AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He swept his hand out in front of his torso, as though he were making a presentation. “Would you like to step into my office so we can talk?”
Kylee’s huge grin wobbled a bit. She turned back to her daughter, giving Molly what Ron knew was the what-have-you-done-to-embarrass-the- family-look. Ron would set Kylee straight on Molly’s behavior. He knew the kid was just acting out to find her place. Ron had every intention of convincing both Molly and Kylee that they’d found exactly where they belonged.
They walked past the phone receptionist, and the attendance receptionist, and his principal’s assistant. Each woman failed miserably at hiding their interest. Or so Ron thought. No one knew about his crush on Kylee. Well, except for his parents.
Once they got behind closed doors, Ron watched Kylee as she looked around his office. It both thrilled and scared him to view his office through her eyes. He wondered what she thought of his many accomplishments since they’d last talked. He knew what she had been doing. He’d kept in regular contact with her parents up until their retirement.
“Wow, I didn’t know you earned your Doctorate.” She said fingering the frame of his degree.
“My EdD, too. But it’s out being framed.”
She turned and her eyes went wide. “Two doctorates? Overachiever.”
Ron was usually bashful in the light of others’ praise. But his chest swelled with pride under Kylee’s perusal. He’d always rushed to show her the Good Job sticker he’d earned, or the string of A-pluses on his report card, or the handwritten notes on a, particularly good essay.
“Dr. Kidd? Wow. I always knew you’d achieve your dreams.”
Ron motioned her into a seat. But instead of sitting in his chair, he sat beside her, in the same seat her daughter had occupied only an hour ago. Their knees bumped and Ron felt a crackle of electricity.
“And you?” he said. “Has the College Board swept you up yet? One of the elite to get perfect scores on their tests each time she took it. They must want you in-house to figure out how you did it.”
“No,” she looked down. “Not the College Board. I’m working at a small test prep company in Washington, DC. They’re called Thrive to Learn Systems. They have a lot of innovative ideas.”
“Kylee that’s amazing. So, you’ll be in town for a while.”
She nodded. “We’re here to stay. Molly and me. Not…”
Well, that answered that question. Her ex was well and truly out of the picture. The road was clear for Ron.
“Ron, about Molly?”
“Hmm? Oh, right, Molly. She’s a great kid.”
“But she was called to the principal’s office. Her teacher sent me an email about something to do with a ruler a couple of days ago?”
“It’s nothing to worry about. Molly’s just trying to figure out her place here. I think she’ll be fine.”
“Really?”
“Have I ever steered you wrong?”
“No. No, you haven’t.”
Kylee chewed at her lower lip. Ron’s gaze fixed to the motion. He’d dreamed of kissing her since he’d seen it done on television.
He hadn’t dated a lot of women in the last decade. Mainly because no one ever measured up to the dream of simply kissing Kylee. And here she was in the flesh, tugging at the oh so bitable center of her bottom lip.
Kylee let go of her lip. Their gazes met. Ron watched as her breath caught. She’d caught him staring. He’d give anything to know what she was thinking right now. She wasn’t frowning. Maybe the thought of him thinking about kissing her wasn’t unappetizing.
This was the perfect moment to find out. Not to kiss her. But to ask her out so that it might lead to that first kiss. Ron opened his mouth… and a knock sounded at the door.
His secretary poked her head in. “The bell is about to ring, and they need you for bus duty since Mr. Martin is still on paternity leave with his wife.”
Ron swallowed down his desire. It was hard to pass. “I’ll be right there.”
Kylee stood. “I’m sorry. I’ve been keeping you from your duties.”
Ron stood too. “Not at all. I always have time for you.”
