Another nod. “I’ddiebefore letting anything happen to Gracie.”
Something is boiling up in my dad. I can see it, and so does Chris. “Okay, then. Let’s settle this right now.” He raises a clenched right hand and draws back like he’s about to hit him. “One punch. You stay on your feet, and I’ll back off.”
“Dad!” I exclaim, but Chris raises a hand and looks at me. He smiles. “Okay, Tom. Gimme your best shot.”
My stomach clenches as both men brace themselves. This cannot be happening. My dad is tough, but Chris is an ex-football player, used to taking hits.
And then it happens.
Dad twists his hips and swings.
Before I can cry out in protest, a loud cracking noise rings out as his fist slams into Chris’s cheek, spinning his head to the side. I gasp and cover my mouth with both hands, saying a silent prayer.
The floor creaks as Chris’s right food slides slightly to the side, but that’s it. His body remains upright, like he grew out of the very Earth itself. Then, slowly, with a broad grin on his face, he turns back to my father. “Nice right hook, Tom.”
Unmistakable pride flashes across my dad’s face. He snatches Chris by the hand and squeezes, like he’s trying to break his bones with a handshake. “Thanks, pal.” He smirks. “You watch after my girl.”
“With my life,” Chris promises. “With my life.”
EPILOGUE
GRACIE
Four years later…
He may not be my math teacher anymore, but my husband stilllovesto give me lessons. And I love to learn.
I still have my Pine Hills uniform, and occasionally, when we get the chance, I slip into it, and we sneak off for some fun.
That is of course when he’s not working and I’m not looking after Mattie, our wonderful baby boy.
It’s his birthday tomorrow, and I’ve been working all day to make sure everything is perfect for him. I’m probably overdoing it—actually, I’mdefinitelyoverdoing it—but what can I say? I love being a mom!
And Chris loves being a dad. I love sitting on the porch with a nice cup of coffee and watching the two of them play. It’s especially cute when they throw the little nerf football together. Mattie will charge into Chris, who will make a big show of falling down like his son is the Incredible Hulk.
We were married a month after I found out I was pregnant. It took a lot of effort, and a very expensive lawyer, but Chris was finally able to get Jackie to sign their divorce papers. Thankfully,I never had to meet or speak to her. To be honest, I never even think about her. All I focus on is my husband, my son, and me.
My family.
As I figured she would do, Regina ended up spilling the beans on my teacher-student relationship with Chris. Her dark obsession with him still creeps me out to this day, but thankfully, the police granted us a restraining order against her after she kept sending him e-mails.
Even though I confessed to having cheated my way into Pine Hills, they still fired Chris. He quickly got another job, coaching youth football for a very ritzy prep school. They knew of his talent as a player and were willing to ignore the drama surrounding his past employment.
Just before Mattie was born, we bought the cottage where we now live, right on the coast of Connecticut. We’re a few minutes’ walk to the ocean, and we spend countless nights down on the beach, toes buried in the sand, watching the sun go down.
Things couldn’t be more perfect.
Even Dad is totally on board. He gives us a hard time occasionally about sneaking around behind his back, but he’s only kidding. He’s super supportive, loves to help out with Mattie, and helped Chris do some fix-up work around the house when we first moved in.
As I watch my husband and my son throw the ball back and forth, I can’t help but smile and think back to that first day when I strode into Pine Hills, a fake student on a real mission.
I knew I wanted Chris, and I had all these pictures in my mind for how our life could be, but I never really thought it was possible.
Yet here we are.
I think about the school uniform upstairs in the bedroom and cross my legs, hiding my naughty smile. Now is not the time. But Mattie will be going up to bed soon, and then it will happen.
Giggling, Mattie rushes up the lawn and flings himself into my lap. He’s in that little kid state where he’s filled with energy but is also ready to collapse from exhaustion. It’s adorable.
