I snorted. “Let’s start the next episode.”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
Mai unpaused the Netflix auto-play, and we went back to our girls’ night. No more thinking about men for the time being.
Nineteen
Alec
I’d waffledon whether or not to hire a regular babysitter for Evanne but hadn’t yet made up my mind when it was time for my meeting with the infamous Ms. Browne, so I decided to keep her with me for the meeting. It wasn’t like we’d be discussing anything Evanne couldn’t hear.
After I picked her up from school, we went for a quick bite to eat at a sandwich shop around the corner, and Evanne told me about her day. She was ecstatic for me to meet Ms. Browne, convinced that this was going to be, in her words, “The best dayever.”
I had to admit, I was a little nervous. While I was generally good with face-to-face meetings, schools had always made me a little…off-kilter.
Not that Evanne had the same problem. The way she kept havering on about her day was evidence of that. She didn’t take after me when it came to talking either, that much was for certain. I’d always been the quiet one, taking my time to say anything.
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, and take your time chewing. Don’t want you choking.”
She smiled, giving me those dimples that melted my heart.
Maybe Icoulddo this without hiring help. Granted, getting a part-time nanny would take a lot of pressure off me, but I only wanted the best for her. I mean, I wasn’t so uptight as to think I could do a better job than a trained caregiver. I just wanted a strong relationship with my daughter. I wanted to be a good father.
After we finished our sandwiches, I checked my watch. Almost time for the meeting. I could do this. Hell, I’d gotten through college. Visiting a third-grade teacher should be a piece of cake.
“I’m sorry to drag you back to school right after taking you away,mo chride,” I said to Evanne.
“It’s okay. I like school,” she assured me. “And I like Ms. Browne.”
“Is that so? You never told me that.” I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing at the indignant expression on my daughter’s face.
“Yes, I did!” She put her hands on her hips, looking the spitting image of her Aunt Maggie.
Well, like Maggie as a kid. My smile faltered, but I forced my big-brother-worry back. I had father-worry to deal with right now.
And I wanted to smile a little while longer. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
She growled adorably, and I chuckled, the two of us cleaning up our table as Evanne went back over every positive thing she’d ever said about Ms. Browne. When we were back to the school, Evanne showed me the way to her classroom. When we reached it, I knocked on the door, even though it was open.
“Come on in.”
Evanne skipped inside first, clearly without any of the trepidation I was feeling. I took a breath. This wasn’t about me. It was for Evanne. It was about what was best for her. That was all that mattered.
“Hello, Evanne! It’s wonderful to see you again.” The teacher’s voice was low enough that I automatically knew she wasn’t saying the words for me to hear. She truly liked my daughter.
I cleared my throat and stepped into the classroom. The light coming in through the windows blinded me for a moment, but I kept walking forward, not wanting to seem like I was anxious about this meeting.
I was still blinking in an attempt to clear my vision when I held out my hand. “Good afternoon. I’m Alec McCrae.”
“Oh…”
That single, breathy sound twisted something in me, as if preparing me. The moment my vision cleared, I understood.
The clothes were simple and exactly what one would expect of a third-grade teacher, even one this young and attractive. Honey hair pulled back in a sensible ponytail. Flats instead of heels. No makeup I could see.
But it was her.
She was here.
