Slade sat at his parents’ dining roomtable, picking at the food in front of him.He’d been looking forward to his mother’s meatloaf all afternoon, but his appetite had disappeared about the time he saw Atticus laughing it up with Archer.More so when Atticus backed out of dinner at the last minute.
He should’ve expected it.That was the way things went for him.Every time he found someone he was interested in, they turned out to be more interested in someone else.His ex-wife had turned her attention to plenty of other men, including Slade’s own brother.Carson had latched on to every guy he wanted Slade to fuck.And it looked as though Atticus was doing the same.
“You goin’ to the game tonight?”his mother asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
Grateful for the distraction, Slade pushed his plate away.“Yeah.I think I’ll head over there now, in fact.”
She frowned as she glanced at the clock on the wall.“It’s not for another hour and a half.”
“I know.I heard a rumor that the statue’s gonna end up there.”He placed his napkin on the table and pushed his chair back.“Thanks for dinner.”
When he reached for his plate to take it to the sink, his mother put a hand on his arm to stop him.“I’ve got it.”
“You sure?”
She nodded.“Go on.Tell Atticus I’m sorry he couldn’t make it.”
“I will,” he lied.“Later, Dad.”
His father waved him off, his full attention on shoving food in his face.
Fifteen minutes later, Slade pulled into the school’s parking lot.It was halfway full already.Cars and trucks of players and staff were scattered throughout.It wouldn’t be long before the buses from the rival school joined them, along with families and friends.
To keep from thinking about Atticus and what the man was doing with Archer, Slade got out of his truck and made his way toward the football field.They hadn’t set up to take tickets yet, so he managed to slip inside, making his way around the bleachers on the home team’s side.
That was as far as he made it when he came up short, a smile sliding into place.
“Holy shit.”
There was the life-size bronze statue dressed like an orchestra conductor, complete with black pants, a white shirt, a bowtie, and a blonde wig, facing a makeshift stage that had been set up between the two sets of bleachers.He had to give the kids credit, they hadn’t done any damage to the statue—that he could tell—nor had they interfered with the team’s ability to play the game tonight.
He moved closer, taking in what looked to be dozens of smaller statues positioned in a semicircle, each sporting a small bowtie and posed with a miniature version of an instrument.When he was close enough, Slade noticed the small statues weren’t bronze, but rather 3D printed.As were the instruments.
Behind the miniature orchestra, a banner had been strung up, hooked to the bleachers.It read: HAPPY RETIREMENT!WE’RE GONNA MISS YOU, MRS.TANNENBAUM.
If he recalled correctly, Mrs.Tannenbaum was the band teacher.
“A lot of effort just to say goodbye, huh?”
Slade glanced back, saw his cousin Braydon walking toward him.“That’s an understatement.”
“Did you know she’s been the CRHS band teacher for thirty years?”
He hadn’t known that.But he had known that she was a favorite of many of the students, past and present.
Braydon stopped beside him.“If it were me, I would’ve added a bunch of chocolate bars—with almonds—and scattered them around on the ground.”He looked over, smiled.“Horse shit.”
Slade shook his head.“Of course you would.”He took it all in again, pausing for a moment before he said, “Or maybe Tootsie Rolls.”
Braydon stared at him for a second before he barked a laugh.“Or Tootsie Rolls.”
Smiling, Slade admired the bronze statue, the tailored clothing that the kids had clearly spent time on.“They could’ve done this in front of the school.Then they wouldn’t’ve had to move the statue.”
Braydon chuckled.“Too easy.”
“Exactly my point.”
“And that’s why you’re not the reigning king of pranks at this school.”
