Defensively she added, "Assuming the sex is by mutual consent, and I'm referring to the punishment. If I was the one deciding, I'd be harder on drugs and alcohol than on sex."

"You must like sex," he said.

She wished she could see his eyes. "That's not the point."

"You do, don't you."

She could have sworn she saw the start of a smirk. "That's neither here nor there," she insisted. "Your kids are the ones at issue.

But, hey"she held up a hand, then promptly took it back down and used it to put Sami in the strollerUwhat you decide to do with them is your business. You're the Man." She secured the strap and started off.

She needed to be moving. Noah Perrine made her uncomfortable.

"For the record," he said, falling into step beside her, "the two we caught were draining a fifth of vodka. They'll be suspended for three days and put on probation when they get back."

He made a dry sound. "At the rate we're going, half the student body will be on probation by Halloween, which isn't any sweat off my backhell, I'm only acting Head until they find someone permanentbut they'll have a tough time getting anyone to come with so much disciplinary action outstanding."

"You could always look the other way when rules are broken."

Sunglasses or no sunglasses, she felt his accusatory stare. "I should have known that a woman who keeps a baby strapped to her chest while she drives a car would say something like that."

"For the record," Paige informed him, tossing his own words right back, "now that I've learned how to use the car seat, she's in it.

That was desperation you saw in action the other day. I don't make a habit of breaking rules."

"Neither do I," he said without raising his voice, "which is why I can't look the other way and let these kids do what they want. I may only be here for a year, but during that time it's my name that goes on the bottom line. It's my reputation that's at stake. It's my caring for the lives of these kids that makes me rigid."

"Whew," she said with a light touch, which was the only way she could think of to top off such a heavy speech.

"So don't tell me that I don't care for kids," he added, "because I do."

So he remembered their last conversation.

"That was bothering you, huh?"

"Damn right. I'm doing my best in a sticky situation, and I'm doing it because I care. I didn't have to be here. I had a perfectly good job that I could have kept for as long as I wanted."

"Then why did you take this one?"

He had no fast retort. Finally, resignedly, he said, "It seemed like a good thing to do for a year. How's your team doing?"

With the shift away from himself, she dared a glance up at his face.

The mirrored aviators added nothing of a personal nature. She wished she had a pair of her own, or a hat with a low visoranything to make her feel less exposed.

"The first race is Saturday. I'll let you know then."

"Have the girls calmed down?"

"There haven't been any more frantic phone calls, if that's what you're asking."

"Did they show up to talk on Saturday?"

"Most of them."

"The sophomores, too?"

"For a little while." iWere they talking?"

"Listening, more. As you pointed out, Sara had never met my partner."

"And you pointed out that being new, she doesn't have a support group here yet. So how does she seem to you?"

"Okay. She's quiet, serious. She's my strongest runner. I'm guessing she'll place well on Saturday."

They walked on. Paige wondered where he was headed. She wished he would get to wherever it was. His presence disturbed the air around her.

ill identify with her," he said, and it was a minute before Paige realized he was still talking about Sara. "Being new and all. Do you think she's making friends?"

"She fits in fine with the team, but I have no idea how she is otherwise. What does her dorm parent say?"

"To me? Not a hell of a lot. I'm not much more popular with her than I am with the students. I'm the one making rules that she has to enforce."

"But she's your staff. Your staff is answerable to you.

"There are answers and there are answers. The ones they give are sometimes as begrudging as the ones the kids give. The last thing they want is to declare themselves my allies."

Paige reached the path that would take her to her car. Feeling imminent relief, she raised her hand in a quick wave and said, "Me neither. See ya."

Angie's palms were damp. She waited for Dougie to run ahead into the house, praying that he would go to his room so that she could have a minute alone with Ben. If the boy had heard any of the previous night's discussion, he hadn't let on. Aside from one comment, a vehement, "I'm starved," when he climbed into the car at school, they had talked during the drive home as though the disagreement the day before had never taken place.

She had no idea how Ben would be. One part of her would have been very happy if, like Dougie, he acted as though nothing were wrong.

The other partthe hurt, angry, realistic partknew that Nora Eaton existed. She would have to be dealt with. The question was when.

Angie preferred later. For now she would be satisfied trs finsl tho C,zmP old Ben watching the evening news. She could make dinnershe had taken chicken from the freezer that morningand start a load of laundry. She could find strength in small, everyday accomplishments.

She came into the kitchen and called out a hello trying to make it as cheerful as always.

Ben didn't answer, but that was nothing new.

Sometimes he didn't hear or was preoccupied listening to a news report, then, when he heard her puttering around, he would come in to say hello He didn't this night. She assumed that he was having doubts of his own as to how he would be received. After all, he was the one who had cheated.

When dinner was ready, she called out from the kitchen door. Dougie's footsteps on the stairs pre sCswdheerdesshiDad?PPearance. He slid onto his seat.

"Coming," Angie said, hoping it was true. She started dishing out food, still he didn't show. "He may not have heard," she said, stopped what she was doing, and went to the den. Ben was just where she thought he would be. "Dinner's ready," she said.

He looked at herunsurely, she thought. The look she returned was one of confidence. Come to dinner, now. We'll work this all out later.