“Mrs. McKenna… We were… I’m…” Jade’s shoulders slumped. There was nothing to say to explain what she walked in on. The look of disgusted horror on the woman’s face said it all. Jade was in even bigger shit.
“You are not a fit role model for the children of this school. Mr. Lewis will hear from me,” she spat as she picked up her son’s bag and stormed out of the hall.
Toby had been hearing from a lot of parents lately. And this time, she knew he couldn’t save her again.
* * * *
Nate and Jade finished packing up the equipment then went in search of Toby, who they found pacing in his office. They both took a seat like they’d been called in for detention.
“Why the hell do you keep getting yourself in these situations?” He threw the question at Jade, but he didn’t wait for a reply. “I had a furious parent in my office claiming you were having sexual relations in the school hall.”
“Oh please,” Jade scoffed. “It was a kiss.”
“Yes, I know. When I eventually calmed her down, she agreed it was a kiss. But a very amorous one, inappropriate on school grounds. And she was also concerned with the amount of men you are seeing at the same time.”
Devastation creeped along Jade’s face. Nate clenched his hands into fists. He’d dumped this on her. Now her reputation was damaged because of him.
“Jade, I’m sorry, but until this dies down, I’ll have to ask you not to come back to school.” Toby grimaced like it pained him to say the words.
“You’re firing me?” Jade squeaked.
Toby slumped onto his chair, placed his elbows on the desk, and dropped his head in his hands. “No, giving you annual leave. I’m hoping this will blow over soon and you can come back to work.”
“And if it doesn’t?”
Not meeting her gaze, he said, “We’ll look into transferring you to a different school.”
Nate couldn’t listen to this anymore. “This is bullshit. This has nothing to do with Jade. They can’t treat her this way. She’s a great teacher, and her personal life shouldn’t get in the way of that.”
“Unfortunately, parents want squeaky clean teachers for their children. And as unrealistic as it sounds, I want that from my staff too.”
“You’re damn right it’s unrealistic. Your teachers aren’t robots. They have lives.”
“You don’t think I know that? But it should never bleed into their jobs, especially something negative. I tried calming the parents down as much as possible after the photos hit the internet. Most of them are understanding, but it’s those few who kick up a stink until something is done about it. And after the kiss in the hall, I need to take action.”
Jade nodded. “I understand.”
Dammit, she shouldn’t just accept this. “No. This isn’t right. I’m the reason Jade’s in this mess.”
Toby threw up his hands. “You’ve got a disguise to hide behind. Unfortunately, Jade has to shoulder the blame.”
He’d been playing with this thought since he’d spoken to Toby at Jovi’s Pub. “What if I don’t have it anymore?”
Toby and Jade both looked at him with confusion.
“Don’t have what anymore?” she asked.
“My disguise.”
Chapter 21
Jade sat in silence in Nate’s car, trying to process the bomb he’d dropped in Toby’s office. She hadn’t complained when he drove her to his house instead of her own. He’d mumbled something about more reporters waiting there after the relationship announcement.
Surely he didn’t really mean he’d give up his disguise.
When they walked into the house, Dorito greeted them. Jade picked him up and nuzzled his neck. “You’re getting better-looking each day. Your fur is so soft and shiny.”
“That’s because I gave him a bath,” Nate said as he sat on the living room couch.
