Page 17 of A Novel Seduction

“No, Katie. Coach Harkins isn’t sleeping with a student. I promise.”

“You’re sure?”

“One hundred percent positive.”

“Cause there’s a photo,” Katie said, pulling out her phone and showing it to Evie.

Sure enough, Drake’s body made it so her small frame was nowhere to be seen. The angle of the photo was horrible, having been taken through that little window in the door, and Drake’s body—with his shirt still on and his pants only yanked down to his knees—took up most of the frame. Only because she knew what position she had been in could she see the outline of her right knee up against the back of the loveseat. As inappropriate as it was, she couldn’t help but smile to herself. It was a great shot of Drake’s perfect ass.

“That is indeed Coach Harkins’s backside. And he is certainly in a compromising position. But that’s not a student with him,” Evie said calmly, despite the fact that she was feeling anything but. “Now, you should go. You don’t want to miss lunch.”

Katie nodded and turned to walk out of Evie’s classroom. As she was leaving, Evie called out to her student.

“Oh, and Katie, please delete that photo,” she said, in her best serious teacher voice. “One, it’s a serious violation of privacy and two, you don’t want to mess with the potential charge of distribution of pornography. Please also encourage everyone else to delete it as well.” Katie’s face went white listening to Evie’s words, and she simply nodded in response.

Once Katie was gone, Evie ran to her desk and grabbed her phone, dialing Drake’s number. It rang only twice before she heard his recorded message. Did he just send me to voicemail?

Opening up her texts, she quickly tapped one out to him.

Evie: Just heard you’re not on campus. Where are you? What’s going on?

Drake: Not now

Evie: Drake, please just tell me what’s going on

Drake: Maybe this was a mistake

Evie’s heart sank as she read his last words. What was a mistake? Did he mean them?

Evie: Are you breaking up with me?

When he didn’t answer, her heart sank all over again, and this time her stomach joined in. It wasn’t a good sign if he didn’t want to talk to her. She had to do something. Anything. Whatever it took to make this all okay.

The main office was a flurry of activity when Evie walked in. Between the phone ringing off the hook, a line of students who were waiting on a guidance counselor, and even a couple of parents milling about, it seemed like the place just might burst at the seams. Unsure of where to start, she poked her head into Mrs. Patel’s office, knowing there was no way she hadn’t heard the gossip.

“Hi, Mrs. Patel. I need to speak with Principal Goode right away. Is he available?”

“Oh dear, now is not a good time. I know you keep your nose out of it, but the rumor mill has been in high gear today and he is dealing with some of the fallout,” Mrs. Patel said. Leaning in, she looked around to make sure no one was around to hear before she added, “some men just don’t know when to keep it in their pants!”

“That’s actually why I’m here, Mrs. Patel,” Evie said, feeling the blush start to rise up her neck. “I, um…have information.”

“Oh, do tell!”

“If it’s all the same, it’s really for Principal Goode’s ears only,” Evie said. The last thing she needed was Mrs. Patel knowing that it was her in the photo with Drake. Everyone in this school district would know in the next twenty minutes.

“Go on in,” the older woman said with a shooing motion of her hand.

Evie knocked on the door as she entered the principal’s office, finding Principal Goode on the phone. He held up a finger to indicate “just a moment” as he finished up.

“Miss Staab! To what do I owe this visit?” he asked jovially.

“Um, well, it’s about Coach Harkins.”

“Ah, yes. I take it you’ve heard about the photo.”

“I have, sir, and it’s not a student with him in that photo. Drake isn’t like that!” she said, the words rushing out of her mouth.

“So he has told me,” her boss said, sighing. “I’m not sure if you’ve seen the photo, Evie, but I have. It’s not a great photo. Really, it’s hard to know who it is at all. Other than it being his office, and a man with dark hair, Drake probably could have tried to deny it was him, since I doubt anyone here could identify him by his ass.”