by Rhian Cahill
He tried for a reassuring smile. “We won’t know anything definite until he sees the specialist. I’ll let Jim know you were asking and tell him to call you.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“Sure.” Toby was about to turn away when he remembered Jim wasn’t the only one with injury concerns. “Hey, how’s that thigh doing?”
“Good. No pain or stiffness. The physio gave me the all clear to play again.”
“Excellent. We’ll see you at training then.”
Returning to his original trajectory, Toby put enough purpose in his stride to cut a clear path through the throng and an expression on his face that said don’t talk to me. He wouldn’t normally begrudge any student stopping him to say hi or ask a question but he needed to get to Mad before her next class started.
He spotted her entering her room and knew he had about a minute to get in and get out without drawing attention to them. She still insisted they keep their relationship on the quiet here at work and for now he’d respect that, but from where he stood, things were getting serious and he planned on bringing that subject up with her very soon.
“Hey.” Toby entered the room and did a quick scan for anyone else. They were alone.
“Oh, Toby.” Her gaze darted to the door behind him. “What are you doing in here?”
“Quickly. I need to tell you I won’t be at home this afternoon. I’m going with Jim Landry to his specialist appointment to find out the results on his knee injury.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll ring you as soon as I’m done. I’ve got Mal covering training so I’ll be home right after I finish up with Jim.”
“Sure. Not a problem.”
He didn’t think—it was second nature now whenever they were together. He leaned in and dropped a kiss on her mouth.
The gasp and the ‘oh my god’ behind him sent a jolt of alarm through his blood. Fuck.
Before he could suck in a breath, Mad jerked away from him. It didn’t take a genius to work out what was going through her head right now.
Shit. Why hadn’t they discussed the stupid clause in her contract before now? He didn’t have the same one as Mad, his only mentioned teacher/student fraternization, not teacher/teacher.
“It’s okay,” he whispered so as not to be overheard.
She shook her head.
“Mad.”
“Go. Just go.” Her voice was tight and low, barely heard over the pounding of his own heart.
“Mad—”
“Go.” This time the word was propelled at him like an arrow.
“We’ll talk later.”
She shook her head.
He didn’t have the option of arguing further; the bell rang and he knew they’d be surrounded by students in seconds.
Turning away, he left Mad to whatever doom and gloom thoughts she was having, glared daggers at the two girls standing just inside the door and mentally yelled every swear word he knew. In the hall, students swamped him as they rushed to get to class.
Fucking hell. Of all the times for them to get caught together, it had to be now, when he couldn’t take the time to soothe Mad’s concerns. By the time he could, she’d have worked herself into a right state. He’d seen it in her eyes.
She was freaking out.
And Toby had a gut feeling that it wasn’t going to be easy to overcome.
***
Madison pushed into the staffroom and rushed to her desk. She tried to gather her things quickly so she could get out before anyone else came in. The last thing she wanted to deal with were looks and questions from her colleagues. It was bad enough dealing with them from her students.
As much as she’d hoped she’d thwarted any gossip about her and Toby, she hadn’t. By the time the last class of the day rolled around, they were the talk of the school. Rumors abounded. So far she hadn’t heard one version of the truth. Most were exaggerated to the nth degree.
One even had them fucking on her desk, for god’s sake. Who would believe that? Then again, she was referring to a group of hormone-driven adolescents, so perhaps their fabricated stories weren’t that surprising.
Slinging her handbag over her shoulder, she picked up the box of year-seven history assignments that she planned to mark this evening. Hopefully she’d be able to focus on doing her job and not on whether or not she’d lose that job come morning.
She was surprised to make it all the way to the parking lot before anyone stopped her. Unfortunately, she couldn’t ignore Principal Richardson. The glower on his face didn’t bode well.
“Mr. Richardson.”
“Madison. I believe we have a problem.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Want to tell me why I’m hearing about you and Toby Moreland in the hallways?”
“What’s being said isn’t the truth.”
“And what is?”
Madison swallowed. “We’re seeing each other.”
“How long?”
“A few weeks now.”
“Right. Well. I’m afraid we have a real problem then. Your contract with this school states no fraternizing with staff or students.”
Oh god.
Her stomach dropped. Bile rose in her throat. She’d never checked. She’d meant to but she’d been so wrapped up in Toby that she’d forgotten all about her concern. Now she was going to be terminated because of it. They probably both were.
“You understand I have to take this to the board members? There will be a full investigation and both of you will more than likely be put on leave without pay until the matter is resolved.”
“Yes, sir.” She was numb. Could no longer feel her fingers or toes.
“Can you be in my office at eight tomorrow morning?”
Madison nodded. It appeared her vocal cords had gone numb too.
“I’ll see you then.” He smiled grimly. “Goodnight.”
She didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. It wasn’t until Mr. Richardson was out of sight that Madison snapped out of her frozen state and rushed to her car.
The last person she wanted to deal with right now leaned against the driver’s door.
Toby.
Quickening her pace, she stopped a few feet away so as not to give anyone who might see them the wrong idea. “You shouldn’t be here.”
He straightened to his full height. “Why the hell not?”
“Because I was right. There’s a clause in my employment contract. I would think in yours too. Our situation is being taken to the board members.”
“I’m not worried about the board.”
“Well I am. We could lose our jobs.”
“I don’t give a shit about that.”
“I do.” Her voice rose with every word she spoke and she tried to bring it back down, get it under control, get a grip on the panic exploding inside her. She’d never done anything remotely wrong in her life and now she’d blatantly ignored a legally binding contract to the point she could lose her job. Toby could lose his.
“Mad.” He stepped towards her and she dodged to the side.
Hitting the button on her key to unlock the car, she yanked the rear passenger door open and put her things on the backseat. Slamming the door, she faced Toby. “Get out of my way.”
“Mad.”
“No. I can’t do this now. I have assignments to mark and a meeting in the principal’s office at eight tomorrow. I can’t deal with you too.” Her chin wobbled, her eyes stung. She sucked in a breath and bit the inside of her cheek. She refused to cry in front of him.
“Madison, please. Talk to me.”
“Not now. I need to go.”
She didn’t fool herself into thinking she had the strength to push Toby out of her way. He moved because he wanted to. Regardless, she opened her door, slid into the driver’s seat and closed herself in the stuffy interior.
Refusing to look at Toby, she started the car and reversed out of her spot. She didn’t even look at him in the rearview mirror as she drove away.
But she wanted to.
Chapter Twenty-One
Toby stood in the principal’s office listening to the bullshit flowing out of Ted’s mouth. He clenched his jaw and hands. So far he hadn’t heard anything that wasn’t the board trying to cover their asses with regard to teacher-student inappropriate behavior. He’d read the clause in his contract last night. Even called his mate, Brett, to get his take on the clause.
As a lawyer, Brett had been able to tell him that the clause was a standard one and any lawyer with a brain could work around it, and to let him know what happened after today’s meeting. Toby was beginning to think he no longer wanted to work for a school with such a crappy attitude towards their staff.
He could certainly understand the board needed a position on staff interaction, but he and Mad hadn’t done anything to compromise the school, corrupt the students or let their relationship affect their work.
Ted was blowing a lot of hot air—and Toby was done listening.
Until he mentioned Mad, specifically. Then he was all ears.
“As per school policy, Madison, and due to your disclosure of your relationship with Toby, the board feels it best to terminate your contract at this—”
Toby slammed his fists on the desk. “Fuck policy!”
Ted jumped. Mad gasped.
“Toby! I signed a contract.”
“Fuck the contract, too.” He grabbed a bundle of Post-it notes off Ted’s desk, snatched up a pen, and began writing.
“W-what are you doing?” Mad asked.
“Handing in my resignation.”
“What? No, Toby, you can’t! The school needs you.”
“Well I don’t need them. Especially when some pompous ass is going to sit in a boardroom and tell me who I can and can’t love! Fuck that bullshit.” He scribbled his signature and threw the whole stack of notes at Ted. “There. It’s done.”
He spun on his heel and left before he completely blew his top and tore Ted’s office to shreds.
“Toby, please…” Mad ran behind him.
Stopping, he sucked in a deep breath and turned to face her. “This is the best way. I don’t need the job, Mad. I don’t actually need to work another day in my life.”
“What?”
“I’m loaded. Never spent any of the money I earned playing footy except to build the house, and Adam’s had his hands on the rest of it from day one. He’s more than quadrupled my nest egg.”
“But—”
He placed a finger over her mouth. “My job is the least I’d give up for you.” Taking his finger from her mouth, he dragged the tip across her cheek. “Don’t you get it yet, Mad? I’d give up everything for you.”
Bending down, he placed his lips on her forehead. He didn’t dare kiss her on the mouth. Pulling back, he laid his brow on hers.
“I love you. This definitely isn’t the time or place I wanted to reveal that, but never let it be said that I can’t roll with what life throws at me. I don’t want to be the reason you lose this job.”
“Toby.” Her warm breath fanned his face and he closed his eyes for a moment.
“Madison. Please, let me do this for you.” He cupped her cheek and swallowed the ball of emotion stuck in his throat. “For once in your life, let someone else put you first. Let me put you first.”
As much as he wanted to hash this out now, he knew he had to leave. Straightening, he took a step back. With a half smile curling his mouth, Toby turned and walked away.
***
I’d give up everything for you.
I love you.
Let me put you first.
Toby’s words kept spinning around in her head. She hadn’t seen or heard from him in three days and she hadn’t been brave enough to seek him out.
The doorbell rang and her heart leapt.
Toby.
Except it wasn’t Toby.
Opening the door, Madison greeted the woman on the other side. “Mrs. Moreland.”
“I thought we’d established it was Lisa?” she asked as she brushed past Madison and into the house.
“I’m not sure—”
“Close the door and come inside.”
Meekly, Madison did as she was told. What was it about the Morelands that had her jumping to obey?
“You look like shit. Let’s sit down so you don’t fall at my feet.” Lisa grabbed Madison’s hand and towed her into the living room. “Honestly, you two are as bad as each other.”
“Mrs…Lisa. I’m not sure what—”
“Everything. Tobias told me everything. Now you tell me.”
“I—”
“Sit. I’ll make coffee then we’ll talk.”
“Let me—”
“Madison.”
Tears stung her eyes and the back of her throat, her nasal passages. She’d never had the ‘mother voice’ used on her before. Madison’s mother never reprimanded her because she’d never gone against instruction. She’d been the perfect little student, and now she was being treated like a daughter.
Blinking rapidly, Madison waved a hand in front of her face. “Sorry.”
“Oh sweetie, there’s no need to be sorry.”
“But I hurt Toby.” A sob choked off her words.
“Honey, he’s not hurt by you. He’s hurting for you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“My son knows you all too well, I think. He knows you’re sitting here feeling guilty and responsible for everything that happened. Especially about him quitting his job.”
“He shouldn’t have done that.”
“Madison, if either of you had read that clause in your contract before your relationship was discovered, he’d have quit. And he’d have done it without a second thought.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s what we do for the people we love.”
“But he’s worked there for years.”
“That’s neither here nor there. What’s important is for you to realize that you didn’t cost him anything. He willing gave it up for you.”
“I don’t understand that kind of sacrifice.”
“All you have to know is that to him, it’s not a sacrifice. It’s a pleasure. His only desire is to give you what you want and need, what makes you happy. For Tobias, that was walking away from his job so you could keep yours.”
“He walked away from me too,” Madison whispered.
Lisa laughed. “No he didn’t.”
“He hasn’t contacted me or tried to see me in days.”
“He’s giving you time to work out all that business at school. He wants that all sorted out before the two of you sit down to discuss the two of you. But as a mother who’s seen her share of heartbroken people, I knew you’d need a little kick to get you moving. Although unlike my son, you appear to have showered in the last three days…”
Madison shot to her feet. “He can’t come here. Toby can’t come to me.”
“Oh? Why ever not?” Lisa asked with a smile.
“Because he’s always coming to me. Every step of the way he’s come to me. Pushed me. I need to meet him halfway or he won’t know.”
“Know what dear?” Lisa prompted
“That I love him as much as he loves me. That I’d give up everything for him too. Well, except he won’t let me because he’s a caveman in disguise most of the time. But I have to show him I’m in this one hundred percent.”
“There you go. I knew you’d get there quickly.”
Madison looked around for her bag. Where did she put her keys?
“I’ll leave you to it then.” With a little wave, Toby’s mother let herself out.
Staring at the closed door, Madison wondered what kind of superpowers that woman had. Both times they’d had a serious conversation, Lisa had said very little, and yet on both occasions the results were monumental for Madison. She felt changed inside each time Lisa spoke to her.
Where the hell were her keys and purse?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Toby
leaned forward and lowered his head into his hands.
Three days.
Seventy-two hours.
A lifetime.
Fuck, he missed her. Like a leg or an arm, Mad’s absence ached with a numbness that sucked the breath right out of him. He hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten. If he was prone to drinking more than the occasional social glass, he’d have spent the last few days at the bottom of a bottle.
Although he was finding sleep deprivation was just as effective as alcohol in regards to numbing the mind.
“Would you at least shower?” Damian growled.
“Yeah, you’re beginning to stink up the place, man.” Adam slapped him on the back of the head.
The pair of them had been here all day. No matter what he said or didn’t say, he couldn’t get rid of them. Actually, now that he thought about it, at least one of his brothers had been with him twenty-four seven since he’d come home after quitting his job. What was up with that?
Not that he cared. They were pains in his ass and he’d keep on ignoring them.
“C’mon, Toby. You need to pull it together, man. A shower and clean clothes will make all the difference.” Damian gave his shoulder a shove. “Toby?”
He couldn’t summon the motivation to drag his ass off the couch. There was no way he was ready to make the distance from here to the bathroom. Lifting his head, he muttered, “Later.”
“Now.” His mother breezed into the room. She walked over and grabbed him by the ear, gave it a twist. “Tobias Lachlan Moreland, if you don’t hit that shower right now, I’ll get your brothers to drag your sorry ass outside and I’ll hose you off myself.”
“Uh-oh, now you’re in for it.” Coop came into view. “Full name and a swear word.”
Damian, Adam and Zac moved in beside Coop. Oh great. She’d brought the rest of the cavalry with her. “Mom…”
“What’s the one thing I could give you that would make you feel better?” she asked, her fingers still tightly gripping his ear.
“Mad.” There was no hesitation.
He knew he had to give Mad time, but fuck, it was killing him not being there for her while she sorted everything out at school. He’d spoken to Ted, through his lawyer at first, then himself this afternoon. He knew Mad had kept her job and, although Toby was no longer on staff, he would continue to coach the sports teams on a contract basis. But he needed to see her. See for himself that she was okay.
