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“When are you guys going to let everyone know about your relationship?” He has a valid question. I’ve been asking myself the same question for weeks and have no idea what the answer is. Garrett keeps insisting our love is forever, but I know he can’t just announce our relationship. Not if he wants to keep his job. After all, the school board frowns upon relationships between faculty and parents or guardians.
“I have no idea,” I answer honestly. “But you’ll be the first to know when we decide to make our relationship public. Until then, please don’t tell any of your friends or the other football players.”
I hate asking my brother to keep my secret, but right now, I don’t have any other options. “How’s your job at the Silver Spoon MC compound going?” I’ve noticed that he comes home most nights with a smile on his face.
“I fuc-uh, freaking love it.”
“Nice save.” I shake my head and give him mydeath glare. Not that it does me any good. As our dad used to say, “You can always tell a teenager, but you can’t tell them much.”
At least, Todd has been a fairly easy teenager to deal with, the whole taking my car on a joyride incident aside. “I’m glad everything is going well there. Do you have any idea how much longer you need to work to pay back Cash Montoya?”
“Coach G. said we’d have a talk next week about where we stand on my debts.”
“Where YOU stand on your debts.” I remind my brother we aren’t letting Garrett pay for his mistakes.
“I know, CeCe,” Todd grumbles and heads for the kitchen to grab a snack.
I hear his phone ding and figure he’s texting one of his friends, so I turn back to my work. “CeCe.” I can tell by the tone of his voice that something’s up. He probably wants to go out with his friends, but that isn’t happening.
“What’s up?” I call over my shoulder distractedly.
“Grady just texted me.” Freaking heck. I take a deep breath, trying to control my dislike for the spoiled rotten teenager. Part of me knows he’s had a hard time growing up without a mother. According to the town gossip, his mother died shortly after Grady turned one. His father might be a legend in financial circles, but he hasn’t done the best job of raising his son, in my opinion. The teenager has a chip on his shoulder the size of the grand Canyon. “There’s some shit,” I whip around and glare at my younger brother until he corrects himself. “I mean, there’s something going down at the school board meeting.”
“What’s happening?” I haven’t ever bothered going to the monthly meetings since neither the school board nor the other parents will take a twenty-two-year-old guardian seriously.
“I don’t know, but Grady said you need to get your rear down there.”
“This had better not be some stupid plan to get me out of the house for you guys to cause trouble.”
“I swear it’s true.” Todd holds his phone up. “You can check my messages.” While I trust Todd and know he’s learned his lesson, I don’t trust Grady Bausch as far as I can throw him.
“Stay here.” I search for my purse and keys. Thank God I picked Thelma up from the shop a few days ago. “I’m going to check it out.”
The entire five-minute ride from our apartment to the Silver Spoon Falls School District Headquarters, my mind whirls wondering what’s going on.
I glance through the rectangular glass running up the auditorium window and see the meeting is already in progress. Darn. I open the door quietly and attempt to sneak in, but the darn heavy door has other plans. It pounds shut, announcing to everyone I’m here.
Feeling every set of eyes on me causes my face to heat to burning. I’m betting I resemble a tomato right about now. I give the white-haired, pinch-faced older woman standing at the podium an apologetic smile for interrupting whatever she’s saying.
“Please have a seat,” some woman on the board orders me, and I hurry up and scoot into the back row of seats. I glance around, looking for Garrett, but I’m unable to find his jet-black head anywhere.
As the elderly woman begins talking, I wonder why she’s taking such an interest in the school’s policies. I'd bet her youngest child graduated high school before I was born.
“I think Coach Marsh should explain his actions.” Woah there. That gets my attention really fast.
“I’ll be happy to explain myself.” Garrett stands up and walks over to the podium on the other side of the room, and I suddenly feel like I’m in a court of law. “But I don’t think my personal life is the business of anyone in this room.”
His personal life? Holy shiitake. Someone must’ve found out about us. I hope he isn’t about to lose his job over his relationship with me.
“You influence our youth significantly, so your personal life and lack of good judgment is our business,” the grouchy old biddy grumbles.
“I totally disagree.” Another voice comes from the right side of the room. I swallow and watch Christian Bausch stand and glare at the woman who’s causing all the issues. “Coach Marsh has done an excellent job of turning the Silver Spoon Falls High School football team into a raving success. He took a group of spoiled rotten, hard-headed teenage boys and turned them into a team this entire town can be proud of, my son included.” He looks around the room for a moment, and I can see how he became a billionaire in his twenties. This man is a formidable force who commands respect. “I barely recognize my son since he’s been a part of Garrett’s team, and I will forever be grateful for all Coach Marsh has done.” He turns his attention back to the woman causing all the trouble. “Edna, it’s time for you to find another hobby besides making trouble.” Boom. Silence follows his speech. I’m pretty sure you could hear a pin drop in this large auditorium right now.
I glance over at Garrett and can see he’s biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing out loud.
“I agree with Mr. Bausch,” the school board president announces. “And if there is no other business, I will adjourn this meeting.”
I wait for the people around me to clear out before trying to make my way up to Garrett. By the time I get to him, he’s speaking to Christian Bausch, so I stand to the side to let them finish their conversation.
