Page 13 of Single Teddy (Mayberry Protectors #6)

TWELVE

WESLEY

A few days later, there was still no update from either Teddy or Joey, and I was on the verge of just walking into the police station myself and reporting this whole situation.

The only thing that stopped me was that I didn’t want to get Teddy in trouble. And I didn’t want anything to happen to the twins because of my foolishness or rushing.

But I was reaching the end of my tether. More so because I’d had to lie to the principal and Monica about the visit and how it had gone. And for the rest of the week, I had to act like the boys’ tardiness was no issue.

I was starting to think they had become more meek, but maybe that was me projecting my worries and fears on them.

It was probably why sleep had evaded me all week, and why I got up before the sun on Saturday. I went through my routine anyway, then spent some time in the garden gathering flowers and by the time I was done, the sky was a beautiful shade of orange that made me feel a little better.

I wanted to trust Teddy. I did trust him, but my protective teacher instincts were screaming at me to do more. That there was more I could do even if I had no clue about drug dealers, crime syndicates, and undercover operations.

I sighed and entered the school with my bike in tow, leaving it in the classroom before I grabbed all the craft boxes and took them to the gym, which was already all decked out for the Harvest Festival.

In order to keep my mind from reeling, if that was even possible, I started setting up all the stations, and before long, other teachers joined me. By the time the kids showed up for lunch, it was all ready and glorious.

The craft section was at the back, the bleachers were fully equipped with buffet food and drinks, the middle of the gym was blocked out for the show later on, and the rest of the space was open for the dozens of parents who were attending.

He showed up with Bear just as the lunch line was dwindling, and I waved at them both as if nothing had happened. As if everything was normal.

Even though I was frustrated with him—with his whole team, to be honest—I couldn’t deny how stunning he looked despite everything. I didn’t think it was possible for this man to look bad, not even if caught with his mouth open, wolfing down food like he was a little later.

I made my way toward them, even though I should keep my distance. I couldn’t exactly talk about the twins out in the open, but I’d be damned if I could go a whole afternoon avoiding him.

“Hi, Bear, so glad you came,” I told the little one whose plate was empty, and he just smiled at me. The pink dragon was all squished up in his arm. It had gone everywhere with him this week, which was probably not very sanitary, but if it offered him some comfort, then that was more important.

“Aren’t you hungry?” I asked him.

“You don’t have chicken nuggets so…” Teddy sighed, wiping his mouth, and it took everything in me not to stare at those beautiful pink lips of his and dream of all the things they could do to me.

“Oh. I’m sorry. Do you want me to check with the cafeteria staff to see if they have any they can whip up?”

He shook his head and glanced at his nephew, who was just staring at his empty plate, not paying us any mind.

“It’s okay, honestly. I don’t think eating nuggets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is healthy anyway.”

“Oh,” was all I managed to say. I made a mental note to do a little lesson on food and nutrition in hopes of helping Bear eat better. “Has he eaten anything for lunch?”

Teddy shook his head. “Are you sure you don’t want pizza? You liked it the other day with Mac.”

“Oh you met Mackenzie? That’s wonderful.” I kneeled in front of Bear and looked him in the eyes. “You know, she’s probably around here somewhere. Do you want to go find her with me?”

Bear shrugged, and I offered him my hand, hoping he’d take it. He did, but when we started to move away from Teddy, he turned around and stared at his uncle until he joined us.

We found Mac behind the bleachers, preparing for the fifth grade show, but as soon as she saw Bear, she dropped everything and gave the tiny guy a hug.

“How are you, Bear? How are you, Bubblegum?” She leaned with her ear close to the dragon and nodded along as if it was speaking to her, and then she greeted Teddy and me.

“Are you ready for the dance show?” I asked her.

Mac’s smile deepened as she answered with a resounding yes.

It was so nice to see her genuinely happy and enjoying school. Such a one-eighty from the miserable shell of a kid she’d become last year. Bullying was such a disease.

“Say, Mac, Bear is really hungry. Do you think you can take him to the buffet to help him find something to eat?” I requested, and she was all too happy to oblige.

And Bear, for a change, followed her without needing Teddy by his side. Not that we didn’t follow them anyway, but at a distance

“How have you been?” Teddy asked.

“Stressed as heck,” I replied. “Any…updates?”

He shook his head.

“They’re coming up with a plan, but it’s complicated.”

“Are you going to tell me the plan? If the boys are in danger, we need to get them out.”

“I know. And I agree with you. And if this were my choice, we’d go in there guns ablazing and save them, but…” He sighed.

Yeah.

It was a little more complex than that.

For one, doing that would make us public enemies number one, and we couldn’t risk it with Bear, the twins, and hell, even my class. Who could guarantee they wouldn’t target my kids?

“Are they here?” he asked, and I scanned the room once more, but of course, I didn’t see them anywhere.

“Of course not,” I said. “Wasn’t expecting them to be here after what happened on Wednesday.”

If that visit proved anything, it was what a shit parent Mr. Barnes was. We might not know if he was involved with the syndicate, but that was the one thing I was certain of.

Teddy opened his mouth to say something, but just then Mac returned with Bear, who was eating a slice of pizza. Or more accurately, a slice of pizza dough, as the toppings slid to the floor from the awkward attempt at putting the slice in his mouth.

I kneeled straight away to clean up, but Teddy had the same idea, so we ended up clanging our heads together. Something Mac and Bear found all too amusing.

Look at us, being all cute and clumsy, as if we were in a rom-com or something. Not that I needed such thoughts in my already Teddy-crowded mind.

“Sorry,” he said, and I chuckled too.

“It’s okay.”

His gaze lingered a moment. A moment that felt like a whole lot of forever. A forever trapped in the wonderful sea of his eyes. I couldn’t help smiling.

This man brought me so much joy—and swoon—without even meaning to. I didn’t even think he knew the effect he had on people. And by people I meant me.

Teddy cleared his throat and turned to Bear, snapping me back to reality.

Or as much reality as there could be in his company.

“Why don’t you take a seat, Bear?” he said, and since Mac was called away by her teacher, I sat down and watched the dance show with them.

They were all incredible, even Grace the bully, who, if her teacher was to be believed, had straightened out her act.

But Mac was the star of the show. She danced with wild abandon and pulled off all the moves to perfection.

And when it was time for us to applaud, her dads raised the roof, whistling and clapping and hooting to their hearts’ content.

It was so beautiful to witness. So pure.

I wanted that. I wanted a family. Love. The whole nine yards. But I didn’t know if I’d ever get it.

“Anyway.” I sighed and got to my feet so I could herd the second graders to the crafts area.

A few of my students were absent, but the majority were here, and I high-fived all of them one by one.

The more sociable ones walked alongside me, talking to me about their plans for the weekend and what they would make at the crafts station, and the quieter ones stalked behind us with their parents, like Bear and Teddy.

“Those are some cool shoes, Nancy. You’ll have to tell me where you got them so I can check if they have them in my size,” I said and the little girl giggled, taking a seat. I turned to address the whole class. “Right, kiddos, do you know what we’re making today?”

More than a few heads shook, and I chuckled. Little kids could be as forgetful as they were sponges of knowledge.

“That’s all perfectly normal. It’s only your second year, but this is an annual Mayberry tradition for the Harvest Moon Festival.

” I picked up the candle holders and showed them to everyone.

“These cups are made from rice paper. All you have to do is decorate them as you wish. We’ve got flowers—straight from my garden, by the way— biodegradable glitter, and crayons, so go wild.

Put your wishes and dreams on them. Then, later on, after the sun goes down, your parents will bring you down to Cotton Beach, and we’ll put the wax candles in the cups and release them into the ocean for the harvest. How does that sound?

” I looked at all my students and then their parents, who nodded in agreement.

The kids got busy right away. Nancy took over the fresh flower section and distributed them to other kids as if she were in charge, while Bear remained seated, kicking his feet back and forth and staring at everyone else.

“Don’t you want to participate?” I asked Bear, and he shrugged.

Teddy cast a glance my way and reached for a pencil. He attempted to draw on Bear’s cup, but as soon as he put his pencil down, Bear picked it up and threw it.

“No!” he shouted.

“Bear! We don’t throw things.” Teddy sighed and stood up to retrieve it, but I put my hand up and got it for them.

“You don’t want to draw on your cup, Bear? I would have thought you’d jump at the chance. You love drawing.”

“I don’t want to,” Bear replied with a huff, furrowing his brow.

“What about flowers? Do you want to stick some flowers on it?”

“No!” he shouted.