He was still a bit wild and a ridiculous flirt, but he was a big sweetheart as well. He treated her like his buddy. It was actually rather nice to be treated like one of the guys. That being said, sometimes first impressions were dead on, like with her current problem.
“Yes, I’m sure.”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, do you think the two of you would want to-”
“No,” she said firmly.
“But what if I-”
“No.”
“Come on, you won’t let me finish. I have this camera-”
“No.”
“It would be fun-”
“No.”
“But what if-”
“She said no,” Jason said as he cut in line and threw his arm around her shoulders in that lazy way of his.
“Hey! I thought you said you were gay!” the man said accusingly.
Without missing a beat, Jason said, “She is. I’m just her bitch.”
The man sent a narrowed glare at Jason’s arm and then to her. He sent another glare at Jason and she could tell that he was deciding whether he wanted to push it any further. Based on his small size and Jason’s large muscular build, he wisely chose to drop it.
“So, what are you buying me this morning?” Haley asked Jason.
He scoffed. “Me? Why am I buying?”
“Because I helped you win fifty dollars off Brian last night.”
He rolled his eyes. “I would have won it without your help.”
“Uh-huh,” Haley said absently, stepping up to the counter to place her order. She added a chocolate chip muffin knowing that Jason was going to steal hers. He seemed to have a thing for stealing her food.
“I would have. I didn’t need your help,” Jason said more firmly.
She grabbed her order while he was waiting for his and headed for the door. “See ya.”
“I won that bet on my own!” Jason called after her, making her smile. Sometimes he was just so damn cute.
Jason bit back a smile as he watched Haley tell Headmaster Jenkins that she couldn’t chaperone the school dance tonight. A month ago, his shy little neighbor would have simply stared at her coffee and nodded. Now, she was telling the man no, firmly yet gently.
He couldn’t help but feel proud of her. It was because of him, after all. It took some work, but she was coming along rather nicely. Who knew there was a little tigress beneath all that cuteness? He hadn’t, but it was nice to see her stick up for herself for once. The staff might bitch at his methods and his easy-going relationship with the students, but at least he’d never ganged up on Haley and took advantage of her by making her do all the bullshit that no one else wanted to do.
“But, Haley, we really need you to chaperone. John has tickets to a play tonight.”
“I’m sorry, Tom, but I already have plans tonight. I really wish I could help you out, but I can’t break my plans at the last minute. You understand,” Haley said with a helpless shrug.
Her self-esteem was clearly on the rise and it made the whole package even better. Jason wasn’t the only one to notice either. Other teachers were showing her more respect and the men were definitely noticing her. Oh, he took a hundred percent of the credit for his little protégé. He was definitely the master. It was probably about time that he used his greatness for good.
He spotted the table where she’d left her coffee and muffins as well as the three men, all losers in his opinion, who were eying the seat next to hers. Without hesitation, he sauntered past them and sat down at her table, earning killing glares from every one of them. Too fucking bad. In his opinion, if a man didn’t have the balls to make a move, then he didn’t deserve the woman that he wanted. Not that he wanted Haley. He didn’t. She was his buddy and turning out to be one of his best friends. No, what he desired was that piping hot chocolate chip muffin with extra butter he saw her buy earlier.
He sighed happily as he fished the muffin out of her bag. “When will she ever learn?” he mumbled.
