door. He stops before he’s about to exit and looks back at me. “For Lily’s sake.”
Before I can respond, he’s out the door, and I can only stare after him. It’s not until Veronica clears her throat that I realize I have twenty-two sets of eyes looking at me, waiting to be addressed. Glancing back at the board, I’m thankful that I spent the first half of recess putting math problems up. I shake all thoughts of Kale Montgomery out of my head and proceed to spend the rest of my day with a bunch of rowdy seven-year-olds, trying but failing to get him off my mind.
I T’S BEEN seven days since I met the infamous Ms. Lucy Dawson, the teacher Lily’s been raving about for weeks. She wasn’t lying when she said she was pretty. I’d been picturing Mrs. Clifford, the old, witchy woman who loved giving me demerits when I was kid. I’d liked pulling the hair of Molly Mortimer, the cute little redhead who sat in front of me. She always wore her hair in pigtails, and I figured she was asking for it. Old Mrs. Clifford didn’t agree, and I was sent home with multiple letters asking my mom for parent-teacher conferences. Unfortunately for Mrs. C, my mom thought it was a way of expressing myself and that the only thing wrong with it was that it might be hurtful to Molly. Instead of punishing me, she made me apologize and forced me to take Molly vegan cookies every day for a week. Seven-year-olds aren’t really into the whole ‘love Mother Earth’ thing, and needless to say, Molly never did warm up to me.
When I walked into what I hoped was Lily’s classroom and saw shapely, toned legs propped up on the wooden desk, I nearly did a double take. She wasn’t muscular by any means, but I could make out the toned calf muscles. Unfortunately, her legs were clasped together, so I couldn’t get a peek under her skirt. I know—pervy. But hey, I’m a young, single dude. If I get a chance to look between your legs, I’m going to do it. That’s the God’s honest truth.
She looked entirely too relaxed to be a teacher. My little sister Kalli’s also a teacher, and I swear she’s always frazzled. The young blonde in front of me looked anything but that. She looked peaceful, content, and I couldn’t help checking her out. She was in a pencil skirt that was tight around her legs. At least that’s how it looked with them propped up on the desk. Her blonde hair fell in curls, spilling over her shirt, covering her breasts. As I drew closer, I took in her features, and I couldn’t help the small smile that spread on my face when I spotted the freckle on the tip of her nose. Freckles? Yeah, they’re my weakness. Clearing my throat, I called out a greeting.
I didn’t mean to scare her, but when she landed on the floor, I had to struggle not to laugh. I know, male chivalry is totally dead. Regardless, as I watched her eyes trail up my body, I held my hand out for her. I suppressed a grin as her eyes met mine, and I knew she was checking me out. I’m a few months out from a deployment and have no interest in starting anything, but I’d be more than happy to have a few rolls in the hay with this woman before heading overseas.
When I realized she thought I was Lily’s dad, my goddaughter did me proud by shutting that thought down immediately. Her beautiful green eyes glazed over, and she blinked twice, as if trying to erase a thought. I almost cheered when I saw the grin spread over her face as I explained who I was.
I replay the rest of the exchange in my head, and I have to slow my eager pace as I walk into the school, hoping she’s been waiting for this for a week, just like I have.
As I walk into the classroom, my heart slightly falls when I don’t see her. A young raven-haired woman is introducing a parent, and I slip into the back, not wanting to interrupt. I see Lily. She grins wide at me, waving, and I wave back. That girl. I’ve been fortunate enough to know her since she was a baby, having been right there