“Exactly.” Not once had anyone asked what I wanted to do with my future. I was a Calloway, so, of course, I’d be taking over the family business.
“Wow, Ryder, this is big.” She rested her elbows on the table and gave me her undivided attention. “So what is it you want to do?”
My face heated, and I went back to admiring what now looked like a froth heart floating on top of my latte. “Iwannabeateacher.”
“Huh?” Her voice held a hint of laughter. “Didn’t catch that. E-nun-ci-ate,” she said, eyes alight with humor.
I sighed. What the hell? Might as well put it out into the universe. Had to happen sometime. “I want to be a teacher. Um, elementary school.”
A few weeks ago, I read an article online claiming the core of a star could reach twenty-seven million degrees. Those stars had nothing on the temperature of my cheeks, which rose exponentially with each passing second of silence.
If Vera didn’t say something soon, I’d be a pile of smoldering, humiliated ash on my mother’s velvet dining chair. Not the way I wanted to go out. Maybe we could turn the air conditioning on. Sure, it was five degrees outside, but in here, it was a damn inferno.
As I opened my mouth to tell Vera it was all a big joke, she finally spoke.
“Hey, Ry, look at me.”
If I groaned out loud, I didn’t mean it. The noise should have stayed in my head. Still, she didn’t sound as though she found what I’d said hilarious and stupid, so I lifted my gaze. Her grin had my heart clenching with hope. Could she be supportive of this idea?
“I think you would be a great teacher. No, not great, incredible.”
“You do?” Later, I’d be mortified by the wavering of my voice.
“I do. You’ve always been good with kids. I recall when you volunteered at the LGBTQ+ youth center downtown during college. Those kids adored you.”
“That’s where I got the idea. I tried to ignore it, thinking it was just the novelty of doing something new, but it’s been years, and I still want to get a teaching degree.”
“Then do it.” She shrugged. “Simple as that.”
I barked out a laugh. “You know that’s a lie.”
“Okay, so Dad’s brain will explode, but I don’t think he’d disown you or anything. Oh, wait… is that why you’re getting a job? Are you worried he’ll stop paying for school?”
“No.” Although now that she’d put the unpleasant thought in my head, it would be one I’d revisit and obsess about later. “That’s not why. It’s really just something to do while I wait to start school again.”
“Okay, but why not try to get a job working with kids somewhere? Wouldn’t that make more sense? Maybe you should…” Her grin changed from supportive to suspicious, and a chill ran down my spine. “Oh, I know what this is.”
“What? There’s nothing to know.” Too bad my scoff sounded like a performance from a D-list actor.
“There’s a guy, isn’t there?”
“A guy? What? You’re nuts.” How did she do that? What the hell was she, an FBI investigator?
“Maybe, but you’re a terrible liar. I wonder what it says about me that I’m more excited about your boyfriend than your career change.”
That one had me laughing so loud that Cora popped her head in. Seeing us enjoying each other’s company as well as her food, she nodded once, then disappeared back into the kitchen. “Pfft. I do not have a boyfriend. There isn’t even a guy. At least not one I’m interested in.” Shit, I could have slapped myself.
“Ah-ha!” She clapped her hands. “So there is a guy.”
“No!”
She snorted, then stuffed a bite of pancake in her mouth. “There’s a guy,” she said with a mouth so full I could barely understand her.
“Cute. That’s real cute, V. With the way you eat, we know no guy is coming after you.”
She flipped me the bird, and I burst out laughing. Shit, when had my sister become so much fun?
“Okay, fine. There’s a guy, but it’s not what you’re thinking. I can’t stand him. Or he can’t stand me.” I frowned. “We can’t stand each other. This is a competition to see who the best bottle service boy will be. Nothing more, nothing less.” To seal the statement, I took a sip of my lukewarm coffee.
