But I also couldn’t seem to stop.
SEVEN
maggie
I was absolutely soakedin apple cider.
I’d tried to laugh it off, pretend it wasn’t bothering me…but the wind was cool, and it wasn’t drying, and I was just—the dress was ruined. And I wassticky, which I hated, which I knew was very weird for an elementary school teacher and probably a massive problem, or would be at some point?—
I went to my classroom first to grab wipes and see if I had a spare change of clothes, which I normally kept handy, but I hadn’t re-upped them since Owen Tate had puked on my slacks a week ago.
So…wet wipes and bathroom it was.
I took the wipes with me, looking down and already trying to get some of the cider out. My thighs were so sticky I thought I might just have to go home—I was going to lose my mind over this if I didn’t get changed. I guess I could just go home, change, come back for teardown?—
All my thoughts evaporated as I turned the corner and ran headlong into a muscular chest.
I grunted in surprise; so did he. A second later, I smelled that familiar aftershave, looking up and finding?—
Of course.Of courseit was him.
Garrison Nash stood just inches away from me, his hands on my shoulders, looking just as confused as I was. I blinked, opening my mouth and closing it again, before I finally figured out what to say.
“Mr. Nash,” I blurted out. “Sorry—I was just?—”
I gestured down at my stained dress. He laughed a little, stepping back to look at me.
“Yeah…thought I saw the kids make a mess of you.”
“Job hazard,” I shrugged. “It happens.”
We didn’t say anything. It was clear we were both trying to get to the bathroom, but it was a single room, no men’s and women’s. The school wasn’t big enough for that.
“I was—” I paused. “My thighs are all sticky now?—”
“Right,” he said. “Bathroom. Duh.”
“Yeah.” I paused again. He wasn’t moving. Neither was I. “So…”
He stepped aside, finally. “I’ll leave you to it, then?—”
But I caught his wrist.
What are you doing, Margot?
I’d had a lot of time to think about this. What I was doing wasshowing himthat I didn’t need him. That if it had been casual for him, it had been even more casual for me. He didn’t get to just ask if we were good. Of course we were good. We were great. I was thriving.
“I just wanted you to know,” I said, staring directly into his eyes, “that you don’t have to feel awkward. You should be able to talk to me about your daughter, and what happened between us…it was casual. It didn’t mean anything.”
He looked at me for a long moment, his brow furrowed. I got the impression he was confused…then maybe a little hurt? Which—yeah, good. Great. He didn’t get to be the only one with an Effect, I could have one too.
“Right,” he said. “Of course.”
“So,” I smiled. “No awkwardness necessary.”
He cocked his head, a smile curving his lips. His shoulders relaxed as he turned toward me again, his eyes skimming over me.
“In that case…”
