by Nella Tyler
“It doesn’t have to be a joke. I really could ask a woman to come to the Valentine’s Day lunch with us and sit at our table.”
Now, Brian looked even more amused and incredulous. He scoffed and then said, “Do you even know any women?”
Immediately, I thought of Abigail East, Sophia’s beautiful kindergarten teacher. I cast her right back out of my thoughts again. She might be pretty, but she was part of the school that had put together this damned lunch to being with. She’d seemed to understand where I was coming from last night, but that didn’t alter the fact that nothing was going to change about that event.
I’d received a call in the early afternoon from the vice principal. She was polite and seemed to care a great deal about the kids, but told me that the school wasn’t going to cancel the event after all the work that had gone into it. She agreed the messaging should have taken into account children like Sophia who didn’t have both parents at home or who were being raised by other family members — at this point, I interjected to let her know that Chelsea wasn’t just living in another state. She was dead. After a long pause, Vice Principal Norwood told me how sorry she was for my loss, and then she went right back to telling me that the lunch would go on as scheduled.
“What about Karen?” I said in a much lower voice. Karen was our part-time receptionist. She worked in the outer area of the office at a small desk right in front of the door that led in from outside. We didn’t get much foot traffic or phone calls, which was why she only came in part time. Today happened to be one of the days she was in the office. I knew she was single from our last conversation, in which she lamented about not having a boyfriend over the holidays and how she hoped to have one before Valentine’s Day. She wasn’t really my type, nor did I find her the least bit attractive, but I’d only be asking her to attend a family function with my daughter as a friend.
“That’s probably a mistake,” Brian said. He’d lowered his voice considerably, as well. “She’s been pretty vocal about being on the lookout for a boyfriend. She might take your offer the wrong way. It sounds like you’re asking her to play family with you and Soph.”
“I mean, that is what I’m asking.”
Brian’s expression only became more severe. “You don’t seem to notice much about the women around you, but I sure as hell do. And, I think that Karen has a thing for you. Asking her to this lunch, which, need I remind you, is on Valentine’s Day, would be a huge mistake.”
That was a lot to consider, though I didn’t believe Karen thought of me as much of anything but her immediate supervisor. I didn’t want to give her the wrong idea by asking her to this thing, but I could make it perfectly clear that this was only to make my daughter happy and that there would be no further get-togethers or fake dates.
I noticed the time on my computer and sprang out of my seat. “Shit. I have to go get Sophia. I think I might bring her back here for a minute. To meet Karen.” I waggled my eyebrows.
Brian laughed, but was shaking his head. “Don’t do it!”
“See you in an hour or so.”
I strode out of the office, saying goodbye to Karen on my way out. I drove to Blaine Elementary and was parked in my usual spot just in time for the bell to ring. I hopped out of the driver’s side and waited for Sophia to come out in a group of her fellow classmates. She was near the front this time, not hidden in back behind a solid wall of kids. She came running when I opened my arms and the crossing guard told her it was okay. She flew into my waiting chest like a battering ram, giggling up a storm at my overdone surprise at how hard she’d slammed into me.
“Hello, beautiful!” I said, and swung her up into my arms. I walked her around the truck and placed her in the passenger seat. “I want to take you by the office to say hello to Brian.”
Sophia beamed. “Can we play games?” He had a bunch of pocket-sized games he kept in his desk drawer for her visits. She loved Brian almost as much as he loved her. It was really a great thing to watch.
“Maybe. Depends on how much work Brian has left to do. I also want you to meet our receptionist. Her name is Karen.”
Sophia’s little eyebrows snuck together just a touch. “Why?” Chelsea had always been able to sniff out one of my schemes, and Sophia appeared to have the same ability. It was amazing what kinds of things came through the blood.
“I just want to know if you like her.”
Sophia nodded and looked out of her window, losing interest in the conversation immediately.
Abigail East was standing on the sidewalk, watching us go. She lifted one dainty, long-fingered hand in a wave. I couldn’t help but return it, not wanting to leave her hanging.
On the short ride back to the office, I decided that if Sophia seemed to like Karen, I’d ask her to come to the Valentine’s Day lunch with us. It wasn’t like I was shopping around for a new mother or anything. I just wanted someone to stand in for that one event. If Soph didn’t like her, I’d find someone else. Or figure a way to get out of going altogether.
We pulled into the small parking lot in front of the office, and I killed the truck’s engine. I helped Sophia jump down from her side of the truck, and we walked inside together holding hands. She was talking a mile a minute about her day, but once we went in and she saw Karen, who she didn’t know, she stopped talking midsentence, going as quiet as a little clam.
“Is this your daughter?” Karen asked, her dark eyes widening at the sight of Sophia, who stepped back to hide behind the bulk of my legs.
“Yep. Sophia, this is Karen. She works with Brian and me.”
“Hi, Sophia!” Karen said, and Sophia pressed her body more firmly against my legs. Karen smiled up at me, her cheeks very red with blush. “She’s so shy!”
I shrugged. “She’s a quiet kid.” I reached back and scooped Sophia up into my arms. “Let’s go say hello to Brian.”
Sophia smiled with pleasure, but didn’t say anything. I knew she wouldn’t speak again until we were safely away from Karen. I didn’t think asking her to the Valentine’s lunch was a very good idea in light of how Sophia was acting. She clearly didn’t like her very much right off the bat. I didn’t intend to orchestrate more times for them to get to know one another. This was a single occurrence.
I still liked the idea of getting a woman to play the part of stand in mother for the lunch. I’d just need to find someone Sophia actually liked.
We walked past Karen’s desk and into the main part of the office. Brian looked over at us, grinning hugely as soon as he saw my girl. She ran to him, shouting his name and laughing while I watched with a smile.
Chapter 8
Abigail Thursday
The day was drawing to a close. I got the kids situated and in line, their coats on, their homework folders in their backpacks which they’d all put on securely. They chattered excitedly as they always did at the end of the day. As usual, Sophia hung back, choosing to be last in line because she knew I always hung back at the rear. We walked behind Mrs. Wallace’s class with a teacher at each end.
The bell rang and after reminding my boys and girls that we were to walk quietly in the hall until we reached the parking lot, we got going. Sophia snuck her hand into mine and squeezed it.
I looked down at her and smiled. She seemed better, despite the recent upset over the Valentine’s lunch.
I walked outside behind the other students and into the brisk, sunny afternoon. I didn’t see Drew’s truck parked in his usual spot, which wasn’t like him. He was always here before the bell rang. My classroom had windows facing this parking lot, and I could see him from my place at the front of the room. The rest of the kids found their waiting parents and were off, leaving Sophia and me alone. I didn’t mind it. We hadn’t been able to talk much today.
“Tell me something interesting about your life, Sophia,” I said, grinning at her again.
She beamed in response. Kids loved when I asked them questions like this. They were so used to adults expecting them to listen all t
he time. It charmed them when an adult made a point to listen to them. Sophia would talk your ear off if you asked her the right question. I liked to pique her interest and then step back to let her take over.
“My daddy’s going to buy me a new dress for the Valentine’s Day lunch.”
“That’s great!” I said.
Her face crumpled as she lost her smile, as though she’d suddenly remembered something unpleasant.
“What’s wrong, Sophia?” I asked.
She looked up at me, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of telling me whatever was going on in that adorable head of hers. The cold air had infused her chubby cheeks with healthy color, and her eyes were sparkling in the bright sunlight.
“I think Daddy’s trying to find someone to bring to the lunch,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“The way mommies and daddies go places together. Like that.”
From the scowl on her face, I could see she didn’t like the idea of her father looking for a date for this lunch. I couldn’t say I blamed her. It was an odd choice. If he wasn’t already dating — the prospect of him being single gave me a thrill I tried very hard to ignore — it didn’t make much sense for him to quickly find some strange woman to being along to a family friendly event like the school’s holiday luncheon. But, of course, I couldn’t say any of that to Sophia. Before I could press her gently on the details, her expression brightened and she pointed past me to the parking lot.
“Daddy!” she called.
I turned in time to see Drew’s blue pickup pull into his usual space. He stepped out of the driver’s side on his long, muscled legs and waved. I waved back as Sophia ran to him. I watched them go, and then hurried inside to grab my purse and supply bag. I had a dinner date with my best friend Peyton. I wanted to get home, shower, change, and get a few things done before I met up with her at six.
I showered as soon as I got home, standing under the hot water for much longer than was necessary, just to rinse the chill from my bones. Then I dressed and graded the day’s papers at my dining room table while I sipped on a mug of hot tea. By the time I finished, it was time to leave.
I drove across town to our favorite Italian restaurant. We ate here at least twice a month, if not more. They had the best eggplant parmesan, and their fresh baked bread was outstanding. We always ended up eating the entire basket, dipping it chunk by fluffy chunk into the herbs and olive oil mixture.
I was the first to arrive. I had the hostess seat me in our regular booth in the corner and ordered two glasses of white wine, along with the calamari appetizer. Right after the waitress left to fetch our basket of bread and put in the first part of our order, Peyton stepped through the front door, already grinning in a way that lit up her already beautiful face. She crossed the room to the booth, collecting men’s eyes as she passed in her brown boots and sweater dress, her jacket unbuttoned to expose the muscled curves of her body. Her blonde hair was loose and streaming down her back. She kept threatening to cut it, but she hadn’t yet bitten the bullet.
“I took care of our wine and squid needs.”
“I need my carb needs taken care of, too,” she said with a giggle. She was as much of a bread fiend as I was. Her voracious appetite was most of the reason we were friends. We both could never get enough of a great meal.
The waitress came back to deposit our glasses of chilled wine, along with the basket of freshly baked bread. I moaned as soon as I touched it, the warmth electrifying my skin. I tore off a chunk and took a bite before I even bothered with my wine, moaning at how good it tasted. Peyton followed suit. Her eyes rolled back as her expression became one of exquisite satisfaction. We each took a sip from our respective wine glasses.
“How are things, Abs?” she asked, lifting one perfectly-sculpted eyebrow, her crystal blue eyes widening. I couldn’t help but notice the sparkly engagement ring on her left hand when she set her wine glass back down. She was getting married this year to a man she’d been dating since our sophomore year of college. They’d moved in with each other right after graduation, but had taken the time to get started in their careers before moving on to the next milestone. Peyton worked in the business department of a major chain of department stores and her fiancé, David, was an accountant.
“Mostly the same,” I said. That response only made her look at me even more critically.
“Have you managed to find Mr. Right yet?”
I rolled my eyes even as my thoughts turned stubbornly to Drew Reid. I couldn’t get over how he’d looked at me the night of the emergency board meeting, the helpless fury and desperation in his eyes. His obvious love for his daughter melted my heart, and his striking good looks melted everything else.
“Just because you found your soulmate way before you even really started looking for him doesn’t meant the rest of us are behind schedule,” I replied, and she gave a tinkling laugh.
“I know how much you want to find a good man. Is there really no one on the horizon?”
I shook my head, biting slightly on my lower lip to keep from mentioning Drew. He kept springing to my mind every time I thought about dating or how lonely I was. It was unprofessional, but it wasn’t like I was acting on it. Dreaming on it, maybe, but definitely not acting on it…unless staring shamelessly at him counted as acting.
“No hot new teachers at the elementary school?” she asked.
“I wish!” I ripped off another piece of bread, taking the time to dip it in the plate of oil and herbs the waitress had set next to the bread basket.
Peyton was pursing her lips in that knowing way that told me she already had my number. “There’s something you aren’t telling me. I can tell by the look on your face.”
I crumpled immediately under her light pressure. Well, it wasn’t like I was really putting up that much resistance. I wanted to tell someone about Drew, and Peyton was the perfect confidant.
“There’s this parent of one of my students…” I began, letting my voice trail off to tease her.
Peyton immediately took the bait, squealing a little at the small tidbit. “I want to hear every detail.”
I took a sip of wine, making her wait. The waitress came back to drop off our calamari and take our meal orders. I was getting the eggplant parmesan. Peyton ordered the chicken Marsala. Once we were alone at the table again, she turned the full spotlight of her attention back to me.
“Okay, spill it.”
I sighed. “Well, it’s not like I can do anything about this, but there’s a really hot single guy who happens to be the single parent of my favorite student. She’s the sweetest little girl, but so shy. He loves her like crazy, which is attractive on top of his other, more physical qualities.” I went on to describe him — his dark eyes and head of wavy brown hair, the square jaw always covered in a layer of bristly stubble that I’d love to feel against my face or, even better, between my thighs. My cheeks turned red at the forwardness of the thought, but it wasn’t like I planned to do anything about any of this.
“He sounds great,” Peyton said. She popped a piece of calamari into her mouth. “Are you sure he’s single?”
I nodded. “Yeah, the mother is definitely out of the picture. Remember the Valentine’s Day lunch I told you about that the school is putting on for the kids and their parents?”
She nodded.
“Well, it was described as an event for a child to bring both of her parents. This little girl, Sophia, became very upset over that because her mother isn’t in the picture. Drew, the dad, even went so far as to complain to the school board. We’re still going ahead with the event as planned.” I shook my head, feeling troubled all over again, though that wasn’t the point of the story I was trying to tell. “Today in the car loop, Sophia told me that she thought her dad was trying to find a date for the Valentine’s lunch. She didn’t seem very happy about it, either. I didn’t know what to say. Luckily, Drew showed up shortly thereafter. Do you really think he’d try to find a stand in for Sophia’s
mother?” It sounded crazy, but what did I know? I didn’t have an upset child at home who was missing her absent mother.
Peyton shrugged as she tore off another chunk of bread and soaked it in the olive oil mixture. “Not really.” Her light eyes widened, and I really didn’t like the look in them. I could tell when she was scheming from a mile away. It was usually best to leave the area when that happened, but I didn’t want to abandon this excellent food for anything. “You know what you should do?”
I groaned inwardly at the thought of whatever she was cooking up, but didn’t say a word.
“You should offer to be his stand in. The kid already likes you and you like him. It’s a win-win, if you ask me.”
I frowned as I considered the possibility. It wasn’t a bad idea. Not that he’d asked me. And not that I could really think of a way to ask him.
“If this guy’s desperate enough to go around asking women to join him and his little girl at a family activity at an elementary school, he sounds like the type who might offer some kind of payment. You were just saying how you needed some extra cash for more classroom supplies, right?”
I scrunched my nose. The thought of exchanging my company for money sounded awfully close to prostitution for my comfort. “I’m not going to take his money. I’d only agree to do something like that for Sophia. She really wants her mom there.”
Peyton smiled triumphantly, her light eyes shining. “So, you are considering going as the stand in.”
“I didn’t say that.” I ate some of my calamari while Peyton watched, trying hard to dig into the secret places inside of my head where I was attempting to puzzle this out. “I’d definitely go. If he asked me. But why would he?”
“I asked David out in college, not the other way around. I thought he was cute and he wasn’t picking up on any of my hints, so I took matters into my own hands. Don’t let some guy decide how your life is going to do. Get out there and ask for what you want.” She wiggled the fingers on her left hand, showing off her magnificent engagement ring that sported a half carat diamond. David came from money, which was icing on an already sweet, fluffy cake.