It’s already perfect, he thought. “I’ll be there in a little while. It sounds great.”

He wasn’t going to tell her what he knew. He decided right then, he was going to wait for her. When she was comfortable, when she trusted him to know that part of her life, when she finally confided in him, he might tell her he’d known for a while. Might.

* * *

A week later, when Troy was just packing up his papers to take home, he caught a flash of color out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Iris leaning in his classroom doorway. She was wearing a sly grin. “I saw you and Grace at the basketball game last night,” she said.

“We said hello,” Troy said, frowning slightly, not understanding.

“I was too busy in the concession stand to chat, but not too busy to notice.”

“Notice what?” he asked.

“You are officially completely over me.”

He smiled and put his papers in his backpack. “I’m over you,” he said. “I hope you’re not offended. You are married, after all.”

She walked toward him. “I saw the way you looked at Grace. I was glad you and Grace were hanging out, but it’s a lot more than that. Troy, this makes me happy. Grace is wonderful and I love her. And you’re one of my best friends.” Then she laughed. “There’s the final proof! You didn’t wince when I called you a best friend!”

“There’s a lot more to Grace than meets the eye,” he said, zipping the backpack.

“I think you’re falling in love, Troy.”

“Easy, Iris. That’s a powerful diagnosis. And I don’t think you can make it.” He picked up the backpack. “My complexion has cleared up, that’s all.”

She laughed at him. “I hear the hearts of dozens of sixteen-year-old girls breaking.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” he said, suddenly very serious. “That could be a world of trouble a teacher doesn’t need.”

“Oh, Troy, you haven’t had a problem in that area, have you? No one’s making you nervous, I hope.”

He didn’t want to explain the situation with Grace, that her questions on this issue combined with what he thought he’d learned from his research brought the whole thing closer to the surface of his thinking. “No, not at all, it’s just that it’s a real slippery slope, that relationship. Sometimes I’m afraid to make even the most innocent joke. Know what I mean?”

“Listen, your behavior has always been above reproach, but if you’re ever worried about the smallest gesture or comment, come to me immediately. Don’t take a chance on seeing where it goes. We don’t fool around with that stuff.”

“Good. That’s good to know because—” He ran a hand around the back of his neck. “I read an article over the weekend about a coach whose life was nearly destroyed by accusations of impropriety with a youngster and she wasn’t even in the same city at the time. It filled me with cold dread. Made me think way too much.”

“I understand. I get the willies about similar situations in counseling now and then. All I have to do is hear about a terrible counselor, one who does grave damage, and I don’t sleep for a couple of nights. But if you’re not facing any problems, try to relax and be yourself. The kids love you. And you’ve been consistently great with boundaries. And now you’re in love on top of everything else.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Iris,” he said, but he smiled when he said it. “I’ve only been seeing Grace for a couple of months.” He was suddenly aware that he’d dated Iris for months, thought they were a perfect couple and yet had never uttered those three important words. “When did you know you loved Seth?” he asked, suddenly curious.

“When I was about four, but he was busy playing the field all through high school. Since he never noticed me as anything more than a buddy, an outfielder or tutor, I hated him.”

“You’re married to him. I guess you got that straightened out.”

“Yeah,” she said a little wistfully. “Luckily.” She collected herself. “Well. If you can be half as happy as I am, you won’t know what to do with yourself. Want to go get a beer?”

“I can’t,” he said. “I’m going to mind the flower shop while Grace meets with some couple about their wedding flowers. Grace has Justin doing some deliveries but no steady part-time help yet. It’s just Grace, sometimes closing the shop to deliver flowers, unless I can help her.”

“She told me. We talked about student help for her, but it’s kind of late in the year to start any kind of work-study situation. I posted an after-school help position on the bulletin board, but...”

“I hope something turns up for her. Hey, tomorrow I’ll be out at Cooper’s—come on out. I’ll treat. Bring Prince Charming. I’ll even buy him a beer.”

“You’re on,” she said.

Troy drove to the flower shop, parked in the alley right behind the Pretty Petals van and went in the back door. Grace was finishing the creation of an arrangement at her big messy worktable, but he didn’t care. He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her against him, kissing her hard.

“Troy, stop it, I’m filthy.”

“I know. Filthy is good. We can get a little filthy later if you feel like it.” He picked up her hand and looked at the green and brown fingers, ick under her nails. “Jeez, this is ugly work. Who knew? You’d think working with flowers would be more attractive. Are you sending me home after I help here?”

“Do I ever send you home?”

“What do you want to do for dinner?”

“I grabbed one of Carrie’s meals from the deli—teriyaki chicken, rice, asparagus and cheesecake. Will that do it for you?”

He kissed her neck. “For my first meal. Then I’m having you.”

She laughed, pushing him away. “I have to run upstairs and scrub up a little bit,” she said, taking off the green apron. She hung it on the hook by the door. “If the Jackson-Paulson couple comes in before I’m back, just put them in my office, will you? I’ll be right back.”

“Sure,” he said. When she’d gone upstairs, he looked around at the mess. Miss Gracie had had a busy day at the flower shop. The big worktable and floor were covered with clippings, stems, florist’s foam, tape, all manner of rocks and a couple of glue guns. He put her arrangement in the cooler, picked up the glue guns and swept off the debris on the table onto the floor. The second he’d done that, he realized he was an idiot. Now the rocks and in some cases what looked like flattened marbles pinged around the floor. If he wasn’t pretty quick with a broom, someone could break a hip.