr. Walls. That was the first time I was kicked out of school.

Who is this woman and why is she talking to my son about her first time being kicked out? I thought my son was supposed to be with a teacher.

So it happened more than once?

Rip growled low in his throat. His son getting the idea it would be cool to continue to miss school isn’t anything he wanted to deal with on top of the other issues alive between them.

This woman, whomever she was, this Ms. Schneider, shocked him with her response.

Unfortunately, yes. I was kicked out of three more schools after that. And it wasn’t worth it. I didn’t like school and I wanted to be anywhere but where I was, but not having that, not having the friends and learning, I was even more miserable.

Did they tell you to talk to me? Defiance crept in his tone and Rip reached for the door refusing to have his son be disrespectful to a woman. Surely some of the manners he had while growing up still remained somewhere inside that churlish attitude.

"No. I don’t work that way, Mr. Walls. You’d know that if you