Page 24

Twenty-Four

Jade

As soon as I walk in and see the surprise on everyone’s faces, it’s clear to me that the invitation was a formality. Do the teachers always get invited, but then they decline nicely? Man, this is embarrassing. I should’ve consulted Mrs. Hassels.

Henry stands and comes over. “Hey.”

Tweetie and Conor stand against the wall with smug looks while Kyleigh sits on Rowan’s lap, giving me a quick wave and a smile.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper.

Henry’s hand lands on my wrist and frees the gift bag from my hold. I ignore the tingles that race up my arm from his touch. “Why are you sorry?”

I look around again, and yeah, they for sure didn’t know I was coming. Even Henry looks a little wide-eyed. “I think there was a mix-up.”

“Why do you say that?” He steps away from me to put the present on the table with the rest of them. I have no idea if Bodhi will like what I got him, but I picked something he showed a lot of interest in.

Henry walks back over to me, but the room is small, and his friends are within earshot, so I let the subject drop.

The door to the room opens.

“Well, I made it.” The woman’s tone makes it sound as though she had to fly across the country with five layovers to get here.

I stiffen, thinking Henry has invited another woman here. Someone who is more than a friend. But no, he would’ve told me by now if there was someone in his life. That’s just who he is.

I turn around to see Trina, Micha’s mom, standing just inside the room. She volunteers once a week at the school and does a snack patrol to make sure everyone has a healthy snack. One time, she took Pringles away from a kid and handed him a bag of prepackaged apple slices. There’s an argument to be made that whatever they spray on those apples to make them last for more than a month isn’t any healthier than the Pringles, but I let it go.

“Of course you got an invitation.” She glares at me. “If Mrs. McConnell was still their teacher, she would’ve counted the invitations and handed them out herself to make sure every kid got one.”

“What are you talking about?” I have no idea what she’s talking about. Bodhi never told me he even had invitations. My irritation at her chastising me in front of a room full of adults as if I’m her child has lit the flame of my temper.

“Hi, Trina.” Henry steps in front of me. “Glad Micha could make it. Is he already with the kids?”

“Yes, he ran into Bodhi, and they ran off.”

I place my hand on Henry’s arm, stepping in front of him. “Excuse me.”

Henry steps out of the way.

“Let me take those for you.” I hold out my hands, and Trina passes over Micha’s shoes and the present, which I hand off to Henry. “Mind if we have a word outside, Trina?”

“What for?”

“It will only take a moment.” I walk to the door that leads out to the trampoline park area and hold the door open for her.

Tweetie and Conor are biting their lips, trying not to laugh. Henry looks as if he’s in a tug-of-war with himself on whether to follow me or not.

“I’ll be back in two hours,” Trina says and walks past me out the door.

I let it close behind us and walk over to a corner where there are no eyes or ears. “I understand I’m a substitute, but that doesn’t mean you can talk to me however you want. I’m sorry there was some kind of mix-up with the invitations, but I didn’t know anything about it prior to you just mentioning it.”

She opens her mouth to give me a rebuttal, but I raise my hand.

“Mistakes happen. And Micha is here now, so why don’t we drop it? I do not appreciate you talking to me like that in front of another parent.”

She scoffs. “He’s not just another parent. He’s your ex- boyfriend . Do you think everyone at St. Pat’s doesn’t know who you are or how you got the job? Reed Warner’s stepdaughter. Come on.” Trina rolls her eyes.

This woman has some nerve. I’m usually a pretty calm person, but she’s about to see a side of me I haven’t shown anyone at the school.

“Well, Trina, since you’re only a mother at St. Pat’s, I’m not sure what business it is of yours what my relation to anyone is.” She opens her mouth, but I raise my hand again. “This is the end of the conversation. I’m sure whatever you’re about to say won’t be anything constructive, so it’s best left unsaid. Enjoy the couple of hours to yourself.”

I turn and walk away. When I round the corner, I run right into Henry. His gaze shifts over my shoulder to where I hope Trina is walking out of the complex.

“Shit,” he whispers. “I haven’t seen that side of you in a while. It was really hot.”

My stomach does a little flip at his words, the traitorous thing. “She’s something else.”

I try not to think about his last comment. I can’t deny that I loved when he stepped in front of me after she came at me in the room. But I wasn’t going to sit back and let him be my savior. Baby steps, but damn, it felt good to give Trina a piece of my mind after she’s driven me crazy for weeks.

“I got an earful from her this morning. So, thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, but honestly, Henry.” I place my hand on his arm. “You didn’t invite me, did you?”

His shoulders fall, and he slowly shakes his head.

Mortification rolls through me, and my cheeks heat. “Oh god.”

“Maybe Mack and Bodhi talked about it. They were doing the invitations.” He steps forward as if he’s wanting to make sure I can’t get too far away.

“I should go. I’m sure this is as uncomfortable for you as it is for me.”

He laughs. “Are you kidding?”

“I don’t want you to think I didn’t understand what you were telling me a couple of weeks ago. I mean, I’m not here for?—”

He presses his finger to my lips and tugs on my arm, leading me down a hallway that I think is for the workers. “I’m glad you’re here. Truly. So, please stay.”

His body is so close to mine. A lifetime ago, he would have pressed me against the brick and kissed me until I was flushed with lust, not embarrassment. But we’re not in that life anymore.

“Come on and spend some time with my friends. They’re dying to get to know you.”

“Why?” I ask, not going with him. “I mean… we’re not…”

He turns with my hand in his. “Because you’re important to me, Jade.”

I want to ask if I really am, but he’s still important to me, so I take him at his word. Maybe this is the beginning of our new normal. I don’t know what that would be, but I guess we’ll find out.