I’d seen Creek briefly before I had to get started ushering kids to their spots, and he was as impossibly gorgeous as I thought he’d be in his white button-up and dark slacks. We kissed quickly and were only caught by a couple of wandering eyes, but there was the promise of more on his lips.
He took his seat in the far back to leave room for parents and families, and then the ceremony began. It was as long and arduous as it ever was, and I was tapping my foot by the time they called the valedictorian to the stage. Amanda Grant looked older, somehow, than she had just a month ago in my class.
She was also nervous, but she met my gaze and shot me a grin when I gave her a double thumbs-up. Her speech started the way they always did—an inspirational quote and then a mention of a member of her family who gave her guidance, and then all the people she wanted to thank. She named several teachers I wasn’t surprised to hear, but then she went silent, and her gaze turned to me again.
“There’s one more teacher I need to thank. He’s been voted the yearbook’s favorite teacher all four years I’ve attended school here…”
Oh shit. Oh shit. This had never happened to me before.
“…mostly because I wasn’t on the volleyball team, and I procrastinated taking Health and PE until my last semester. I didn’t meet him until a few weeks into class because he’d been on medical leave. He showed up the first day in a wheelchair, and I was…well, I was kind of freaked out. We all knew what had happened. The whole school was talking about it. But I didn’t get it—I didn’t get him—until the first day he made us all run laps for not listening.”
I laughed, but my throat was tight.
Amanda grinned at me. “He wasn’t always nice. He swore a lot…”
The crowd tittered, the principal looked pissed, and all the students burst into laughter.
“He always called me on my shit. And you can’t ground me for saying that, Mom and Dad—I’m eighteen now.” She smiled at her parents. “I thought I was going to hate him, but he ended up being one of the first people who ever made me feel like I could reach my goals. That my dreams weren’t totally out of reach, but even if I failed, I was still important. And I don’t think anyone’s ever said his name up here in a speech, which is a tragedy. He’s probably one of the best teachers we have at this school, and I hope he sticks around for a long time because there are other students still walking the halls who need to know that it doesn’t matter if they fail at some things, they’re still loved. And they’re still important. So, thank you, Mr. Moyer, for making me do better. Thank you for showing me that I can.”
She said something else, but there was clapping, and I couldn’t make out the rest. I tried to see the look on her face, but it was obscured by something warm and wet.
Oh. Tears. Great.
I was man enough to accept falling apart, and Mark elbowed me hard. “You’re going to be even more insufferable now.”
I didn’t know how that was true because I didn’t know how I’d made much of a difference. The kids loved me because I gave them snacks and respected who they were. How was that not doing the bare minimum? Not to mention, I’d been a mess when I first got back to work, and I was still pulling myself together today.
But maybe that was it. All the kids really needed was to hear they were worth something just by existing as themselves. They needed someone to call them on their shit and believe they could do whatever they set their minds to—and maybe someone whoreminded them that even if they did fail to achieve their dreams, there were plenty of other things they could be.
The world was vast, and so was the rest of their lives.
The remainder of the ceremony passed in a fog, and the diplomas took another short forever. By the time it was all over, I’d calmed down and taken some light ribbing from the other teachers before I tried to make my way through the crowd.
I saw Amanda with her family, but she was busy taking photos, so I slipped by her and instead found Creek, who was waiting near the edge of the field. He stood stiff and uncomfortable when he saw me, and for a moment, I thought the old Creek was back. The man who didn’t want to acknowledge anyone else’s wins.
Then he dropped his cane to the ground and yanked me forward and into a hard kiss. “I love you. I love you so much,” he gasped against my lips. “And I’m glad everyone else sees how amazing you are.”
“One misguided student,” I said, trying to wave it off.
He pulled back and cupped my cheeks. “Favorite teacher every year?”
“I bring the trail mix heavy on the M&Ms.”
He wasn’t buying it. “Just accept it, darlin’. I’m the lucky one here.”
“We both are,” I countered. “Because you make me want to be a better man.”
He hummed, then stroked my cheek once more before bending over to pick up his cane. “Call it a draw?”
I linked my fingers with his free ones and swung his hand between us. “I can live with that. Now, take me home. I have big plans.”
He grinned and blushed a little, and I was glad to see he had some idea of what I meant.
“Make love to me.”
I jolted. We’d been in bed, full from dinner, making out like horny teens for the last hour. We were definitely going somewhere with it, but there was something in Creek’s voice that told me his question meant more than a quick fuck.
“Yes.” I straddled his lap and held his face, kissing him long and slow. “I’ve been thinking about you all week.”
