Page 28 of Broken Blood Ties

I suck in a breath as Lizzy sets a beer in front of me.

“Besides,” she continues. “Prove her wrong.”

Chapter9

Summer

“Line up in two lines, please!” I blow my whistle, trying to keep these preschoolers from darting in every direction. I stand facing the school, hands on my hips, surveying the twenty students of mine glowing with anticipation and chattering like a flock of birds.

It’s all right, though. I love their enthusiasm, even if it means a bit more wrangling. Honestly, it’s infectious and makes the aquarium I’ve visited several times feel brand new.

Shelly exits the building with her group of first graders already in two lines and looking poised compared to my littles. Behind her, her parent volunteer follows with the blue name tags for Shelly’s class. I nervously glance around.

Where’s my volunteer?

Shelly loads her kids onto bus one, then moves to me with a pack of green tags in hand. “I don’t know how you did it, but I’m impressed.”

My brow furrows. As I open my mouth to ask what she’s talking about, I notice the school’s front doors open and Principal Green stride out followed by …

I groan and Shelly giggles.

“Why ishehere?” I ask, watching Kieran O’Donnell stride toward us, a step behind Principal Green.

The man is incapable of looking casual, but I’m sure he tries. A pair of dark wash jeans fit him perfectly, hugging his legs and tapering slightly at the ankles over a pair of sleek black Chelsea boots. The Henley he’s wearing under a navy trench coat is a deep charcoal, and the fit accentuates an athletic build I hadn’t noticed before. Damn him.

A cold breeze picks up, and the collar of his coat turns up. When I meet his eyes, he smirks.

No.

I turn to Shelly. “No. Tommy’s mom was supposed to be the parent volunteer.”

She bites her lip, letting her flirtatious lashes bat. “I guess not.” She breaks away from where I stand in front of the bus’s double doors, walking backward to hers. She flutters her fingers in my direction. “Good luck with Mr. H.O.T.”

“Hey! That spells hot!” One of Shelly’s first graders pokes his head out an open bus window. “Ew! Miss Farber thinks Principal Green is hot!”

Shelly bristles and rolls her eyes. “Sit down, Jeremy, before I make you ride with Miss Smith’s class. And shut the window. It’s forty degrees out!” She pushes up her orange-frame glasses and pulls her sweater down over her jeans.

I should’ve worn jeans. Instead, I opted for my burgundy corduroy dress with a pair of opaque black tights and ankle boots that are practical but make me walk like a penguin—clumsy and waddling. Guess I’m going to visit my people then.

Principal Green finally reaches me, with Kieran behind him. Aoife gasps from line two, and I slide my gaze to see her face lit with excitement.

“Miss Smith. I apologize for the delay. Tommy’s mother called in sick today, and Mr. O’Donnell happened to be in my office. He was gracious enough to volunteer.”

I blink.

I’m pretty sure my mouth has dropped open on its own. Wait. In his office? Was he complaining about me again? Oh God. Did he report the way I spoke to him? I take a deep breath, trying to remain unbothered.

“Sick,” I deadpan. “Uh-huh.”

“We wouldn’t want Tommy’s mother to get all yer students sick, would we?” Kieran lifts his chin.

“Obviously not,” I say through a gritted grin for the sake of Principal Green.

“Great. That’s settled. Have a wonderful field trip, Miss Smith. Mr. O’Donnell.” He nods and waves to the kids still standing outside.

I blink again, and Kieran gestures his arm to the two lines of ten to my right. It’s like he’s telling me to carry on. What an?—

“Ye may want to wipe that sour look off yer face.”