5

Just like before, Marilyn knew the moment Jonathan Madaris entered the teachers’ lounge. But this time, it was more than just his masculine scent that alerted her. It was as if a surge of something she couldn’t quite put a name to flowed through her system the moment he’d walked in. The same thing had happened yesterday, when she’d met with him to give him an update on Elijah’s progress. As usual, Principal Madaris had been the epitome of a professional. She was the one dealing with these crazy thoughts. But she, of all women, should know better, thanks to her brothers. Besides, she didn’t have time for this. She needed to concentrate on her career, a career she was just building. Right now, that had to be her main focus. Having a relationship with Jonathan could put everything she’d worked for at risk.

“Good morning, everyone,” Principal Madaris said, as he headed toward the coffee pot.

“Good morning, Principal Madaris,” she said, simultaneously returning the greeting with the others in the lounge. She tried to focus on her lesson plan for that day and not glance over at him, but she couldn’t stop herself. And she wasn’t alone. Many of the other teachers were watching him as well. She couldn’t blame them. He had a presence that demanded to be noticed. He filled the room, looking sharp and confident in his suit. It was hard to believe he came from a family of ranchers. There was nothing country about him.

There were collective feminine sighs when he walked out moments later. The two male teachers who’d been in the lounge grinned and shook their heads before heading out as well. No doubt they knew what the women were thinking.

“Be still my heart,” Carolyn whispered, patting an area on her chest. “I needed that this morning. That man certainly knows how to jumpstart a woman’s system.”

Even if Marilyn agreed, she wouldn’t admit such a thing to Carolyn. Instead she decided a change of subject was in order. “How was the concert this weekend?” Last week Carolyn had boasted of having tickets to see Earth, Wind and Fire.

“It was great!” Carolyn said, then proceeded to tell her all about it.

Marilyn nodded, paying half attention to what Carolyn was saying. The other half of her mind was thinking about Principal Madaris’ presence in the lounge. She could still pick up the aroma of his aftershave. Did she imagine it, or had he looked over at her before turning to leave?

Yes, she must have imagined it. Chances were, every woman in the lounge probably thought the same thing, that his attention had been directed at them.

She wished she wasn’t so drawn to him, but at least it seemed she wasn’t alone. But still, she’d never experienced an attraction like this before. While in college, she had focused so much time and attention on her studies, she’d never even noticed the opposite sex. For the longest time, the only man who’d even piqued her interest was singer Smokey Robinson. She’d find herself getting caught up in his music, in his high tenor voice...but even Smokey couldn’t hold a candle to Jonathan Madaris.

“Well, it’s time to head for the classroom,” Carolyn said, after checking her watch.

Marilyn gathered her items, hoping she wouldn’t see the principal any more that day. Once was enough. Carolyn had hit the nail on the head. Jonathan Madaris did have a way of jumpstarting a woman’s system. Whether she wanted it revved up, or not...

* * * *

Jonathan paced his office. He’d finally accepted that he had to do something. He’d passed Marilyn Bannister in the hallway just moments ago. All she’d done was flash a smile at him, followed by a greeting of, “Hello, Mr. Madaris,” then kept walking. But it had been enough. Way too much. It had taken the last of his control not to find an excuse to hold a conversation with her. He could ask her again how Elijah was doing, but he’d inquired about that a number of times already.

Roman had been right. The longer Miss Bannister remained at his school the more he risked saying or doing something inappropriate. And that would be unfair to her. This was her first teaching position, the first step in what would likely be a very successful career for her, given her glowing recommendations. It wasn’t her fault that the principal of the school was falling hard for her.

He had driven to Whispering Pines this past weekend and had been glad to see his family. Riding the range with his brothers, branding the calves and helping his older brother Milton build the new barn had helped to put Marilyn out of his mind for a while. But she’d crept back into his thoughts full-force during the drive back to his apartment in Houston.

And just like Roman had predicted, things were getting worse. He was still deliberately passing by her classroom just to catch a glimpse of her and watching her from his office window when she left school each day. He’d noticed she was still carpooling with Miss Perkins. Was Miss Bannister having car problems? He’d thought about asking her, but dismissed the idea. She would wonder how he’d known that she wasn’t driving her own car.

He shook his head. This situation was draining him both mentally and physically, and he was getting little done. Having Marilyn Bannister remain at Parkwood was no longer an option. And thanks to Roman’s urging, he’d come up with a plan.

The phone rang and he moved to the desk to pick it up. He hoped this was the call he’d been waiting for. “Yes, Mrs. Etheridge?”

“Principal Chapman is on the line for you.”

His heart rate kicked up a beat. This was the first step in putting his plan into motion. “Thanks. Please put her through.”

A moment later, he heard the click signaling a connection. “Hello, Mrs. Chapman,” he said, sitting down at his desk.

“Jonathan, my secretary said you called while I was in a meeting.”

He still got shaky knees whenever Mrs. Chapman said his name in that authoritarian voice, as if he was in some kind of trouble or better yet, up to no good. “I hope I have some good news for you. I’ve come up with an idea that will help you get your math scores to the level you’d like them to be.” He knew her school was being challenged in that arena. “What would you think about adding a math coach into your curriculum?

“A math coach?”

“Yes. She…I mean, this person, would work with your students from grades one to six. She could focus on those students your teachers feel could use some extra help.”

“A math coach? Umm. Jonathan, I think that’s an innovative idea. And it just might work. Heaven knows, I need to bring the school’s scores up. But I’d have to find such a teacher. One with a specialty in mathematics who would be able to--”

“I have the perfect person here at my school.”

“You do?”

“Yes. Her name is Marilyn Bannister. She’s new. In fact, this is her first year teaching. However, she comes highly recommended by Senator Barbara Jordan and Deputy Superintendent Sanders.”

Jonathan was glad he had spoken with Deputy Superintendent Sanders that morning, and had sold him on the idea as well. Sanders had been excited about the possibilities and thought the math coach concept could be introduced as a pilot program. If it worked out, his district would be recognized for their innovative ideas in moving education forward.

Sanders had suggested several elementary schools in his district, but Jonathan had decided on Cullers. Mrs. Chapman had vast experience as both an instructor and principal that she could pass on to Miss Bannister. He could see Mrs. Chapman becoming a mentor to her, so to speak. He, of all people, knew how important that was.

When Jonathan had first become an educator, it had been Superintendent Sanders, a school principal at the time, who had been the one to show him the ropes. Instead of stifling Jonathan’s out-of-the-box ideas, Sanders had embraced them. Jonathan had strategically planned a number of programs and worked close with other teachers to make Sanders’s district one of the best. Within two years, Sanders had been promoted to the position of Assistant to Houston’s school superintendent.

Even with such a notable position, Sanders continued to be Jonathan’s mentor. But Jonathan considered him more than that. Losing his father a few years back had been hard, and Jonathan considered Joe Sanders to be another father figure in his life.

Sanders had shown his appreciation to Jonathan for making him look good by appointing him as Houston’s youngest principal. Sanders had taken a lot of flak for making such a bold move, especially from those educators who believed it was the time put into the job and not a person’s worth that should decide who earns a principal’s position. Sanders had stood his ground and Jonathan had made it a point to prove those naysayers wrong. For two years straight, Parkwood had been recognized as a model school.

Sanders considered the transferring of Miss Bannister as a math coach to be just another one of Jonathan’s bright ideas. Jonathan had thought things through and although moving Miss Bannister to another school definitely served his purpose, he could also see it to be a very smart idea for the school board. He had no trouble coming up with the selling points he’d made to Sanders. He could envision math coaches becoming the wave of the future. With someone as bright as Marilyn Bannister spearheading the pilot program, it was sure to be successful.

And for him, it was definitely a win-win.

He had reviewed the math game book she’d created, and he was amazed that she’d found the time and the creativity to come up with it, all while keeping up with her studies. And she had still graduated at the top of her class.

He’d mentioned her book to Sanders as well. He wanted to see if the district would back him in helping Miss Bannister not only get the book published, but have the book used in the district’s classrooms as a textbook.

“If this person is as good as you say she is, Jonathan, I’m surprised you’d be willing to give her up. I know how it is for you. When selecting your teachers, you want the cream of the crop and it sounds like she’s invaluable.”

For a minute, he’d forgotten he was still on the phone with Helen Chapman. Invaluable. Jonathan swallowed. That’s not all Marilyn Bannister was. He was convinced she was also a woman he was falling for. And if he were to be truthful with himself, he would say he was already there.

“Parting with her won’t be easy, but I believe your school will benefit. That’s the most important thing.” He knew that Mrs. Chapman had been trying to get a handle on the reason Cullers’ math scores had been down the last two school years. There was no doubt she’d have figured it out, since she’d done tremendous things since taking over as principal to bring the school around. But this time, he could help her. He was convinced having Miss Bannister as a math coach/teacher would take care of the problem for her.

“I appreciate your support, Jonathan. How soon can I have her?”

“I’ve already cleared everything with Deputy Superintendent Sanders. I’ll let Miss Bannister finish this week out. She should be ready to start work for you on Monday.”

They talked for a little while longer and he could hear the excitement in Mrs. Chapman’s voice. It made him feel good about what he was doing. She didn’t need to know he had ulterior motives.

After ending his call, Jonathan sat back in his chair and gathered his thoughts. He was doing the right thing. He knew it. Moments later, he buzzed his secretary. “Yes, Mr. Madaris?”

“I need to meet with Miss Bannister immediately.”

* * * *

Marilyn walked down the long hall toward the administrative offices. Principal Madaris wanted to see her. Almost immediately after Marilyn received the call, a teacher’s assistant had arrived to take over her class.

Picking up her pace as she rounded a corner, Marilyn couldn’t help wondering why Mr. Madaris would want to meet with her. It was the second month of school and she’d turned in her first month report on time, had met with several parents and was looking forward to the school’s first PTA meeting in a few weeks.

When she reached Mrs. Etheridge’s desk, the older woman smiled at her and said, “You can go on in.”

“Thank you.”

Marilyn tried not being nervous, since there was nothing to be nervous about. But she knew that wasn’t true. Anytime she came within ten feet of her boss, she would feel a fluttering in her stomach. And the thought of being in such close quarters with him had her about to go into a full-blown panic attack.

She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She was confident in her abilities to act like the professional she was, regardless of who she was meeting with. Even if that person was someone who could make her heart pound, her stomach stir, and remind her with every breath she took that she was a woman.

It wasn’t his fault he had such an effect on the females around him. Still, if she couldn’t control herself around him, she had a problem. He’d been nothing but professional with her at all times. He hadn’t done or said anything that would make her feel that she was anything more than just one of his teachers. But there was something about him that stirred all kinds of vibes within her. Even though they were vibes of her own making.

She opened the door and saw Principal Madaris standing by his desk, facing the door as if he’d been waiting for her. “Come in, Miss Bannister. Please have a seat.”

She entered the room and took the only chair, which was across from his desk. “I understand you wanted to see me, Mr. Madaris.”

“Yes, I did. But before we get started, I wanted to ask how you’re doing.”

She was tempted to say that the answer to that question would depend on the reason she’d been summoned to his office. “I’m doing well, sir.”

“I thought we agreed that I wouldn’t be referred to as ‘sir’,” he said, sitting in the chair behind his desk.

“Sorry about that.”

When he continued to look at her, she couldn’t help squirming in her chair. “Did I do something wrong, Mr. Madaris?” she asked.

* * * *

Hearing her ask that question did something to Jonathan. For a moment, he second-guessed what he was doing. What gave him the right to manipulate things to his advantage? What if he discovered she wasn’t interested in him? If that was the case, he was willing to do whatever it took to change her mind. And he already had a strategic plan in place. But he couldn’t move forward until she was at another school.

“No, Miss Bannister, you haven’t done anything wrong. But I wanted to meet with you because I’ve done something that concerns you. I’ve made the decision to transfer you to another school.”

Jonathan saw shock, confusion and then disappointment settle across her features. At that moment, he wished he could get out of his seat, go around his desk and kiss all three away. Better yet, he wished he could be totally honest with her and tell her the real reason he was sending her away. But he couldn’t. One day, after he’d made certain she loved him as much as he loved her, he would. He hoped by then, she would realize his actions were his way of insuring their future. If she remained at this school, they wouldn’t have one.

“But I don’t understand,” she said, obviously still trying to come to terms with what he’d said. “If I haven’t done anything wrong, why are you getting rid of me?”

He swallowed. More than anything, he wished he could tell her the truth, that he was just making it easier for them to be together.

“I’m not getting rid of you, Miss Bannister,” he said in his most professional voice. “What I’ve done is recognize the fact that your educational skills are best served elsewhere.”

“How?”

“A pilot program is being implemented in this school district that will help students who have a deficiency in math. As noted on your application, math is one of your strong points. Therefore, you’ve been assigned to Cullers Elementary School as a math coach.”

“A math coach?”

“Yes. The project will be the first of its kind, not only in this school’s district, but in the whole city of Houston. If you’re successful in helping the children increase their mathematical skills, the program will be expanded. Cullers is doing extremely well in other areas, but each year, the students’ math scores bring the school numbers down. I see this as a wonderful opportunity for you. You’ll really be able to make a difference. Helen Chapman is the principal of Cullers and she’s looking forward to working with you.”

He could tell the smile on her lips was forced. Did that mean that she didn’t like the idea, even after everything he’d said? He’d told her the truth. This was the first program of its kind in the city. All eyes would be on her to make it successful, and deep in his gut, he believed that she would.

Even with her lack of experience, other teachers couldn’t touch her when it came to her skill level in mathematics. He knew he had to cover his bases, in case someone questioned the reasons she’d been selected. When opportunity knocked, everyone assumed they had the qualifications, even when they did not. Although he had ulterior motives for setting Miss Bannister up in this position, she was the most qualified person. Hands down.

During the two months she’d been here, she’d already proven she was a great teacher. She’d handled her class with a proficiency that usually came from years of experience. He reviewed all his teachers’ weekly lesson plans and hers had been excellent. And then there was her handling of Elijah Clems. Even Nadine was smiling over Elijah’s recent math test score, as well as his improvement in class citizenship. Jonathan was convinced those math games had a lot to do with it.

“When do I start, Mr. Madaris?”

After today, she would have no reason to call him Mr. Madaris. He would simply be Jonathan to her. “You will report to Principal Chapman at Cullers on Monday morning.”