He cleared his throat.“I don’t teach from a foundation of fear.I teach from a foundation of compassion, and I have found that children who feel safe, cared for, and have a clear set of boundaries, do best and don’t require ‘discipline.’Like I said, if there are some students requiring more support, I will work with the parents to provide that.”
“Thank godClydeisn’t here anymore, hmm?”Raina muttered to Danica.
Danica simply nodded.
Clyde had been Principal Pickford’s grandson, and the terror of all terrors.He tormented Danica’s daughter relentlessly, and Pickford did jackshit to stop it.
The new principal continued.“I want your children to thrive here.I want them to come home and tell you about all the cool things they learned at school, and be jazzed to come the next day.I know I only have a couple of months with them before summer break, but I am determined to make those couple of months count.I want them to be excited to return in September because they know their learning environment is a safe one.”He smiled and scanned the room.Then his eyes found mine again—or at least, it felt like they did—and I sucked in a sharp breath.
“You okay?”Danica asked.
I nodded and swallowed.“Just choked on some air.”
Gabrielle leaned forward, her dark, chunky curls falling in front of her face.“You choked onair?”she whispered.
“It happens.I’ve done it,” Raina said, backing me up.
“Anyway,” the principal started again.“Thank you all so much for coming tonight.I appreciate your time, and I hope to get to know all the San Camanez Elementary families more as the weeks go by.Like I said, my door is always open, and I’m happy to chat about whatever concerns or questions you might have.Are there any questions now?”
A few hands shot up, but I didn’t hear the questions.I was too focused on the two full sleeves of tattoos and his muscular arms.The tattoos were full of color and, from what I could tell, beautifully done.A funky-looking number thirteen was on the back of his forearm near his elbow in red, and there was a weird skull with a green snake curling through an eye socket on his right wrist.
Chuckles drifted around the gymnasium again, and even the principal laughed, his gentle, brown eyes lighting up.He also had perfectly straight, white teeth.I’d always been embarrassed and self-conscious about my teeth.A few years ago, I got Invisalign and now I love my smile.My daughter, however, had inherited my crooked chompers and was probably going to need braces soon.I wouldn’t make her wait until she was an adult though.
I tuned back into the questions and answers just in time to hear the new principal say he was looking forward to working with the PTA to fundraise more than ever for a new playground and he couldn’t wait to attend our fabulous, famous funfair in June.
Then the meeting was over, and everyone stood up.
We knew from previous gymnasium events that you didn’t just dick off.The chairs needed to be folded and put away in the storage cupboard.So, like trained little elves, every single parent folded their chairs and headed for the already opened storage cupboard.
“Well, I’m excited to hear what the kids say tomorrow after school and how the assembly and code of conduct thing goes,” Gabrielle said as we slowly shuffled our way forward.“I think it’s a great idea.”
My cousins and I all nodded.
We continued to move closer to the cupboard, shoes squeaking on the wood of the gym floor, conversations mixing together to create an indecipherable din.I picked up on snippets of conversations.Mostly about kids, the weather, the upcoming tourist season.A few people made mention of Principal Pickford and how grateful they were for his departure from the school—and island.
I glanced over at Gabrielle, who wore a small, cheeky smile on her face.She’d had a very big hand in making that happen.After everything that went down with Danica, Sam, Clyde, Clyde’s mother, Otto Pickford, and Danica’s new boyfriend, Otto and his family really didn’t have any other choice but to leave the island, lest they be run off, or thrown into the ocean by an angry mob of islanders.
An elbow bumped mine, and on instinct, I stepped closer to my cousin while murmuring an apology.“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize.I bumped into you,” came the deep, dreamy voice.
My whole body went up several degrees in temperature as I turned to face the very handsome new principal with the muscular, tattooed arms—holding two chairs each—and sexy lip scar.Up close, he was even more ruggedly good-looking—albeit young—and his soft, brown eyes hinted at something I was scared to think too hard about.
He grinned at me.“Who are your kids?”he asked as we mindlessly moved along with the queue.“So that when I meet them this week, I can say I’ve already met their mom.”
I swallowed.“Uh … Honor and Austin Geuer.Grades four and six.”
He bobbed his head once, still smiling.“Honor and Austin.Grades four and six.I’ll remember that.And you are?”He set down two chairs and leaned them against his thick thigh, then held out his hand toward me.
“My hand’s really sweaty,” I said, cringing on the inside.
He chuckled.“Mine too.It’s all good.It’s warm in here.”
I took his hand—which was not sweaty—and damn, it felt good holding mine.“I’m Naomi Geuer.”
“Naomi,” he repeated.“Nice to meet you.Please call me Lennox when we meet again.Or Len.Or Ox.That was my nickname in high school.”
“You’re not big like an ox,” Raina said behind me.
