Page 24

My cheeks flushed bright red, and Mara burst out laughing.
“It’s not what you think,” I muttered.
Grandpa chuckled. “Does Dax have something to do with that?”
Mara aimed her eyes at the table, and I shook my head. “Dax and I... aren’t together anymore.”
He grinned big, then quickly hid his smile behind the newspaper. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Are you?”
Mara chuckled quietly.
Grandpa shook his head at her and then slowly set the paper down again. “Well, I... might have imagined someone better for you.”
“Better?” I said.
“You know, someone who actually makes a paycheck from time to time. And the guy has tattoos in languages he doesn’t even speak! Who’s to say he doesn’t have ‘asshole’ tattooed on his neck in Vietnamese?”
Mara snorted with laughter, and I restrained a smile of my own.
“Tell me how you really feel,” I said with a laugh.
He put his arm around me, kissing the top of my head. “I feel like you deserve the world. And Ralphie does too.”
Mara nodded. “Here, here.”
My favorite waitress, Betsy, came by the table and asked Mara and me what we’d like. Along with a black coffee, I ordered a big stack of pancakes and bacon for the hangover. Mara got close to the same.
“Hi, Ms. Melrose!”
My eyes widened, and I turned to see a middle schooler standing near the table with a woman who looked like her mom. Although I worked with the high school students, I went to the middle and elementary buildings from time to time to help their school psychologists.
I recognized Ginger because of her bright hair.
“Hi, Ginger,” I said. “You can call me Birdie, you know.” The girl was sweet, with curly red hair and a brace-filled smile. Judging by her mom’s looks, she would grow up to be a beautiful woman.
Her mom said, “We were just grabbing a bite before school. Looks like she’s going to have all As for this nine weeks!”
“That’s amazing,” I said, smiling despite my hangover.
Her mom agreed and excused herself to pay.
“Thank you.” Ginger gripped her other arm with her hand. She was nervous.
“Come by my office any time,” I said. “I’m sure Ralphie would like to see you too.”
“Sure.” She looked over her shoulder. “I better get back to my mom, so...”
“I’ll see you at school.”
She nodded and walked away, and I practically slumped in my chair out of relief. Thank god for semi-normal intereactions with students outside of school.
“So explain to me,” Mara said. “Why didn’t you have sex with Hottie McHotHot?!”
My cheeks heated, and I hissed, “Mara, one of my students is sitting over there,with her mom! And my grandpa’s here!”
“And?” Mara glanced toward Ginger and her mom, waving. “They should know their counselor has a sex life and actually knows what she’s teaching them about.”