My eyes flit from side to side, astonished at his harsh tone. Now, my nerves are skyrocketing.
Great.
I put my purse on the second chair and plop down across from him. Looking out the large windows facing the playground, I attempt to muster enough confidence before I look at him again.
He folds his hands on the desk. “Now that you are sitting in my office, I assume you have settled here?”
I swallow and take a deep breath, meeting his gaze. “Yes, sir.”
His posture solidifies at that label before he shifts uncomfortably in his seat. Other teachers must not call him that.Noted.
A moment of awkward silence sits between us before I continue. “I officially moved here a few days ago and have been working on getting everything in order. Transferring my certificates is easier since Washington and Arizona have a reciprocity agreement. Now I’m getting ready to take the necessary exams and doing the other steps needed to join your team here at Cedar Creek.”
Hell yeah. That was a pretty good response if I do say so myself.
He gives a curt nod. “That’s great, but this interview is going to be a little different.”
His forwardness sends adrenaline flowing through my veins, feeding my already overdriven heart.
“Okay,” I draw out.
“I want to get to know a little more about you so we can ensure you will fit in with our staff and our students.”
Fitting in with students shouldn’t be a priority for teachers since students are at school to learn and grow, not make friends with the teachers. But if it’s important to him, then I’ll enlighten him.
I nod my approval, and he begins asking questions.
“Do you have any siblings, Miss Meyers?”
That’s a strange question to start with, but whatever. “I grew up as an only child, I’m afraid.”
“Would you say the stereotype that only children are more reserved and spoiled fits you?”
The fuck.
“Um…no. I have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and love how I can impact young children’s minds. Show them that despite their differences, they are worth something—” I swallow because this answer I’m giving hits me hard thinking about my parents. “Even if they don’t believe they are. I consider myself to be a giver, Mr. Sinclair. Being an only child made me realize my passion for being around young children since it was a part of life that I missed out on. Because as much as I teach them, I think they teach me more.”
He tightens his lips, his heated eyes roaming over my face, studying my reaction while I analyze his. I think he is pleased with that answer. But it’s difficult to tell since his face lacks emotion. Maybe he’s like a fish and doesn’t have facial muscles—he relies on his body language to react. Alaric’s strong frame relaxes, so I take that as a positive sign.
“And what about your family life?”
“What family life?” I joke, trying to lighten the mood.
His brows draw together, observing me suspiciously.
We need to pop some of those buttons and loosen that shirt a little more, Alaric. Maybe then you could take a breath.
I tilt my head. “Chill, it was a joke.”
“You told me during the virtual interview that your parents travel a lot, and you moved around several times growing up. You must talk to them often.”
I surprise myself when the honesty in my heart beats the answer I came up with in my head. “My parents are veryimmersed in their traveling endeavors, so I don’t bother them with meaningless updates all the time. We send texts here and there, but other than that, I am mostly on my own and keep to myself.”
He lifts a finger, pushing his glasses farther up to sit on the arch of his nose. “Friends?”
“I just moved here, so none yet and none I keep in contact with—”Positivity, Taryn. “But I look forward to creating meaningful relationships with the other teachers and exploring more of Cedar Creek.”
“Can you cook?”
