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“Melody, wait,” Gavin called, and I stopped in my tracks, my eyes falling closed as I listened to his footsteps approach. I turned, holding tight to Elijah’s hand. “You forgot the school handbook,” he said, handing me the stapled packet. He opened his mouth to speak again but then snapped it shut, his gaze falling to my son. “Have a good evening,” he said finally and turned on his heel to walk away.
Chapter 7
Gavin
Seeing Melody again brought up a torrent of emotion. I was surprised, excited, and angry all in the span of a few seconds. I watched her for a moment as though she was a mirage, not a real person I could reach out and touch. My mind couldn’t grasp why she was standing in a classroom in my school.
Until I saw the little boy with matching blue eyes and golden hair.
I was speechless, my gaze flicking between her and her son as I tried to reconcile what I’d just learned. Melody had a child, something she didn’t mention any time during that unforgettable morning we spent together. But then again, why would she? I was a stranger to her, a one-night stand she obviously tried to forget. If it wasn’t for Brynlee diverting my attention, I would’ve asked her why she never called and probably embarrassed myself in a room full of parents I’d never met and who were trusting me to run the school their kids were attending. Not exactly the right time for that conversation.
I needed to forget about Melody. She’d clearly already forgotten about me, which should’ve been a relief. My track record with single moms wasn’t great. Abby wasn’t the only one. A few months before accepting the job in Willow Brook Falls, I dated Kelly, a single mom with two kids and an ex who was locked up. I thought things were going well until he was released on probation, and she let him come live with them. She claimed he had nowhere else to go and he’d missed out on so much time with their children. A week later, they were back together, and I was tossed aside once again.
It was probably for the best that nothing came of my brief … encounter with Melody. I didn’t mix business with pleasure, and dating a student’s mom was never a good idea. I would stay clear of Melody and remain professional in all my dealings with her.
Running a frustrated hand through my hair, I took a deep breath and released it slowly before re-entering the classroom.
“So… What was that all about?” Brynlee asked when I sidled up to her again, her eyes alight with intrigue. I shot her a disapproving look, and she giggled. “Neither of you have been in town more than a few months and already you’re scorned lovers?” she whispered, leaning in close.
My gaze snapped to hers, and her amusement faded. “She’s new to town too?”
“Yeah,” she replied, drawing out the word. “Wait a minute, if you don’t already know that, does that mean you had a one-ni—”
“I’m not answering that,” I said, cutting her off. Nope, we weren’t going there. Not today.
“Interesting,” she drawled, and I rolled my eyes. Apparently Melody had a lot of secrets. I wondered what else she was hiding.
“Here, make yourself useful and help me pass these out.” I handed her half the stack of handbooks—which was just several photocopied pages stapled together—and motioned for her to make the rounds. She chuckled and shook her head as though my discomfort was the most entertaining thing she’d witnessed in ages. She was lucky I liked her, and she was too old for detention.
The first day of school was always nerve wracking, but being the new assistant principal at a school I’d never worked at made it even more stressful. I’d met all the staff, but hadn’t had the chance to get to know them yet, and all the students and parents were new to me. No returning students or familiar faces this time around.
I smoothed my hands over my shirt and combed my hair, needing to look refined and put together. If I didn’t look the part, no one would take me seriously, and I needed to make a good first impression.
I arrived early and made sure everything was ready for the first day. Several of the teachers and I would be waiting at the doors to greet the students. The principal had asked me to help guide the kindergartners to their classrooms. She informed me that most of the parents liked to walk their kids to class on their very first day of school, so there tended to be more congestion than usual, but it was important for the parents to see their little ones off, so the staff was accommodating.
Students began to trickle in, and several parents stopped to introduce themselves. They were all curious about the new guy in town, especially since I’d gotten the job over a teacher who’d worked in the district for nearly five years. Word on the street was that he hadn’t met all the qualifications and nobody really liked him. That was one of the perks—and sometimes a downside—of living in a small town. You could find out anything about anybody and most of the time, you didn’t even have to ask.
A group of third grade moms gathered around me after ushering their kids into the school and began asking about bake sales to raise money for the annual field trip, which I knew nothing about. I was instructing them to call and talk to the secretary when Brynlee approached, a smirk plastered over her lips. Harper skipped merrily beside her, excited to start school.
“Mrs. Lewis,” I said, breaking away, making my apologies to the group. They all grumbled, but accepted the conversation was over. “Just in the nick of time,” I said, dropping my voice and looking over my shoulder to make sure they all left.
“Can’t take you anywhere,'' she accused. “They practically flock to you.”
“It’s not my fault,” I said defensively, holding up my hands. “I’m the only decent looking, single guy under the age of forty here.”
She giggled. “I guess you have a point.”
“Are you ready for school?” I shifted my focus to Harper who wore her signature pigtails with big, pink bows in each. They bounced as she nodded her head.
“Uh huh,” she answered, gripping the straps of her glittery pink backpack as she practically buzzed with excitement.
“Keep an eye on this rascal, will ya?” Brynlee asked, affectionately stroking one of her pigtails.
“Of course. She won’t get away with any mischief on my watch,” I teased, squinting one eye at Harper. She cackled and stuck her tongue out at me.
Brynlee and I were talking about the upcoming labor day party they were hosting at their house when Harper let out a squeal of delight. “Eli!” she crooned and dropped Brynlee’s hand. She darted to our left where people were entering the school, and I saw who’d grabbed her attention. My heart skipped a beat when I met two cool blue eyes.
Melody stood there, her son Elijah pressed timidly to her side. She wore a flowy white tank and khaki shorts that displayed her long, lean legs. Legs that had been wrapped around my back as she clung to me like she never wanted to let go. But that wasn’t the case. I was simply a brief distraction for her. And for some reason that bothered me more than it should.
