I pinch the bridge of my nose and squeeze my eyes shut. “He has a name, you know.”
“This early on, I don’t care about his name. I’d rather not overload my poor brain with useless information if you give him the boot.”
Snorting, I brush sparkles off my leggings.
“Did he talk about crypto again, or has he movedon to NFTs?” She presses her hand to her chest. “Or wait—did he give you investment tips?”
“Goodness, why are you always so negative?”
“It’s easier this way. Less disappointment, since I never expect anything good in the first place.” She winks at me. “You’ve known me for six years. Why are you still surprised?”
“I love you.” I blow her a kiss. “Actually, Will was nice. We talked for a few hours, and he spent most of that time asking about me. What I do for a living, what my interests are. He even had opinions on Broadway musicals, and they were valid. Pretty sure there will be a fourth date once he comes back from his business trip. I’m into him, and it’s real this time.”
“Wow. Love the progress.” She gently pats my shoulder. “Did you have a chance to ask about his past relationships? He’s ten years older, right? I can imagine he’s got a good amount of baggage.”
“You’re gonna love this. I think I finally found a guy who isn’t allergic to honesty when I ask the tough questions.” I grin. “He’s divorced and has a daughter. When he talked about his little girl, his eyes lit up. The man loves his kid. In my book, that’s a green flag.”
Nastya stares at me, her expression giving away how unimpressed she is.
I roll my eyes. “You don’t even have to speak. Your face says it all.”
“My face?” She feigns offense. “Ry, I’m from Eastern Europe. Rumor is, we never smile. We’re always grumpy because we’re never happy.”
“Ha,” I say. “That couldn’t be farther from the truth. You’re just selective about who you give your smiles to. And your face has its own subtitles, even when your mouth is shut.”
“And now, Piper thinks I’m rubbing off on you.” She winks at me.
The ruckus in the room grows louder as parents file in and the girls take turns telling me goodbye. It’s utter chaos, but I’ll miss this energy during summer break. I love my job, and I love these girls more than anything.
So, I kneel and say my goodbyes. I revel in the warm hugs the girlsgive me and remind them of how wonderful they are, making sure they know I can’t wait to see them again.
Nastya observes silently, like she often does. The friendship we created our freshman year at the New York School of Performing Arts means more to me than I ever could’ve expected.
Just as the last of the families have gone, the door swings open again, and I see him: Finance Guy, dressed in a crisp white shirt and black pants, his dark brown hair slicked back. He stands in the doorway with Rosie, a student who joined my class about a month ago.
He rests a hand on her shoulder, and the movement draws my attention to the gold band he must have forgotten to wear on any of our dates. He freezes, his light-blue eyes widening in shock.
“Erm, hi,” he says, scratching the back of his neck. “Rosie wanted to introduce me to her favorite teacher.”
Rosie’s mom, who must be this asshole’s wife, appears at his side and wraps an arm around his torso. Her curly blonde hair spills over his shoulder as she sets her head on it. “I’m so sorry, Ms. Evans. Rosie’s super busy dad finally found time to come pick her up, and she was so excited for him to meet you.”
I force a smile, keeping my attention on her. “That’s absolutely okay. Rosie is wonderful, and she learns so quickly. I’m sure she’ll catch up to the girls who started at the beginning of the year in no time.” I meet the fucker’s eyes. “And it’s so great to meet Rosie’s dad. Thank you for finding time in yoursuper busyschedule.”
His mouth opens, closes, then opens again. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I say, keeping my tone so sweet, it makes my teeth hurt.
With a steadying breath, I crouch and hold my arms out for the little girl. “You were amazing today, Rosie. Your turns are getting so good.”
She rushes to me and squeezes me tight. Her mom can’t stop smiling while her father looks downright uncomfortable. Once they finally leave and the door closes, I let out a deep sigh. My shoulders droop, the heaviness in my chest growing tenfold.
Another disappointment. Am I really surprised, though?
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
I shudder involuntarily and snap my head up. I’ve been so caught in the moment, I totally forgot my best friend is still here.
“What’s wrong?” Nastya struts over to me, her brows pinched in concern.
