“Good. I’m doing well, thanks.”
He leans close and whispers, “I’ve been waiting for you to call.”
I brush off his advance with a wave of my hand, but my body tingles and fizzles. He’s been waiting for me.
And when he turns and talks to Gabby, I’m mush.
“Where’s your friend?”
“Oh. Lizzie.” Gabby frowns. “She has a big family thing every Friday.”
“Well, looks like you’re having a pretty good Friday.” He winks at Gabby and when she glows, I duck my head, sure I’m glowing just as much. “This is one of my favorite joints.”
I take all of him in. Worn-in jeans, hole in the knee, thermal shirt, puffy vest, his hair a mess. He certainly doesn’t look like any teacher I know.
I quickly wipe any knowledge I’m not supposed to have of him out of my brain and plaster a fake smile on my face. “Good seeing you again, Reid, but your food’s going to get cold, Gabbs.”
“Yeah, don’t let it get cold.” He ruffles the top of her hair.
She turns like a good girl and takes a huge bite of her sandwich. Unfortunately, Leona is still sitting with her tongue on the floor and the wheels turning in her head.
“Were you going to stay and eat?” Leona asks.
“I was going to get some takeout.” Reid jerks his thumb toward the door in a universal sign for carryout.
“No reason, sit here.” Leona slides over to the empty seat next to her and makes room for Reid.
“Are you sure?”
“Sit, sit.” She pats the seat, holding back the drool.
When he sits, Gabby engages him right away. “Do you like my new shoes? This is good,” she says, cheese strung from her chin. “What are you getting?”
“That’s a lot of questions. Let’s see.” He looks toward her feet. “Awesome shoes. I bet you run fast in those. Do you think they make them in my size?” Small crinkles form in the corners of his twinkling green eyes—I lose twenty IQ points for even thinking these sappy thoughts—and his mouth turns up. I’m not even going to get into what I feel like doing to those lips.
“They’re for girls!” Gabby leans close and exclaims, the cheese from her chin now stuck on Reid’s thermal.
“Gabby, be careful, you’re getting cheese everywhere. I’m sure Reid doesn’t want food all over his clothes,” I finally say.
“Oh, please, it’s cool. After all, this is pretty good food.” He swipes his hand down his arm, flinging the cheese like it’s nothing, and immediately turns back to my daughter. “I do like their grilled cheese, but with onions and peppers.”
“Yuck.” Gabby crinkles her nose, I notice from her profile, which is where I’ve been relegated while she entertains Reid.
“I bet when you’re older, you won’t thinkyuck. The truth is, Gabby, you can’t eat onions and peppers unless your date does.”
“Why?”
Gabby plops her sandwich down and stares at Reid. Leona continues to eat as if it’s her purpose in life.
“That’s for another day, Gabbs,” I say, letting Reid off the hook.
“I usually get a chicken cheesesteak with everything on it, so I’m pretty sure that’s what Chef Angelo’s preparing for me.” He points toward the grill.
I swear Chef Angelo is smirking.
“So, Andi, how’s it going?” Reid turns his attention to me ... and my uneaten sandwich.
My uneaten sandwich and me ...
