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“You have to make them stop.”
Joss looked up and her face transformed into a welcoming smile. “Hey, Principal Rutherford. What’s up?”
“You have to make them stop,” I said again, this time more insistent as I folded my arms across my chest.
Joss gaze went to my biceps and I gave a little flex before she blinked and shook away the lust. “Make who stop what?”
“The teachers are talking trash about me, like I’m purposefully mistreating the soccer team. I’m doing what I can, and I’d like them to know that.”
Joss leaned back in her chair and arched a brow up at me. “Are you doing everything you can to help, Ben?” Her coy smile was irresistible and the way my name rolled off her tongue had me responding in inappropriate ways.
But her question brought me up short, because I hadn’t done everything I could to help the team. “Not yet, but I have a meeting with the superintendent later today.” The girls’ soccer team wasn’t on the agenda, but I would make sure we covered that item first.
Joss nodded and folded her hands on top of the papers in front of her. “After your meeting, I’ll see what I can do about setting my colleagues straight. Was that all?”
“No.” I looked out the small glass window in the door to make sure we were alone and then I stepped in close and cupped her face, turning it up to face me and fitted our lips together. Kissing Joss was the kind of pleasure a man could get addicted to if he wasn’t careful, and right now, I was being anything but careful, kissing her in the classroom, surrounded by lessons on history. “That’s all.”
Joss let out a shaky breath and a nervous laugh. “Glad we cleared that up.”
“See you later, Joss.” That kiss kept me going through my useless meeting with the superintendent as well as the budget committee, where I was told, in no uncertain terms, that while everyone was proud of the team, they could do nothing to make the post-season easier.
“We can’t even re-allocate some of the money from the boys’ soccer team?” The question had been met with nothing but blank stares, as if I’d asked to harvest a kidney from a minor.
“That would set a bad precedent, Mr. Rutherford.”
“Or maybe it would give all teams the incentive to perform better, you know kind of like how the school’s funding is tied to standardized test scores, also known as performance.”
The superintendent only shook his head, as did the head of the budget committee, who at least looked upset about the situation.
I stood with a disgusted sigh. “Yeah, well, thanks for nothing.” That was all I had in terms of niceties, so I took off before I said something I might regret, or worse, something that could cost me my job.
And worst of all, I had no idea how to break the news to Joss. She wouldn’t just be upset, she would be disappointed, thinking I hadn’t gone to bat for her and the team. She would feel betrayed, and nothing I did or said would change that, so I did what any red blooded American man would in my position.
I avoided her.
Instead of picking up food like I’d planned and surprising Joss again, I met up with Xander and Chris at The Mayflower. Like a coward. I joined them at a booth in back, already piled with sliders, potato skins and onion rings.
“I brought beer.”
“Then please, have a seat.” Chris flashed a wide, welcoming smile and relieved me of the pitcher of beer.
“Thanks,” I muttered and grabbed a potato skin. “How was the book tour?”
“Other than missing my girls, it was incredible. My agent is talking to some Hollywood types about turning into a movie, which Tara is on the fence about.”
Xander and I both laughed. “Probably because she is so obviously the investigator chick,” Xander said. “Now that she’s a detective, it’s even more obvious.”
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told her, she was some of the inspiration for the character, nothing more.” The smirk on his face painted him as a liar.
“Sure man. And we believe it as much as Tara does.” At my words, Chris sent a scallion flying at me and I opened my mouth just in time. “Thanks. Next time, do bacon.”
“Dick,” he growled.
“Good book though,” I told him. “Devoured it in two sittings.
“No kidding,” Xander added. “Should I be worried about that warped mind of yours?”
“Nope. It’s strictly professional, but if one more friend asks me that question, I might have to get some new friends.” Chris flashed a smile and finished off a slider in one bite.
“Where’s Tara, anyway?”
“At home with Lila. I came home a day early and my surprise isn’t finished yet, so Xander offered to fill me with beer and bar food while my ladies finish their plotting.”
