AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Hope explained what she saw and her speculation about Scott’s anger over being cheated out of his date. She didn’t go into the details as to why Callie had opted to let Spencer take her to homecoming. Just that she had agreed to go with him. Scott had apparently taken the news personally and was determined to make Spencer pay.
Dean Wilcox listened intently and asked a few clarifying questions. “This isn’t the first time Scott has shown aggressive behavior. I think it might be a good idea for me to have a little chat with him. If you hear anything more, let me know. And if there’s any further retaliation against Spencer, I want to hear about it.”
“I’ll make sure you do,” Hope said. She hesitated, unsure if she should mention another incident.
“Was there something more?” The Dean asked.
“I don’t know if it’s worth mentioning,” Hope said, feeling reluctant since it was a minor incident and one quickly forgotten. The following day Scott appeared as if nothing had happened and there hadn’t been a problem since then.
“Why don’t you let me decide that.”
“Last week, Scott failed a test. When I gave him the grade he deserved, he blew up at me. He said I had purposely failed him to keep him off the team.” His behavior had been aggressive to the point that Hope had been about to call security. A couple of his friends had dragged him out of the classroom before things had progressed further.
The dean listened and reached for his pen. “Thank you. I’ll make a note of this incident as well.”
Feeling relieved for having unloaded this burden, Hope dropped off the paperwork and left the building. She paused long enough to look out over the football field, where the team was busy with practice drills. She would have lingered a few minutes longer if she hadn’t already made plans to stop off at the shelter.
Hope hadn’t visited Shadow in four days, and she’d missed him. According to what Cade said, Shadow had missed her, too.
When she arrived, she noticed Cade’s truck was in the lot across from where she’d parked. A small sense of eagerness filled her at the prospect of seeing both Shadow and Cade.
As soon as she entered the kennel, Shadow barked a greeting, his tail wagging. This was a welcome, glad-to-see-you, why-were-you-away-so-long kind of bark.
“I missed you, too, fellow,” she said, squatting down at eye level.
“Good thing you’re here,” Cade said from the other side of the kennel. “Shadow was starting to think you were never coming back.”
“I’m so sorry, big boy,” she said, and opened the kennel. The door closed behind her, and she got down on one knee as Shadow immediately started licking her face. Rubbing his fur, she whispered, “You did miss me, didn’t you?”
Cade walked closer and Shadow tensed.
“Cade’s a friend,” she reminded the dog, looking at him squarely while petting his neck.
Shadow relaxed, and Hope rewarded him with a treat she had in her pocket. She wondered how many other high school teachers walked around the classroom with dog treats tucked away inside their pockets.
Sitting on the kennel floor, Shadow moved into her lap and laid his chin across her thigh. Content now, he relaxed, and so did she.
Cade moved until he stood outside the kennel. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.”
“Thanks. I’m glad to be back. Preston thinks I should be able to take Shadow home next week. He’s gotten all his shots, been neutered, and has gained the weight he so badly needed.”
“Yeah, he’s ready,” Cade agreed.
“Thanks again for stopping by. That medication helped me over the worst of the bug.”
He ignored her gratitude.
“If you’re ever sick, let me know,” she added. “I make a mean chicken soup. It was my grandmother’s recipe and she claimed it cured just about anything.”
“Will do,” he said, nonchalantly.
He wouldn’t call. He didn’t need to say it; she could read it in just the casual way he answered.
Because she had a couple errands to run, Hope didn’t stay with Shadow long. It would be much more convenient once she was able to take him home. She needed to get the house ready for Shadow to come live with her. To that end, she stopped off at the pet store and got him a big fluffy bed, dog dishes, food, and play toys to entertain him while she was at school. She’d need Preston and Mellie’s permission to add a doggie door, but she didn’t think they’d object. It helped that the yard around the cottage had a fence.
After getting the essentials for Shadow, her next stop was for groceries. Her cupboards were bare and her refrigerator empty. It’d been nearly three weeks since she’d last shopped. An hour later, she checked out with a full cart.
A boy she recognized as a junior helped her carry out her groceries. His name badge told her his name was Pete.
