Page 27 of Hot Four Teacher (The Lawson’s #4)
Chapter twenty-six
Cherry Poppin'
Michelle
A nother day. Another soccer game.
I guess I shouldn’t complain. We had a week and a half reprieve. Usually, I don’t mind the games, but tonight, I’m ready to just be home.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that I’m exhausted from work because I dealt with nothing but screaming children all day.
Maybe it’s that I’m ready for a bubble bath and then bed.
But it’s probably that I want to talk to Dane. Even just texting him has been the highlight of my day.
Ronnie and our mother sit next to me, chatting amongst themselves.
Or at least I think they’re chatting amongst themselves until I hear, “Earth to Michelle.”
I turn to see both of them staring at me.
“What?” I ask.
Ronnie says, “I was just asking how things were going with Dane.”
“Oh, uh, things are good. Not much has changed since last time I saw him, but we’ve been talking when we can.”
Mom asks, “When are we going to get to meet him?”
“Well, Mom, I’m not even letting him meet Eve yet, so it may be weird for me to bring him to family dinner.”
Ronnie jumps back in. “I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten full details on your little weekend fieldtrip. Just a few non-descriptive text messages.”
“Ronnie, you were out of town. Since you’ve been back, I’ve been busy.”
“Come on, sis. Give me something here. The game hasn’t even started yet. Time to dish.”
“Well, we went to dinner Friday night. I spilled pasta sauce all over my shirt, and he gave me one of his to wear. I took him to the falls. Saturday, he asked if I wanted to go hiking with him, and I said yes.”
Ronnie cuts me off, “Whoa, wait a damn minute. You went hiking?”
I nod .
“Why would you do that? You hate hiking. You hate anything and everything having to do with the outdoors.”
“Not everything,” I argue. “But I did it because you told me to try to find things in common with him. He said he liked hiking, so I said I did too.”
Ronnie buries her face in her hands. “Good grief, you are so literal. So, how did your hike go?”
“I slipped and twisted my ankle. To make a long story short, he ended up having to carry me back to the car.”
Mom says, “Wow, I like him already.”
Ronnie snaps, “Okay, let’s skip to the good stuff. Did you get your cherry popped?”
Mom smiles. “She has a teenage daughter. I think her cherry was popped a long time ago.”
Ronnie says, “If anyone’s were to grow back, it would be Michelle’s.”
I quip, “For your information, even if it had grown back, it would be gone again.”
My sister starts giddily clapping. “I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud! Was it great?”
“Yes, Ronnie, it was great. He was very unselfish.”
Ronnie opens her mouth to ask something else, but Mom holds up her hand. “While I love the girl talk, I don’t need details about my daughter’s sex life.”
Ronnie looks at me and mouths later and then says out loud, “I’m just glad to see you getting some happiness. Nobody in this world deserves it more than you.”
It’s not often that we hear something heartfelt from her unless it’s wrapped in either sarcasm or a joke. It’s a little off-putting.
Mom asks, “Do you see this relationship going somewhere?”
“Geez, Mom, I don’t know. Right now, I’m trying to figure out how to do all of this. All I know is that I like him. And for now, that’s enough.”
Ronnie reaches over and pats my knees as if giving a silent nod of approval.
We sit in silence for about a minute before Ronnie can’t take anymore. “When is this thing supposed to start?”
I look down at my watch. “They should be taking the field any minute now.”
“Let’s hope this game is more interesting than the last.”
“It should be,” I tell them.“They just got a new coach, and all the girls seem to love him.”
“Another parent?” Mom asks.
“No. I guess it’s their new history teacher. Eve says he’s great, and some of the girls even think he’s cute.”
Ronnie looks back at the field. “Okay, well, now, I’m intrigued. Maybe there will be something worth watching after all.”
“Ronnie, why do you even come?” Mom asks.
“Because I love my niece,” she says the words like they should be obvious.
Before long, the teams start to funnel their way onto the field. The opposing team comes out first, and then, our girls come running out. Eve manages to spot us in the bleachers and gives us a quick wave.
“Here comes the coach,” Mom says. “Oh, he is cute.”
“Not you too,” I groan.
But my curiosity is piqued. I scan the field until my eyes land on the large man.
Six feet tall.
Broad chest.
Big biceps.
Tattoos.
Before I can utter a single syllable, Ronnie says, “Oh. My. God.”
“What?” Mom asks, confused.
“That’s Dane,” I say in barely more than a whisper.
“Dane?” She’s even more confused. “ Your Dane?”
Ronnie starts laughing. “Michelle is dating her daughter’s teacher and soccer coach.”
You have got to be fucking kidding me.
***
I do my best to pay attention to the game, but truthfully, I couldn’t even tell you the score, and the scoreboard is staring me in the face.
I can’t stop thinking about these recent developments. I feel horrible, and honestly, Ronnie isn’t helping.
“How did you not know he taught at Eve’s school?” She asks.
“He said he was a teacher, but every time we started to talk about it, the subject always got changed. And he technically lives outside of town, so I didn’t think he taught here.”
“And his last name didn’t make you question things?”
Looking to the sky to avoid eye contact, I reply, “I never actually got his last name.”
I feel Mom’s eyes boring into me. “Michelle, you slept with him. You stayed the night at his house.”
Ronnie throws her hand over her heart. “I’ve never been more proud.”
I roll my eyes. “Shut up. This is not my finest moment.”
She asks, “Why? Michelle, this is a good thing.”
“How do you figure this is good?” I question.
“You were worried about him and Eve in the whole situation. But guess what? They already know each other, and I’m assuming they like each other.”
While I can admit that maybe that could go in the pro column, all of the cons are flashing through my head.
“Okay, Ronnie, let’s say he and I do get more serious and let Eve in on the secret.
How is that going to affect her? Do you think kids at school are going to be nice to her about it?
Do you think the girls on the soccer team are going to believe there’s no favoritism?
Do you think the school will let him keep teaching? ”
The smile that was on her lips fades. “Oh, I guess I didn’t think about any of that.”
“Yeah, I guess not,” I snap. “Look, I know everyone thinks that I’m cold and unreasonable and sometimes, even bitchy.
But there is a reason I don’t date. I don’t want to do anything to mess with my daughter’s life.
I already gave her a shitty father. I don’t need to add to the amount of therapy she will probably need. ”
It’s not often that Veronica Lawson goes silent. It’s actually almost never. But I think she knows there’s no use arguing with me about this. Eve is the one thing in my life I don’t play around about.
Ever.
My plan is to get through the game and get the hell out of dodge. Maybe I can figure out this whole thing when I get home. I can figure out how to end things and cause the least amount of damage.
There is no other option.
***
When the game finally ends, I immediately head for the car. That way, I can avoid everyone–well, just Dane.
But as I’m leaving the field, I drop my purse, sending its contents spilling out all over the ground.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
I kneel to pick everything up, and I’m just about done when I hear Eve. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hey, kid. Are you ready to go?” I ask as I’m standing up.
“Yeah, but first–”
I’m turning around as she finishes her thought. “I want you to meet my new coach, Mr. Miller.”
All of a sudden, I’m eye to eye with Dane. I can only imagine that I look like a deer in headlights. It takes a moment, but realization crosses his features, and he gets that perfect smile.
In no way do I want Eve to figure out that I already know this guy–or fucked him–so I hold out my hand and say, “Hi, Mr. Miller. I’m Michelle, Eve’s Mom.”
It takes a second, but he eventually follows my lead. “Nice to meet you, Michelle. Please call me Dane.”
I give a small nod in response but don’t really know what else to say. This is awkward as fuck.
Thankfully, Dane speaks again. “Eve is a great kid and a hell of a soccer player.”
I nod again. “You guys had a great game. Good to see the Wildcats winning again.”
Eve says, “Mom, Mr. Miller made me team captain! Isn’t that awesome?”
Awesome yet devastating all at the same time. But I’ll never tell her that because Eve is my priority.
Not even Dane Miller is going to change that.