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“You’ll be at the party tomorrow?” he asks as his hand comes up to move one of my curls away, tucking it behind my ear.
My breath catches. He’s never touched me before. Heck, I don’t think he’s even been this close to me before. I open and close my mouth, and my face turns red. He leans in a little, moving his mouth to my ear.
“Breathe, Charity.” His warm breath hits the shell of my ear, and I do as he commands. “Now answer me, sweetheart.”
“Of course. Most of the teachers will,” I finally say, shocked I don’t stumble over my words.
He leans back, and I look anywhere but at his face. He’s so tall, I don’t have to try very hard. I barely come up to the middle of his chest.
“I’m only asking about you.”
My eyes snap to his. Gone is the playfulness, and something else lurks beneath his gaze. Something I can’t read.
“Yes.” This time I speak easily, but maybe that’s because it’s only a one-word answer.
“Good, we’ll have dinner after.”
“I—”
“Let’s go, Scott,” he says, cutting off my response. He turns and leaves without giving me a chance to tell him no.
“Oh. My. God,” Apple says. I’d completely forgotten she was in the room. “Since that man has been picking up his nephew, not once has he ever asked someone out. Or taken anyone up on an offer to go out.”
“Never?” I ask, suddenly interested in his dating life.
“Never. Not even when Becky asked.” Apple gestures to her boobs knowingly. As if I don’t know who Becky the kindergarten teacher is. She does have giant boobs that should be covered better during school hours, or maybe they simply look giant because her waist is so small in comparison. “I think he even told her she was being inappropriate.”
Maybe it was inappropriate. Not that I’m considering going. I should definitely not. I’m his nephew’s teacher, and I’m shocked he wants to go on a date with me. Things could get messy if it doesn’t work out, and by messy I mean me broken-hearted and crying every time I see him, because I’m an uncontrollable crier. If a puppy is too cute, I’ll cry.
“God, what am I going to do?” I ask her. I can’t go out with him. Not only would it chance breaking my heart, but the teachers would talk. They always talk, and more so when it’s about Reese and what he’s up to. I’m pretty sure they even read crap about him online. Maybe I should be reading the articles, too.
“Oh, you're going to dinner.” Apple has a giant smile on her face.
Why is everyone so excited to play matchmaker here? Even if I agreed to go on a date with Reese, I’d be so in over my head. I can barely form sentences around him, or stop myself from blushing like a schoolgirl. What would we even talk about?
“Stop overthinking it. I can see your mind going a mile a minute. We’ll have some wine and talk it out. Also, what are you wearing tomorrow?”
Crap, I forgot about getting a new dress. “Maybe we should stop for an extra bottle of wine,” I tell her, throwing my bag over my shoulder. I’ll have to dig something out of my closet.
I have a feeling Reese isn’t going to go down easy when I inform him I won’t be going to dinner. I don’t think he’s a man who hears the word no very often.
