Shit! I forgot that I’d invited him round for dinner. Roman had approached me on my second day working at this school and introduced himself. He was friendly enough, although there was a part of me that thought his mannerisms were a bit forced and calculated. But I was short on friends, living in a new town and starting a new job, so when he offered to take me out for dinner, I suggested he come around to ours instead. He seemed eager to take me up on that.
“Yeah, of course. Roast chicken and potatoes okay with you?”
“Sounds good.”
His hand came up to rub the back of his neck, and it suddenly occurred to me that maybe when he suggested dinner, he meantdinner. Did I just agree to go on a date? I wasn’t attracted to Roman… wasn’t attracted to anyone these days except a dark-haired brat who was wholly inappropriate for me.
“Uh…just so you know, my daughter Lucy will be home and having dinner with us. She’s a student here. I hope that’s okay?”
His nose flared, and he licked his lips. “That’s perfect,” he rasped.
And just as fast as he appeared, he was gone again without even a goodbye. Weird. I was having second thoughts about inviting him around, but it was too late now.
I rubbed my tired eyes, yawning widely. I’d been up late most nights packing away our things, trying to make our new house feel like a home. I worried constantly about whether I was doing the right thing by taking my daughter away from her friends and family. It was her senior year and so she’d be graduating without the kids she grew up with. And then it was off to college afterwards. It was a big upheaval for her. For both of us.
But what had me tossing and turning most nights—well,everynight—was the aching hole in my heart whenever I thought of Dina. I could still recall the scent of her pussy, the sound of her moans, and the feel of her body and lips beneath mine. Visions of that brief moment in paradise imprinted itself on my sleeping and waking thoughts.
I missed her. I fucking yearned for her.
I'd tried to see her before Lucy and I left. Tried to tell myself that it was the guilt of leaving her abruptly that had me seeking her out. I just wanted to check that she was okay and that I hadn’t physically hurt her. So I called around to her house under the guise of visiting her mom, Claire. She’d borrowed my mower and was going to return it before Lucy and I left.
Ineededto see Dina. If only to breathe in the same air as her, for possibly the last time.
But she wasn’t home. So I left Koby Plains without catching a glimpse of her.
I’d decided to leave it. It was for the best anyway. I resisted texting her or even looking up her social media. It fucking killed me to give her up, but I knew I had to.
Until this afternoon.
I was driving my daughter and me home from school, my mind already on the dinner ahead and what to prepare, when Lucy casually dropped that Dina had a date.
A murderous red haze fell on me like an executioner’s sword. My hands tightened on the steering wheel as I fought the strong urge to pull a U-turn and peel off towards the highway. Back to Koby Plains.
It was then that I knew I had been kidding myself. I knew the chances of her meeting some schoolboy douchebag were high. Dina wasn’t only gorgeous, but also kind and smart. But she was far away from me; out of sight and out of mind. I didn’t have to think about her dating if she was no longer a part of my life.
But at the mention of her upcoming date, and the reality of Dina out with some young punk-ass touching her, kissing her, and possibly more…it almost had me swerving again as jealousy simmered in my gut, ready to explode out of me. If I’d been alone, I would’ve punched my steering wheel in fury.
Did Dina really think she could forget about me that easily? By going out on a date with a boy? Absolutely not.
I side-eyed my daughter who was happily texting away with her best friend. The urge to snatch her phone out of her hand and read their text thread was strong. But, instead, I clenched my jaw and forced my concentration back on driving.
I’d deal with her later.
Michael:Luce mentioned you have a date.
I placed my phone down, but left the screen on. Like a fucking thirteen-year-old, I was waiting on tenterhooks for Dina’s response. I forced a smile at Roman, well aware that I was being rude at the dinner table by glaring at my phone.
“Andy Barker invited me to a Friday night drink thing with some of the other teachers. Do you attend?” I asked him, not really caring one way or the other.
Roman peeled his eyes away from across the table, his expression annoyed at my question. I glanced at Lucy, who was busy cutting into her chicken, a small blush on her cheeks. Shit. I wasn’t thinking when I invited Roman over for dinner. Lucy was in his chemistry class, and I guess it would be awkward for the two of them to interact outside of the classroom.
“The science department has their own thing.”
“Oh. Do you attend that?”
“No.”
Well, then. For someone who'd seemed pretty eager to invite me out for dinner, he sure wasn’t entertaining company.
