Page 213 of Twins for Three Bad Boys

The audacity of the question almost gets a laugh out of me.

June lifts her chin. “Because I was fired without an investigation. Because rumors about me somehow keep following me. Because I want to know what exactly this school thought it was doing.”

Mrs. Kline’s expression tightens a fraction. There and gone. “As I know you were told at the time, the school acted based on multiple complaints and a need to reduce liability.”

“She didn’t do anything,” I say before I can stop myself.

Mrs. Kline’s eyes slide to me, cool and evaluating. “And you are?”

“Someone who knows her.”

Wayne steps in then, not physically in front of June, but close enough to make the shape of us obvious. “We’re here because someone connected to this school started something that didn’t end when June left.”

Mrs. Kline gives him the same polished look. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you expect me to do about anonymous gossip online.”

“It wasn’t gossip,” June says. “It was enough to cost me my job. It was enough to get me walked out of here with a box in my arms like I was a threat.”

Denise makes a small sound behind the desk.

Mrs. Kline’s smile disappears completely. “June, whether you agree with the process or not, the concerns raised at the time were serious.”

“Raised by whom?” June asks.

“As you were also told at the time, we do not disclose the identities of complainants in cases involving risk management.”

Of all the words in that sentence not one is worth a damn.

June breathes in slowly. “So you still won’t tell me what was real and what wasn’t.”

Mrs. Kline’s expression goes flat. “I’m saying your personal feelings about the outcome do not change the fact that professional boundaries matter.”

That does it.

Maybe not fully. Maybe not enough to make me do something stupid. But enough to feel my temper get up off its chair and walk into the room.

“Her feelings?” I repeat.

June’s hand presses briefly against my wrist. Not to stop me. Just there.

Mrs. Kline glares at me, used to handling angry fathers at pickup, clearly thinking I’ll fall into line if she waits me out.

“June was a young employee,” Mrs. Kline says, “and there were repeated concerns about how she presented herself to parents. I understand she may not like that assessment, but⁠—”

“Presented herself?” My voice comes out calmer than I feel, which somehow makes it worse. “You mean she was friendly. You mean she existed in a body somebody decided to read into. You mean adults took whatever issue they had and made it hers.”

Mrs. Kline’s jaw tightens. “I’m not discussing this matter with a stranger.”

Wayne cuts in. “You’re discussing it with the people helping June to clean up the mess you made.”

Denise half slides under her desk.

Rex, meanwhile, has gone very still. I know him well enough to see when he’s talking himself out of smiling through something and into saying exactly what he thinks. Dangerous point.

Mrs. Kline lifts her chin, leaning on the same professional distance people like her use as armor. “June, I have some sympathy for you. Clearly, it’s been difficult for you, but walking in here like this, accompanied by…” Her gaze flicks judgmentally over the three of us, “does not exactly dispel the original concerns.”

Everything in me goes bright and hard all at once.

June stiffens beside me.