Sean Collins has built his life around control, success, and a vow to never let anyone close again. After surviving cancer and buying the very school that once fired him, he returns to settle the score. But his plans are thrown off course when he finds out the one woman who shattered his heart, Gigi Dumont, is a teacher at the same school—and about to lead her students on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris.

When Sean volunteers to chaperone the trip, what starts as a way to keep an eye on her turns into something unexpected. Between the magic of Paris, moonlit strolls along the Seine, and Gigi’s passion for helping her students succeed, old feelings begin to resurface. But Sean is determined to keep his heart guarded—until Gigi shows him that second chances can bloom in the most unexpected places.

As they navigate the city’s romance, Gigi’s students’ wild antics, and a spark that refuses to die, Sean must decide: will he protect his heart, or risk everything for the woman he never truly let go?

Payback time.

Standing in his mother’s kitchen, Sean Collins smiled as he hung up the phone.

He hesitated for a moment, then charged along the carpeted hallway to his bedroom. In a flash, he changed from his T-shirt and jeans into his black, pin stripe, king-of-the-business-world suit complete with black tie and shiny black shoes.

Finished dressing, Sean jittered at the bedroom door and listened to his son talking nonstop to his grandmother upstairs. His skin tingled and he closed his eyes. At least moving to his parents’ country estate in Cape Cod, where he had grown up, had been good for everyone.

Breakfast could wait. He grabbed the keys from the kitchen counter and called upstairs, “I’m leaving. I won’t be gone long.”

Last year, the school principal had fired him on bogus charges. Sean would have sworn on every holy book he knew of that he’d been fired because his doctors had discovered cancer in a routine physical exam, and they didn’t want to pay for his insurance.

The illness had sucked. But he’d survived. And now he used his vast wealth to get what he wanted. He had taken the job at the time to prove to himself he had more choices than being the chief financial officer of his father’s corporation, but no teacher should be treated so callously.

Sean set his jaw and walked outside where the smell of freshly cut grass aroused his senses.

When he stepped outside to head toward the garage, Sean paused and stared at the vast forested area on the property and pressed his lips together.

Trees made sense. Women never had. His luck with women had been bad from the start. His first girlfriend, Gigi Dumont, had left him for parts unknown, and then later his wife (now his ex) Jennifer had also left and then died months later. She’d played with a whole set of loose scruples.

But Jennifer hadn’t hurt him, not like Gigi had.

Sean rolled his shoulders. Why did everything in his life always seem to go back to Gigi?

And now Gigi had moved back into the house next door.

He fished out his keys from his pocket and opened the garage door. A quick click of a button and the gate lifted.

Last night he hadn’t slept. Today his shoulders were straight. This moment had nothing to do with women and everything to do with justice.

His fingers traced the shiny finish of his brother Gerard’s Aston Martin. Without blinking, he decided to borrow the car. He’d be early and outshine everyone else. Besides, Gerard had offered to loan it to him specifically for today.

Sean climbed inside. He licked his lips and turned the key, igniting the engine, and took off.

A daydream flashed in his mind. Principal Murray’s jaw dropping to the ground in shock the second Sean steps inside the office with the papers…

Sean clutched the wheel. He intended to twist the knife even further. People like Mr. Murray gave employers around the world the reputation of cold, heartless automatons, especially when he claimed the firing had been over “job performance.” Every one of Sean’s students had passed the state assessments—what other part of his job was there to perform?

Now, Sean ran the finances for his parents, his father’s company, and his brothers. The support of his family to get him through cancer treatments had been phenomenal, but what if he hadn’t had that support? What if he’d had no money to pay for treatments? He’d be dead because the principal had fired him rather than deal with insurance increases.

Well, I have a better solution, Sean thought as he sped down the country road for the half-hour trip.

During his horrible marriage to Jennifer, he’d worked as a teacher and his students had achieved both academic and social successes. Jennifer had been the nightmare that drove Sean away from Collins Industries, Collins Enterprises, Collins Investments, and Collins Mutual, to list a few of his father’s multiple companies. Post-divorce and cancer, Sean had decided to offer employees benefit packages in cases of sickness. Anyone who worked for him would now receive a payoff equal to their job performance done over a certain number of years as part of a settlement. Money is what pays hospital bills, after all.

Sean’s stomach clenched as he gazed at the sign for the Barnstable Charter High School parking lot. He parked Gerard’s fancy lawyer wheels that screamed “out to impress” right next to the about-to-be-sacked principal’s BMW sedan. The Aston Martin made for the perfect goodbye gesture: Murray had been outclassed.

Sean leaned forward in his seat, refusing to feel guilty. He waited for the school bell to ring and watched the students bound outside.

Sean’s family had money, unlike most people in this country, but normally he didn’t care to flaunt his wealth. His Jeep Wrangler suited him just fine, but today he needed to look like the elite businessman he was. He stepped out a minute later and at a fast gait, he strode down the halls. Sean winked the second he saw the school guard’s shocked face.

“You had cancer?” asked the older African American lady who coached the wrestling team.

“Yes, I did. I’m better now,” Sean said, smiling.

He inclined his head and passed the security desk, then turned right toward the principal’s office.

In his briefcase he carried the school board’s ruling and the proof of sale of the school to Collins Enterprises. Barnstable was a private school that followed school board law. The sale to his company had been finalized, but Sean had insisted on telling Murray in person; the minutes of the meeting would be posted at one o’clock that afternoon.

Victory awaited him, and justice tasted better than homemade chocolate chip cookies.

In the office, the overqualified secretary, Mattie, dropped her pencil on the floor. Sean made eye contact with her and the older woman smiled back. Then he picked up the pencil in stride and handed it back to her. She opened her mouth to speak, and he shook his head, placing his finger over his lips to request her silence.

She smiled her response and swiveled her chair back to her computer.

Sean had seen Mattie in action, and understood the older woman knew how to treat people, more than anyone else in the main office.

Outside the principal’s door, Sean straightened his tie into perfect alignment. His heart rate sped up and his entire body became alert—

Then he heard her voice on the other side of the door.

Gigi, or rather, Giovanna Dumont. Her quiet, sweet voice unmanned him, making his palms sweat. Why would she be here? And how could she still steal his breath away?

“Please, Murray, my students won the chance of a lifetime. We earned the school trip,” Gigi argued her case with the principal in her sweet, honey voice. “If they win this competition, they are worldwide French Congressional winners. Two noble laureates named this year won this competition years ago, and we’re one of three North American schools in the finals.”

Murray didn’t even pause to think it over. “French is a dying language, Ms. Dumont. No one cares about the language, and my funding has been reduced to the bone.”

A wave of disbelief swept through Sean. Gigi taught here? Why? She didn’t need a job, and she hated children. Wasn’t that what she’d said years ago?

Gigi pleaded again, “Murray, this is so unfair.”

Murray answered, “Life isn’t fair.”

Sean kept his head up and walked inside. Guess I don’t have a choice now.

“Time to leave, Gigi,” Sean said quietly.

Gigi’s mouth fell open. He’d deal with her after he dealt with the principal.

Sean leaned into the chair closer to her.

“Sean?” Gigi’s eyes widened in shock. “What are you doing here?”

Lust rushed through his body. No. He would not be attracted to her again.

He stared at Murray, who didn’t stand up. Murray’s black, beady eyes reminded Sean of a squirrels. But he refused to gaze at Gigi. Ignoring her had worked the past few months, and he saw no need to change strategies, even if her big blue eyes set him off.

“Please come back in a few minutes, Ms. Dumont,” he said. “I need to speak to Murray alone.”

“What did you call me? Ms. Dumont? First him, now you. Apparently, it’s the meeting of the self-centered jerks.”

Her words sparked with fire and the sharpness of each question cut him.

When he didn’t respond, Gigi rolled her eyes.

“Whatever. I’m leaving.” She huffed and sashayed her long skirt out the door.

Sean remembered happily staring at her sexy butt, swaying as she walked away, but that was many, many years ago, and he had always acted childish near her. Damn. Even now, her hips demanded his attention. He stopped staring the moment he could no longer see her.

Sean tugged his ear. Gigi Dumont was far too attractive to be a teacher.

At least he could forget Gigi for the moment. His eyes narrowed on his prey: Murray. Sean needed to see his face the split second he learned that the school board had revoked his license, for illegal accounting at the school.

“Do you know why I’m back?” Sean asked Murray.

Murray shook his head, and then pushed his glasses up his nose. “Mr. Collins, there are no open faculty positions available at this school.”

“I never needed a job from you.” Sean dropped the papers on his desk. Murray could read either of them first. What mattered was standing up for others who might someday have to deal with cancer or another horrible life-threatening disease.

He stared as Murray read one then the other. A smile formed on Sean’s face and he leaned on the desk. “Start packing your bags and go back to Boston where you belong.”

“You can’t do this!” Murray yelled.

“I can, and I will.” Sean saw the surprise in the man’s eyes, and his righteous anger disappeared as he witnessed Murray’s forehead crumple. Sean had never been a bully, never liked kicking anyone when they were down, not even this despicable man.

Damn.

“Look, I bought the school. You’re out.”

“According to this paper, my hearing at the school board is in two weeks . . .”

“Ten business days.” Did the man intend to fight this? “It’s a done deal.”

Murray tugged at his collar for air. “While you signed the deeds of trust on my school, your ownership doesn’t begin for another month.”

Okay, so Murray had one valid point. But Sean refused to back down and wait for a month.

“Collins, why did you come after me?” Murray asked. “Why would a teaching position you never needed bother you enough to come back here?”

“Because I’ll never get to stare cancer in the eyes. It’s silent and I had to depend on my own strength to get through that ordeal. But I can stop someone like you from ever doing this to anyone else.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You fired me when I told the office about my lung cancer caused from exposure to toxins while serving in the Marines.” Sean plowed ahead, memories fueling his anger. “Not everyone has my resources. You do not and can no longer fire people for being sick.”

“Insurance—”

“Pack up this office, and I will decide what happens to this school.” An image of Gigi floated back into Sean’s mind eye.

Damn.

Blocking her from his thoughts was not working. “And what happens to Ms. Dumont and her trip.”

“I have two weeks!” The man’s voice rose.

“To pack your bags, but you’re done here. I make the decisions now.”

“I’ll start packing, but you’ll see. The hearing will go my way,” Murray argued. Had he not read the paper? “Since I’m in charge, Ms. Dumont’s trip is cancelled for tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? Sean’s hands clutched together. “Prestige for academics is on my agenda.” Not only that, but Gigi’s leaving the country would keep her away during the hearing. “Read who controls what. I’ll be back. What room number is Ms. Dumont’s classroom?”

“Fifty-seven.”

Sean gazed back to see Murray slump into his chair to read the documents. Turning to leave the room, he asked one more question. “How long has Ms. Dumont been working here?”

“Since school began in September.”

One month since she’d moved back into her mom’s old home. The winter snow of February hadn’t forced her to quit. She hadn’t run off to Cabo San Lucas or wherever else her people took off to this time of year. From everything he’d heard about her, Gigi had lived a party after she ran away from her life in high school. Now she was working at the high school, teaching French for almost no money…

Why?

* * *

Sean’s steps echoed down the empty hallways. Today had been a half day for the students for some reason or another. He crossed his arms and stood outside Gigi’s room, needing a minute to catch his breath. He had never intended to knock at her door again.

His body tightened and he fixed his stare through the glass slit. Gigi was sitting at her desk, grading papers. Years ago, Gigi had practically forced him to do his homework. For his entire childhood they had always cared about each other. They had shared their first kiss, their first everything.

He blinked, but the memory of her lips lingered. Sean shook his head to block out the flashback. He stepped back and reminded himself how she’d destroyed that version of Gigi by ripping his heart out at his birthday party.

Closing his palm over the classroom door handle, he pushed the door open.

Gigi stared up. The color drained from her face. She turned away and straightened some items on her desk. Then she met his gaze and raised her chin. “You get to roam the halls here, Sean? Schools are secure buildings.”

“I own this school now,” he said with a smirk.  No sense beating around the bush.

“You—” She stopped, then shook her head. “Why would you own a school? You hated school when we were growing up.”

“I could ask you the same thing. Why do you work here?”

A cough caught in her throat, then she dropped her shoulders. “Am I fired?”

“Should you be?” His voice deepened as her nearness brought back memories.

Her lower jaw quivered. “I’ve changed the entire French program. My students have won awards unheard of in this state.”

An uncomfortable silence stretched before them and his eyes never flinched. He studied Gigi. The earnest, wide-eyed woman that stared at him brought back images of the girl on the tire swings with pigtails in her hair, and the way she had put stickers on his face. His childhood love for her had begun that day.

Now Gigi crossed her arms around her waist. “If I’m fired, I have a few things to pack up.”

“You’re not fired, Gigi.” He took a step closer and offered his hand to comfort her.

She brushed his hand and pushed back. An electrical spark bolted through him. Damn. After all these years she could still affect him that way.

He stepped back, deliberately severing the connection. “Not unless you want to be. Have dinner with me tonight. Convince me about your trip to Paris.”

“Dinner?” she asked. “You can’t be serious.”

“We can go to a local diner, nothing fancy. I don’t want to keep you here longer than necessary. You can get me the details about the trip and give me time to make the arrangements afterwards.” He’d almost convinced himself. This would be a business dinner. Nothing more.

“Are you sure? Murray wants to cancel the trip to Paris.”

Sean swallowed. “I’m not him, and you don’t know me these days. I’m not the same man you knew, Gigi.”

She closed her eyes. “All right. Give me a few minutes and tell me where. Driving with you leaves me stranded so I’d prefer to drive myself.”

Why would she bring up that night now?

“You walked home on your own accord that night, Gigi. I followed you every step you took, offering you a ride.”

“I know you did, Sean.” She stared down at her papers and wiped her eyes.

Was she crying? Then he heard her mumbling. What was she saying? He strained to hear her words. “You were hard, awful, and polite. Part of me never wanted to see you again.”

“It’s the same for me, but we have to move on. The past is behind us.” Easy to say, but could he really put everything behind them?

She sniffled then raised her head. Her face was dry as she stared back at him. “Is Patrick okay?”

Last July, his son, Patrick, had ended up at Gigi’s house because he’d been upset that his mother had died, and his son feared his father might also die. Patrick was all he had left.

He hadn’t known Gigi had returned to town until his mother had told him who’d found his missing boy. A war of emotions had run through him that day, and he had avoided Gigi ever since.

Sean nodded. He sighed, then told her, “I never thanked you, and I should have.”

“You tried when you showed up. I understood. We both have regrets, Sean.” She stood up to meet him. “I’ll meet you down the street at the diner. Give me ten minutes to pack up.”

A clear message for him to leave now. He nodded. “Great. I look forward to hearing your plans for the trip.”

He admitted to himself he looked forward to seeing her smile, too.

Was there any way he could make his heart stop pounding near Gigi Dumont?