I know damn well I’m about to surprise her. “I’ll be twenty-five this fall.”
Her eyes bug out and her mouth drops open, pink lips creating the perfect O of surprise. It seems as if she’s trying to decide whether or not to say something for a few seconds, and then she finally blurts out, “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought—I mean, you look younger than that. I just assumed you were a typical college senior.”
Chuckling, I shrug my shoulders. “I didn’t figure out what I wanted to do for quite a while after I graduated, so I’ve been working on my master’s. I had my history degree and no idea what I wanted to do with it. After I’d had enough time to think everything through, teaching seemed like a good idea.”
Quietly, she says, “Well, if you’re at all concerned, please don’t be—I think I have plenty of experience to share with you.”
I shake my head with a smile. “I’m not worried at all.”
My comment hangs in the air between us as we stare at each other.
Finally, I decide to give her some space. “Hey, I’ve got to get going, but I’ll see you Friday, bright and early.”
“Sounds good.” She gives me a tremulous smile and waves as I start walking backward toward the door, my gaze still steady on hers. “It was nice to meet you, Sawyer.”
“Same here. See you soon, Hadleigh.”
When I exit the classroom, I walk quickly down the hallway and out the front door of the building. Man, with the way I’m feeling right now, this is shaping up to be the most difficult eight weeks of my life.
Chapter 5
Hadleigh
Thursday, the day before Sawyer is due to start his student teaching placement, I stay late after school to make sure I have things prepared for him. I’m still crazy nervous about having a student teacher observing every last little thing I say and do, but now that I know it’s him, it’s like a double whammy. Every time he’d focused those dark eyes on me, it’d felt like all the air had been sucked from the room and I’d been thrown back in time to that night at the bar. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve spaced out since I was in his presence on Wednesday. Because that’s exactly what it is, a presence of some sort, quiet but also very attuned, alert, and observant. I sure as hell hope he can’t tell the effect he has on me just by standing a hair too close.
On my way out, I drop by the main office and put in a request for an extra desk to be brought in for Sawyer to use while he’s here in both my classroom and in the workroom. After I get that done, I make a mental note to bring the secretaries some cookies or something. They’ve assisted with everything I’ve asked of them this week to help me get ready for Sawyer.
With a glance down at my phone, I realize I’m really late. I’ve got a book club meeting tonight, and we’re finally going to discuss Madi’s book choice from last month. We’d gone totally off the rails when she’d shown up all flustered by her weekend away with Shawn. She’d been a mess and in no state to participate in book talk. It’d been quite the night when she’d been confronted with the realization that she’s in love with him. And the reality is, not only had she exited the meeting before we’d talked about her book, but those of us remaining hadn’t discussed it after she’d left, either. I mean, with that kind of action and drama happening, who wanted to talk about a book, anyway?
I make haste to the local coffee shop just down the street from Shawn’s bar. I’m late. So late. So, so late. When I finally arrive, I practically burst through the door in a whirl of apologies and windblown hair.
My chest heaves as I skid to a stop in front of the table. “I’m so sorry. I got caught up getting a few things ready for tomorrow. Did you start book talk without me?”
It’s clear they’ve been here a while, relaxing with their beverages of choice. Black coffee for Quinn and Piper, coffee with cream and sugar for Madison, and some sort of whipped cream-topped masterpieces, complete with a caramel drizzle, for Sophia and Zoey. I see they’ve even already ordered my usual English breakfast tea for me.
Piper snorts. “We weren’t sure what was going on and figured if you showed up late, you probably wouldn’t mind if we went straight for the girl talk.”
I glance around at their amused faces. “Sue me.” I yank out the chair and sit down with a grin. “But just one comment about the book—I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it, knowing it was a paranormal romance.” I lose it, snickering. “Who knew shape-shifting bears could be so hot?”
Quinn laughs, too. “That’s kind of what we all said. I was skeptical when we started reading it, and then I was … strangely intrigued.”
“Good to know,” Madison laughs, covering her mouth with her hand. “I’ll have to find something equally as interesting for my next choice.”
“Speaking of, did you pick out your book, Hadleigh?” Sophia asks.
Zoey blurts out, “And should we be terrified?”
With a devilish grin, I heft my oversize purse into my lap and dig around inside for a second. Once I’ve located it, I hold up the book and say proudly, “Our next read is One Hot Night: An Erotic Romance.”
Piper’s brows shoot up into her hairline. “Whoa, baby. Check out that cover.”
“What? Man-chests are my favorite. I don’t know why anyone makes books with anything other than a half-naked man on the front. Besides, I want to find out what the difference is between erotic romance and just plain erotica.”
Madison and Piper both open their mouths to answer at once when I hold up a hand. “No. Nope. Don’t tell me. I want to read and figure it out on my own. Make a note of the book, ladies, and we’ll discuss next time.”
I take a sip of my tea, casting my gaze around our circle. “Okay, now that we have book talk taken care of, I have some interesting news.” I grit my teeth and give a troubled smile. “I didn’t mention anything before this because I thought it was some fluke thing. I didn’t think anything would ever come of it.”
As my voice lowers, my friends lean in as if they were a single unit. “So, I saw this really hot guy at the bar a few weeks ago.” My eyes flick to Madison. “It was the night Shawn played that song for you, Madi. Anyway, I spotted this guy from across the room right after karaoke started up again.” I pause, shifting in my seat, suddenly unsure if I should give voice to the thoughts running rampant through my head.
Piper groans, making a circling motion with her hand as if I should continue. “Well, don’t stop there. You’ve got our collective curiosity piqued.”
I bite my lip, glancing around the table. “This guy seemed to be there with this girl, but when we locked eyes, I had this weird kind of feeling zip through me.”
“Lust, honey. That’s called lust.” Quinn grins big at me as Sophia gives her a playful shove and urges me to continue.
I take a deep breath and try to focus on how to explain everything. “It felt like he was seeing into me somehow, like we had this weird connection. Anyway, I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that he was different, like maybe I was somehow supposed to talk to him or get to know him … but I have no idea how because I’d never seen him before.”
“I take it he left before you could say anything to him?” Sophia’s brow furrows, clearly intrigued.
I nod. “Yeah. I turned around for just a second and when I looked for him again, he was already on his way out the door. I didn’t know his name, where he came from, if he was just passing through or whatever.” I wet my lip, seeing him again in my mind. “But, man, he was yummy with a capital Y.”
Zoey frowns. “So, what are you going to do? How would you find him again even if you wanted to?”
“Maybe we should hang out at the bar more? You know I’m not opposed to that. I’ll hang out with Shawn any day of the week.” Madison winks at me. “Or you could tell Shawn what he looks like and have him watch out for you instead?”
All at once, everyone tosses ideas around, trying to come up with the best way to locate my mystery man, oblivious to the fact that I already know exactl
y how and where to find him.
It had been way easier than I was anticipating, that’s for sure. It’s like he fell right into my lap.
I purposely look down to watch as my fingers trace the swirled pattern on the outside of my teacup and I murmur, “The thing is, girls, I don’t have to look for him.”
Piper places a hand on my forearm, and my fingers stop their movement on the cup. “You found him? Why didn’t you say so?”
I glance up at her and then around the table at the other women. “Um … because he actually found me instead.”
“What?”
“What do you mean?”
“Tell us more.”
“How’d he find you?”
The questions rush out of their mouths, and I hold up my hand to stall them.
All at once, Zoey sets her coffee cup down, realization dawning on her face. “Oh. My. God.” She shakes her head. “No way. Tell me it’s not who I’m thinking it is.”
Blood pounds furiously through my head and my cheeks heat. “Yep. It’s Sawyer. The student teacher I’m working with.”
Stunned shock registers on everyone’s faces.
“Oh, no.” Piper cringes. “He’s totally cute. But—”
“Yeah. I know. I’m feeling totally indecent about the daydreams I’ve been having about him the last few weeks.” I mash my lips together. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
Quinn and Sophia look at each other, exchanging worried glances. Quinn finally utters what I know to be true, but don’t want to hear. “I hate to say this to you, but getting involved with him seems like a terrible idea.”
Sophia shakes her head slowly. “You can’t.” She stops herself. “I mean, you shouldn’t. You probably shouldn’t.”
My face blanches.
Reaching out a hand to cover mine, Sophia continues. “What I mean is I don’t know how that would look to our administration. I wouldn’t want you to end up with a mark of some sort on your record. Don’t hunt in the backyard, Hadleigh. It’s not worth it.”
Quinn speaks up. “It’ll only cause trouble.” She looks around the table. “None of us wants that for you.”
I know Sophia is right, but oh, how I want to ride the stallion I found in my backyard. My insides tingle just thinking about him. I blow out a controlled breath. “Yeah, I know. He is twenty-four, though, just for the record. But I’m also his mentor. He’s totally off-limits. It was such a weird coincidence I just had to share.” I knew what they were going to say before I even brought it up. Still, disappointment floods through me, putting a damper on whatever had been sparking inside of me whenever I think of Sawyer.
Madison lets out a low whistle. “Well, leave it to us to have some sort of drama again at our book club meeting. This is becoming a habit.”
Zoey comes out of the daze she’s been in since she figured out what’s going on. “So, wait—is whatever was between you and Ed finally over?”
Enter problem number two. Ed. Ed, who seems to think we still have something. Ed, who also likes to hold things over my head. Ed, who is most definitely an asshole.
Sophia makes a face. “Oh, please tell me you aren’t still dating that guy. He doesn’t treat you well and then turns on the charm in front of everyone else. So two-faced.”
“I’ve been trying to get him to understand since before winter break that we are over.” I go back to tracing the patterns on my teacup, unable to look up at my friends. I’m aware they hated that I’d been dating Ed, mostly because we’d been trapped in a cycle where I’d be happy for a while, then he’d do or say something so asinine that I’d be upset with him and would complain to them. But then I’d go right back for more. If I dig deep, I know why, but I don’t like admitting the truth to myself.
“He really doesn’t like taking no for an answer.” I chew on my lip for a second, glancing up and then immediately back down. “He cornered me while I was in the middle of showing Sawyer around and asked if I was dodging him.”
“Which you are. And rightfully so.” Quinn grimaces.
“Well, yeah, but I was trying to be nice about it.”
My eyes connect with Quinn’s as she gives a sharp jerk of her head. “Stop. Don’t be nice.”
I blow out a breath, miserable. It’s not that I want to be nice to him. But I can’t tell them what he’s holding over my head. I feel like the biggest idiot … and until I figure out how to handle it, I can’t completely blow him off or I’m screwed. Embarrassment washes over me, heating my whole body.
Zoey grimaces. “Seriously, Hadleigh. You deserve someone who will treat you right. Like more than his little plaything. You need someone who likes you for more than what they see on the outside. Someone who is actually nice, and not just fake nice to get into your pants. Ed isn’t the first guy you’ve dated who’s been like this, either.”
I bite my lip, unsure how to respond at first. Finally, I release it and quietly say, “I think I go after the same kind of guys because it’s what I know. I watched my mom flit from guy to guy. She never learned from her mistakes and dated all the wrong guys. Hell, I’m a product of one of those wrong guys.” I look up at my friends, sure they can see the sheen of tears in my eyes. “I’m terrified of getting stuck in the same cycle and repeating the past.”
Piper nods and grasps at my hand, squeezing gently. “But isn’t that something you teach in class? What’s that quote? Something about those who don’t learn history are doomed to repeat it. You already have the awareness of what you are doing to yourself every time you hook up with someone you know isn’t right for you. You’re very introspective. You’re aware of exactly what you’re doing when you do it. Stop gravitating toward the men who only lead to heartbreak.”
We’re quiet for a moment, and I’m not sure where to go from here. Zoey’s gaze catches mine. “Had, just to be clear, Piper doesn’t necessarily mean heartbreak as in you are sad when these men leave. Stop breaking your own heart. I hope that doesn’t sound harsh because all of us”—she points at everyone in our circle—“only want the best for you. We just wish you’d stop hurting yourself.”
But what if the right guy is finally in front of me and I can’t do anything about it?
Chapter 6
Sawyer
Over my shoulder, Willow hovers at the counter of our kitchen island, just biding her time. She taps her hands on the granite to the beat of the music we have playing. I can tell she knows something is up, but she’s waiting oh-so-patiently for me to bring it up. I appreciate that about her. She never pressures me to talk if I’m not ready. Sometimes I need a while to process things before I’m ready to discuss.
I give her a quick glance as I continue to move the food around in the skillet. “Are you ready to eat? Dinner is almost ready.” Our meal of stir-fried chicken, peppers, and onions has nearly finished cooking, and I have a pot full of rice ready to serve with it.
“You betcha. I’m starving. I could eat a whole damn horse.”
I chuckle and narrow my eyes at her. “Well then, here’s your weird history fact for the day—”
Willow groans, interrupting me. “Tell me it’s not about eating horses. I’m scared of what’s about to come out of your mouth.”
Since she lives with me, poor Willow hears more strange tidbits of trivia than I think she ever bargained for. She’s a good sport about it, even if she has no interest in half of what I tell her. I smirk, ready to lay a good one on her.
“As well you should be afraid, but no, it’s not about horses or eating them. Did you know”—I pause for effect—“that Genghis Khan ordered his army to eat every tenth man when it was clear his troops were starving?”
“Ew. That’s disgusting, Sawyer.” Willow makes her best stop grossing me out face. “I’d barf, but there’s nothing in my stomach. Did you hope that by telling me Khan ordered his army into cannibalism, you’d get all the stir-fry to yourself? Because if so, well done. I’m now sick to my stomach.”
I laugh, glad I could dist
ract her from asking me any questions about my brooding. “The truth is, historians aren’t completely sure if the story is true, but the enemies believed it was, which was an effective way to instill fear, at the very least.” From the cupboard, I grab two plates and fill them with the homemade stir-fry and piping-hot rice.
Willow eyes me as she pulls a pair of forks from the drawer and hands one to me. She gripes, “I’m being so patient, by the way. So, so patient.”
Oops. Or maybe I hadn’t distracted her at all.
“I know.” I send her a small smirk as we sit on stools next to each other at the island. I’ll tell her what’s on my mind; I’m just trying to figure out which approach to take.
She rolls her eyes and digs into the hot food. Between bites, she makes little happy sounds and says, “Thanks, Sawyer. This is really good. Even if you’re being a pain in my ass about whatever is bothering you.”
I nod. “No problem.” I clear my throat and take a deep sigh. “Will, I think I’m in trouble.” I stab a piece of chicken with my fork, and pop it into my mouth, chewing slowly while I let her process.
She looks at me out of the corner of her eye. “What kind of trouble?”
I shake my head, looking down at my plate.
“Are you pregnant?” She swivels on her stool to look directly at me, the picture of innocence, but with a little twinkle in her eye.
I set my fork down on my plate and shift my attention toward her, one brow raised. “I’m not. You’re cute, though.”
She shrugs, her eyes lighting up with amusement at her own joke. “What kind of trouble is it, then?”
“Well, as you know, I start tomorrow at the high school.”
Her brow furrows. “So? I thought you were excited about it. You’re finally going to get a taste of your chosen career, really get to dig in and find out what it’s going to be like. Right?” She moves her food around the plate while she waits for me to answer.
Fight for You (Flirting with Forever Book 2) Page 3
