Double crap.
I clear my throat, seeing he is going to be of no help, and I try, “I don’t think that would be a good idea, sweetheart,” and his bottom lip juts out even further and a knot forms in my stomach.
Triple crap.
Here I am, basically thinking that Mrs. Jones shouldn’t be a teacher because she has no patience with her kids, I struggle to say no, and the puppy-dog eyes Caleb is currently giving me…
Damn.
“He has a point, you know. Dirty's chili is really good and all you have to do is show up at around five-ish,” Ice jumps in, and I narrow my eyes at the man with suspicion.
It isn’t lost on me that I haven’t met Caleb’s dad yet, whose name I am guessing is Dirty.
Every drop-off and pickup, it’s been either Ice or a brother, but never Caleb's father, and I think showing up without him knowing will not go down very well, especially with a stranger.
I open my mouth to decline as Ice subtly shakes his head to tell me not to, when Lyra decides to jump in and practically begs, “Oh, can we, Mama? Please, can we?”
I blink as she links her fingers and places them under her little chin and bats her icy blue eyes at me, copying Caleb, and Ice chuckles as I slowly drop my head and nod, giving in.
As I said, I just can’t seem to say no when they look at me like that, which is another reason I would suck at being a kindergarten or first-grade teacher.
Sighing, I say, “I just need to grab our things and clean up the class room quickly. Why don’t you go ahead, and I’ll get there around five.”
Ice raises a brow, and I roll my eyes before confirming, “Meet at the clubhouse?”
He nods with a smirk, then says, “Come on, buddy, let’s go let Dad know there are an extra two for dinner.”
Caleb cheers, making me half-smile as Lyra says, “See you soon, Mr. Ice,” and I grin.
Her and her ‘Mr.’.
***
Forty five minutes later, it’s nearly five and a lump forms in my throat and nerves fill me and right now, I don’t know if this is a good idea as I pull up to large metal gates. To the right, a guard booth holds a man inside looking at me with suspicion and I swallow hard.
Lyra sings away in the backseat, taking away the weird sound coming from under the hood that started on the way here which is why it took me longer than it usually would to get here.
I ended up driving a lot slower.
Matty said the car was on its last legs when he last took it for an oil change, but I just can’t seem to part with it.
I guess it’s because it’s the first thing I bought for myself.
Putting down my window as a man with dark red hair and a scowl walks over, I give him a polite smile, but his never comes. Instead, he scowls harder if that is even possible, looking mean.
Okay then.
“Hi, uh….” I begin, but the man cuts me off and states, “You’re at the wrong place, lady, you need to turn around.”
I blink. Uh…
“Hi, Mr. Alan!” Lyra calls from the back, and I look at her with furrowed brows.
She knows him?
“Oh, hey, cutie girl, you here to have a playdate with Caleb again?” the man, Alan, asks, his demeanor softening.
Umm…?
