Monday arrived with a sky the color of cold steel and an eerie stillness that made Grace uneasy. There were no classes today, but that didn’t mean she could stay tucked in at The Spruce with a book and a cup of coffee. The district had scheduled an in-service training at Eagle Ridge, and Grace had promised she would attend.
She drove out alone, the road slick from the light dusting of snow the night before. By the time she arrived, she’d convinced herself the day might not be so bad. At least she would get to meet more teachers from around the Valley.
That optimism didn’t last long.
Her very first introduction was to Tom Tremaine—who, as it turned out, was a bit of a legend in the Valley’s education circles. He was tall, with the kind of easy smile that came from knowing everyone in a h
