by Iris Abbott
“I think my dad knows that already. He doesn’t object to Jay escorting me to the dance. He already met Jay and his family at the barbeque. Remember?”
“So he did,” Caroline agreed. “What’s this big favor you need then?”
Sarah gave her another sheepish look. “Can you picture my dad shopping for a homecoming dress?” she actually laughed while she was asking the question.
Caroline raised her eyebrows and smiled at the mental image of Kyle surrounded by a rack full of fancy dresses. “I see your point,” Caroline agreed. “He would look rather out of place amongst all that lace, chiffon, and the occasional ruffle.”
“Exactly,” Sarah giggled! “I need someone to take me shopping and help me pick out a dress. Preferably someone with a great sense of fashion, which I know you possess. You have got to be the best dressed teacher at this school!” Sarah held out a sheet of paper with a printed list. “Look! I already have a list of dress shops and boutiques I want to visit. They’re all in Atlanta. I figured most of the other girls will buy their dresses in Tallahassee. I want something a little different and I’m already familiar with the shops in Buckhead.”
Caroline was reluctant to involve herself in Kyle’s life anymore than she already was. And she was sure after their last conversation that he wouldn’t appreciate it either. “Maybe Mrs. Blake would enjoy helping you pick out a dress, since you’re Jay’s date.” Caroline could only hope that was the case. “I know that she and her sisters shop in Atlanta several times a year. It’ll be a few years before Jay’s sister is old enough to need a homecoming dress. You know the more I think about the more I’m sure Abigail wouldn’t mind helping you find a dress.”
Sarah’s smile faded to a frown. “Mrs. Blake seems nice enough, but I don’t really know her. I was hoping you and I could go shopping together one Saturday. You know make a whole day out of it, maybe even a weekend. It would just be the two of us,” she was quick to add. “My dad wouldn’t be caught dead in some of the dress shops and boutiques I want to check out.”
Caroline could feel and see Sarah’s enthusiasm. Deep down she knew it was a bad idea to agree, but she didn’t have the heart to turn down Sarah’s request. “Only if your dad says it’s all right.” Caroline figured that would be an easy way out. She couldn’t imagine Kyle agreeing to her spending time with his precious daughter outside the classroom.
Sarah plopped her backpack down on Caroline’s desk. She reached inside and grabbed her phone. “I’ll call him right now,” she promised.
Caroline picked up the next test on the pile and began to correct it. That way she wouldn’t be tempted to eavesdrop on Sarah’s conversation with Kyle. Caroline heard the girl give an excited squeal. She looked up from the paper she was working on to see Sarah stuffing her phone into her pack. Caroline had a bad feeling about this. Sarah didn’t look like a girl whose best-laid plans had been sidetracked by her dad.
Sarah did a little hop of excitement. “My dad agreed to a dress hunting girl’s day out! He was a little hesitant at first,” Sarah admitted, “but I threatened to drag him to all the Atlanta boutiques in your place. He caved right away.”
Caroline was surprised Kyle hadn’t found an excuse to put a stop to Sarah’s plan. Now that she thought about it though, she was almost as excited as Sarah was. She hadn’t been shopping for a formal dress in a really long time. She’d already been roped into chaperoning the homecoming dance this year. She might as well take advantage of the shopping trip and find a nice dress to wear too.
Caroline grabbed her agenda from her tote bag. She flipped through the pages. “Well, the dance is in three weeks. Do you have plans for next weekend?”
“I don’t have anything planned that can’t be rescheduled. It works for me.”
“Okay,” Caroline agreed. She used a pencil to mark the date in her weekly planner. “As soon as you check the date with your father, let me know. We’ll make plans from there,” Caroline decided.
“Actually do you mind if I use your room to finish my homework? Volleyball practice was cancelled today. My dad is on his way. I’ll have him park and come to your classroom. That way all my work will be done and I don’t have to wait in the parking lot by myself.”
Caroline forced a smile. She had an open classroom policy. Students were welcome anytime as long as she was there, which was almost always. “I do have to finish correcting these tests before I go home. You’re more than welcome to hang out here, until your dad picks you up.”
“Thanks! I knew you wouldn’t mind. I’ll just text my dad and let him know where to find me.” She picked a desk in the front of the room.
Caroline got back to work. She wanted to finish the tests before she went home and she didn’t want to be at the school until midnight. The two worked in companionable silence until they heard a brisk knock on the door. Two pairs of eyes glanced toward the door, one with excitement the other with dread.
Just as Caroline expected, Kyle walked into the classroom. She tried to put on a friendly face and hoped it didn’t look as phony as it felt. She heard Sarah gathering her things and turned her attention that way.
“Hey dad,” Sarah greeted Kyle. “I’ve almost finished my homework. I got a lot done since volleyball practice was cancelled.” The girl continued with her chatter despite the awkward silence between the two adults. “Oh and Ms. Johnson is free next weekend. Is that a good time for us to have our girl’s day out?”
Kyle looked from his daughter to his former lover. He knew the smile she offered was false. He’d seen the real thing on Caroline plenty of times and this wasn’t it. “I’m sure that will be fine. Are you ready to go?” He looked back at Caroline, but her head was bent over a stack of papers. She kept the red pen in her hand moving across the page at a steady rate.
“Bye, Ms. Johnson,” Sarah called on her way out the door.
Kyle heard Caroline respond, but noted that she didn’t look up from her precious papers. Once again he was struck by how different she was compared to the lover of four years ago. He closed the door behind him and caught up with his daughter. “The car’s right out front.” He paused. “Sarah, are you sure Caroline doesn’t mind taking you shopping, especially all the way to Atlanta.”
“Of course, I’m sure dad,” Sarah insisted with a huff of annoyance. “She seemed reluctant at first. She even suggested I invite Jay’s mother. I told her I didn’t really know Mrs. Blake and that I wanted to go shopping with her. She warmed up to the idea quickly. We even laughed at the idea of you being lost in a rack of dresses.”
“Hmmm, I don’t know if I like being the afternoon’s entertainment,” Kyle teased.
“Don’t worry dad. Ms. Johnson and I get along really well and we’re both familiar with Atlanta. We’ll be just fine.”
“I’m sure you will be. I always thought Caroline would be an excellent teacher. So far everything I’ve heard about her seems to back up that assumption. But I still don’t think it’s a good idea for you spend too much time with her outside the classroom, so don’t make this a habit.”
“Ms. Johnson is an excellent role model. Plus she’s really good friends with Jay’s mom and I really like Jay…”
“I just don’t want you to get too attached to her. You might end up getting hurt.”
“How on earth could Ms. Johnson hurt me…?” Sarah stopped abruptly and gave her dad a hard stare. “If you are implying that she is trying to be nice to me to get in your good graces, you’re wrong,” Sarah insisted. “She never asks about you, as a matter of fact we never discuss you at all. Face it dad, you’re not unforgettable. I think Ms. Johnson got over you a long time ago.”
Kyle didn’t answer. He should have been thrilled by that statement. It was after all what he’d wanted four years ago. No strings attached relationships devoid of commitment was the credo he lived by since his divorce. So why was Caroline’s indifference to him starting to get under his skin?
*****
Caroline parked her compac
t car in the driveway of the Wakefield’s rental house. She took a deep breath and glanced at the clock. She was only a couple of minutes early. If she was lucky, Sarah would answer the door and she wouldn’t even have to see Kyle at all. She briskly walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. Of course lady luck wasn’t on her side and Kyle was the one to open the door and greet her.
Kyle opened the door and motioned a fresh faced Caroline inside. She had always been a morning person he remembered. Even without makeup she was gorgeous. He slammed the brakes on that train of thought. He waited for her to enter, but she remained firmly fixed on the porch. He batted down the impatience at her reluctance to enter the house. “You might as well come inside. Sarah is running a few minutes behind and there’s been a change in plans.”
Caroline felt her blood pressure rising, but worked hard to contain her anger. If Kyle was going to cancel the outing he or Sarah should have had the decency to call and cancel, before she dragged herself out of the house so early on a Saturday morning. She glared at Kyle. “If you didn’t want Sarah to go shopping with me you should have said something before now,” she primly informed him.
He glared right back. “I’m not canceling, but I am driving.”
Caroline swallowed hard. The last she’d heard she was driving and Kyle hadn’t been anywhere in the picture. She remembered their first date and the long car ride. She had thoroughly enjoyed it, because they’d had plenty of time to talk and get to know each other. Now the thought of being trapped in a car with Kyle for several hours was nothing short of a nightmare. She couldn’t imagine that it would be anymore pleasant for him either. “If you’re going anyway, you probably don’t need me. I’d just be a tag along.” An unwanted tag along at that Caroline decided. She turned to go, but Kyle stopped her.
“Don’t be silly. Sarah has been looking forward to this outing for days. I’m meeting with My VP’s to bring them up to speed on things down here. This merger has turned out to be a royal pain, but that’s enough about work. I thought I would drop the two of you off in Buckhead. Most of the boutiques are within walking distance of each other. Sarah can text me your location when you’re done and I’ll pick the two of you up for dinner.”
Caroline chewed nervously on her bottom lip. She was already there. She couldn’t back out now it would be petty and Sarah didn’t deserve that. And there was no way she would give Kyle the satisfaction! She was saved from having to make a reply, because Sarah chose that moment to run down the stairs.
She skipped over and gave Caroline a hug. “I’m so excited. I spent hours on the internet last night looking at dresses. I’m pretty sure I know what I want. It’s just a matter of finding it in one of the boutiques.”
Caroline soaked in her enthusiasm. She would need all the help she could get if she was going to get through this ordeal. She had a feeling it was going to be a very long day indeed. She followed Kyle and Sarah to the garage. She made a beeline for the backseat, but she was thwarted by Sarah.
Sarah held up her backpack. I need to catch up on my reading for English class. I thought I could spread out my stuff here in the backseat. Why don’t you sit up front with my dad? I’m sure the two of you can find something to talk about.”
Caroline was a guest and it would be ungracious to argue, no matter how much she didn’t want to sit next to Kyle. Sometimes she wished her parents and then her Aunt Lucinda hadn’t been so manner conscious. She managed to hold back the big sigh wanting to escape. No need to draw attention to herself. If she was lucky, Kyle would be too busy concentrating on his driving to give her a second thought.
Kyle got in the luxury crossover and started the engine. He could see right through his daughter’s matchmaking scheme, but he wasn’t going to lend her credence by making a big deal out of the situation. He would be polite, but he’d keep a respectable distance both physically and mentally. “All right ladies, next stop Buckhead.” Then he looked at Caroline. “I hope you brought your shopping shoes, because if I know Sarah you’re going to need them.”
******
Caroline’s feet were tired. It was a good thing she’d worn flat sensible shoes or they’d probably hurt too. They’d ended up going to four different boutiques before Sarah found the dress she wanted. Caroline had been choosy too and finally indulged in a dress she would probably never wear anywhere else, but it was totally worth the splurge. The dress was gorgeous and she couldn’t wait to wear it even if it only was one time! Now she just had to get through dinner with Kyle. She’d had a really great day with Sarah, but the day wasn’t over yet. She still had to endure dinner and then the long car ride home.
Caroline bit her tongue to keep from making an inappropriate comment when she saw the restaurant they were going to for dinner. It was the same place she and Kyle had dined at on their first date. She opened the car door and followed her two companions to the entrance. Luckily Sarah was busy talking nonstop about her new dress. That meant Kyle was focused on his daughter and not on her or so she thought.
She watched Kyle hold open the door and followed Sarah inside the restaurant. Kyle came up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t get any ideas,” he whispered. “We’re only here because it’s one of Sarah’s favorites and it was close by. I’m not trying to recreate our first date or anything like that.”
Caroline gave him a bitter look. “Kyle, trust me when I say that thought never crossed my mind. The very last thing I want is to “recreate” anything with you.” She shook off his hand and picked up her pace so that she could catch up with Sarah and the maître d’. He pulled the chair out for her and Caroline was thankful he was the one to seat her and not Kyle. She didn’t plan to let him get within touching distance of her again. If she’d ever needed a reminder of what Kyle had put her through four years before, she had it and she wasn’t about to forget again.
Sarah spent most of the dinner trying to explain some of the dresses she’d tried on and discarded. “Thank goodness Caroline was there. She was a really big help. And wait till you see the dress she picked out. She’s always pretty, but she’s a definite knockout in that dress. I just hope it doesn’t cause a riot at the dance.”
Kyle changed the subject real quick. Being this close to Caroline was having an unwanted effect on his senses. The last thing he needed to be doing right now was imaging her in a sexy evening gown. The thought of other men ogling her at the upcoming dance did not sit well with him either. “I’m sure Caroline wouldn’t wear anything inappropritate. Have you made carpool arrangements with Mrs. Blake?”
Sarah nodded. “Yes she is going to drop Jay and me off at the dance and you’re supposed to pick us up. Don’t forget the dance ends at midnight. I know you won’t have any meetings that time of night, so don’t be late.”
Caroline let out an inner sigh of relief. If Abigail was dropping Sarah and Jay off at the dance the chances of running into Kyle were slim to none. Since he had pickup duty, he’d probably just wait in the car and let the teens find him when they were ready to leave. She hadn’t thought he would be the kind to volunteer as a chaperone for the dance. Thank goodness she’d just been proved right. It would be torture trying to stay out of his way for the entire dance. And if he happened to dance with someone other than Sarah, Caroline gave a little shudder. She didn’t even want to think about that.
Kyle broke into her thougths. “What’s wrong Caroline? Are you cold? I think we’re all finshed anyway.” He raised his hand to summon the waiter and the check.
Caroline wisely kept her thoughts to herself and grabbed at the excuse Kyle offered. “It is a little chilly in here,” she agreed with a half smile. And she decided that was actually true in more ways than one.
Caroline wanted to avoid tedious conversation on the way home. She let out a smothered yawn and curled her body into the door. It worked. No one disturbed her and the smooth rocking of the vehicle along with the comfortable and soothing sounds of classic rock soon lulled her into a sound sleep.
/> Caroline was so deep in slumber, she didn’t even wake when the motion of the car stopped. Sarah looked at her dad. “I don’t think she gets enough rest. She works almost as many hours as you do, dad.”
Kyle got out of the car and walked around to the passenger side, where a sleeping Caroline was waiting for him. He carefully opened the door and lightly shook her shoulder. “Caroline we’re home. It’s time to wake up now.”
Caroline didn’t want to leave the warm comfort of slumber that enclosed her. She mumbled an incoherent answer to the voice bugging her and snuggled deeper into the warmth on her right side.
Kyle felt her snuggle closer to him and let out a pentup sigh of frustration. He gave her another shake, much harder this time. “Caroline wake up!”
Caroline was startled out of her sleep by the harsh sound of her name. The cocoon of wellbeing that had surrounded her immediately disappeared. She refused to look at Kyle, but she made sure to shrink away so that they were no longer touching. “I’m sorry. I must have been a lot more tired then I thought.” She grabbed her purse and waited for Kyle to move away from the door.
Kyle stepped away from the door and walked around to the back of the crossover. He lifted the rear door and held out Caroline’s dressbag. “Here you go. You don’t want to forget this,” Kyle reminded her of the reason for the trip.
“Certainly not,” heaven forbid she forgot it and had to come back to his house tomorrow to pick it up. She didn’t think she could handle Kyle twice in the same weekend. She waved at Sarah and dissapeared into her own car without looking back.
Seven
Caroline looked around the transformed gym. The homecoming committee had done an excellent job with the decorations. The starry evening theme had been accentuated by black backdrops and several small twinkling lights. There were also larger silver and gold star shaped lights hanging from the rafters. She strolled around the perimeter of the makeshift dance floor patrolling for inappropriate behavior. It wasn’t too hard to find at a high school dance.
