AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Hailey, are you okay?"
"No, I'm not okay."
"What's wrong? Is it those girls? Because if it is, I can have a talk with their parents." My pulse raced wondering what those little tyrants had done. "Should I talk to their folks if the teasing gets worse? That redhead looked ready to wet herself when I walked over. We can make it stop, Hails."
Hailey just snorted derisively, further alarming my protective parental instincts. "Forget them, they're idiots. Just... nothing. Forget it, I'm over it."
I frowned as she rubbed lingering wetness from splotchy cheeks, blinking hard. "Hey... clearly it's not nothing if you're this upset. Talk to me." When she only huffed exaggeratedly, I tried cupping her soft chin instead. "We're a team. You and me against the world, remember?"
Hailey met my searching gaze, fresh tears welling though she valiantly kept them trapped. Her small hand found mine. "I'm okay, I just wanna go home now, please."
Though every fiber burned to solve whatever caused such uncharacteristic defeat, I simply squeezed back letting it go for now. "Yeah, let's get out of here." I said, mentally listing off the names of the girls in my head in case I needed to contact their parents.
Hailey stayed silent the brief ride home, avoiding my concerned glances. It struck me seeing the neighboring house dark and lifeless that if Molly had been with us Hailey would have confided in her, and by now the two would be laughing it up.
Maybe I was wrong for worry. Molly was good not just for me, but for Hailey too.
13
MOLLY
I breezed into Jake's classroom with one frothy coffee and one unseasoned, waggling my eyebrows at him just a few minutes before the morning bell. Predictably, I caught him mid-exasperated eye roll tamping down a smile. We hadn't spoken much since we decided to be "real," and now an awkward tension lingered between us. Somehow, being real caused Jake to distance himself from me.
Fortunately for both of us, I possessed enough charm to make him throw down his hair or draw bridge or whatever manly thing he needed to do in order for this to work.
I hip-checked the door closed with a sultry, "Good morning, Snookums!" His grimace fought with his smile. The smile won.
“Shouldn't you be teaching something somewhere instead of cavorting here Miss Sinclair? Impressionable youth await molding," Jake quipped, reluctantly taking the offered americano.
"It's Monday. I don't know about your students, but my kids don't bring in their listening ears until like Wednesday, sometimes Thursday. It's hit and miss until then." I winked and hopped on top of his desk.
He chuckled and took a sip. He moaned quietly with the pleasure of the coffee, and a little thrill ran through me.
"That's true, but that's not an excuse to not be a professional, Molly."
"I am, I am," I replied and waved a dismissive hand. "A little birdie told me you have a meeting with Admin and HR today. Is that about Valerie?"
He sighed, and his body language shifted. The light-hearted banter evaporated. "I assume. They only let me know about it this morning. I guess I should be glad they didn't tell me sooner. I would have fretted all weekend."
"I'm sure it's going to be fine. Do you want me to be your representative?" I launched into my best billboard "Have you been hurt in a car wreck?" lawyer voice. "Molly Sinclair, J.D... esquire entrepreneur here for my favorite client Jakey Kingsbury!" I patted Jake's rigid shoulder fondly. "Now I understand Mr. Tight Pants seems like a real dreamboat heartbreaker keeping this water cooler wet," I elbowed an audience with a saucy wink, "but believe me, fellow legal eagles, beneath that bod for sin slumbers a heart of gold!"
I probably should have stopped there, but knowing when to quit has never been a strong skill of mine. "So, I BEG the court to dismiss this slander targeting my main squeeze! The man volunteers handing out tiny patriotic flags at retirement homes for hot... I mean fun! Does that sound like someone who would send naughty texts to frumpy coworkers?!"
He shook his head and laughed. "I'll happily pay double your retainer if we just adjourned this here."
"Triple and you have a deal." I stretched out my hand and he took it.
"You're impossible," he muttered as he pressed his lips to the back of my hand. The sandpaper feel of his scruff against my skin sent a tingle up my spine, but I kept my cool.
"Yes, but I'm fun, and cute and you know you like it."
"True," he said and then glanced down at his watch. "Shit, it's time."
"Ok, good luck. If they fire you, I'll come visit you at McDonald's."
"How nice of you."
"It's what I'm here for."
