“I’ll be there after I finish with my student. About ten minutes.”
“All right. See you then.”
Concern tinged my thoughts as I finished up with Andy, but I pushed it back. By the time I walked toward the office, though, worry had settled in. What if a parent was angry with me? What if something happened to Ida Jane? What if the Wildcatters’ plane had crashed? My thoughts spun, each possibility more terrible than the last.
When I entered, there was an enormous bouquet on the desk, with my friend Lisa and two other teachers cooing over the arrangement. The blooms were all soft pinks and purples with some darker red accents.
“Wow,” I said. “Someone’s feeling loved.” I peered around the arrangement at Lorraine, whose smile widened. “What’s up?”
“Well, those are for you.” She nodded at the flowers.
My jaw dropped. “What?”
“And…there’s a note!” She half rose from her chair to point at the small white envelope. Two of the teachers stepped back, eying me speculatively, but Lisa came closer, her eyes twinkling.
My cheeks burned even as a smile bloomed along with my blush. I plucked the card and opened the envelope. My hands trembled as I read the note:You brighten my day and my life so much. I hope these do the same for you. Love, Cormac
My smile widened.
“Ah…” Lisa jumped up and down, holding her photocopies to her chest. “Keelie’s got a hot hockey player boyfriend.”
“We know,” Lorraine said. “He was here on campus a couple of weeks ago, with his very attractive friend.” She fanned her cheeks.
“What’s going on?” Ms. Schein, the principal, appeared in her doorway, tugging down her glasses. She noted the flowers, me clutching the note, and the avid faces. “Mmm… Young love, I take it.” A no-nonsense administrator with over twenty years of experience, she kept her steel gray hair short and tucked behind her ears. But her eyes danced with humor, accented by the laugh lines around her mouth.
“Correct,” Lorraine announced. “Keelie’s dating Cormac Bouchard.”
Mrs. Schein raised an eyebrow. “That won’t impede your work, will it?”
I shook my head. “No, ma’am.”
“Good. The kids need to be the top priority during your work hours.”
“Of course.”
Mrs. Schein stepped forward—none of us could resist the beautiful blooms. “If he wanted to talk to the kids about moving their bodies, sports, nutrition, how to set goals, anything, I’m sure we could find a time for an assembly.”
I pulled out one of the lavender hydrangeas and handed it to her. “I’ll talk to him.”
She winked. “Do that. And I’m open to any other ideas he might have to engage the children.” With a nod, she turned and went back to her office, her nose pressed into the soft petals.
“You got Sergeant Schein’s approval,” Lorraine whispered, eyes wide.
“I guess I did. Mind if I leave these with you in here until the end of the day?” I touched a velvety-soft lily.
“Not at all. I’ll keep them safe,” Lorraine said.
My phone rangas I settled my beautiful flowers on Cormac’s kitchen table. Ida Jane would be home soon. We’d planned to swim and then eat one of Cormac’s chef-made dinners.
Naomi and Nicole were correct that there were some serious perks to dating professional athletes. With a long, heartfelt sigh, I admitted that I wantedCormacwhispering love in my ear as he pressed me into his bed and made me his.
Then maybe I would believe he wantedme.
I touched the flowers again and smiled—until I looked at my phone and saw my mother’s number. I declined the call, my good mood souring.
My mother called again. Then again.
“Hello?” I finally answered.
