AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I pushed his hand away. “You’re such a brat. How does Garrett handle you?”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “With both hands. Both big, strong hands.”
“I’m sorry I asked.”
Kevin chuckled, then picked up his to-go container of pie that Thelma had brought by. “And pie. I feed him a lot of pie.”
I grinned. “What happened to making your own?”
Kevin scowled. “I haven’t yet mastered my pie-making technique. I can do so many things. Why is pie so fucking hard?”
“I could probably get you lessons with Iola. She loves me now.”
Kevin snorted. “For now. Don’t fuck it up with Clark or you’ll be enemy number one, and nobody wants that woman for an enemy.”
I shivered. “Yeah, you’re not wrong. Oh fuck. What if I do mess up and the entire granny population comes after me?”
“Just use Toby as a shield. They’ll be undone by his cuteness and feed him cookies instead of attacking you.”
I laughed with him, warmth spreading through me. I’d let guilt keep me from intruding into Kevin’s life—and I was more than a little afraid of his wrath. Despite our joking, I knew the first one to kick my ass if I hurt Clark would be my own brother, but it was nice to talk to him like this. Nice to feel a little less alone with these new feelings for Clark.
“Thanks for listening,” I said.
“Hey, what are brothers for but to abuse you until you confess your deepest fears?”
“I don’t know, but I lucked out.”
Kevin smiled brightly. “Me too. Do this right, okay? I want you to be happy. You deserve it.”
For the first time in a while, I thought maybe I deserved it too. I just had to find a way to show Clark that taking a chance on us was worth the risk.
CHAPTER19
CLARK
“Oooh.Mr. Fletcher’s boyfriend is here!”
Giggles broke out in the classroom, and I glanced over to see Hunter hovering in the doorway, much as he had the first night he’d come to meet me about Toby joining the program.
My heart skipped. Had I really kissed that gorgeous man—twice? Bigger question: Was I going to do it again? After talking to Augustus, I was pretty sure I would if Hunter asked, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. He might have acted on impulse. He might regret it. Kisses aside, Hunter Rhodes had always been straight before, and it was a stretch to think a nerdy guy like me had somehow inspired a sexual awakening.
“You’re so lucky, Mr. Fletcher!” Rachel Bell said with a giggle, cheeks pink as she gazed over at Hunter. I silently agreed, hope and nerves twisting into a tight little ball in my stomach. This was why I hadn’t gone straight to Hunter on Sunday night. This fear that I’d misread or overinflated what happened between us.
“Well, I think Mr. Rhodes is the lucky one,” Malcolm said. “Mr. F is awesome!
Hunter shot me a big smile. “I agree with the kid. I’m the lucky one.”
A few of the girls sighed. I overheard the wordsromanticanddreamy. I was swooning inside, right alongside them. Even if Hunter was only saying the words to keep up appearances, his smile looked genuine and settled a few of my nerves. Whatever happened next, whatever he wanted or didn’t want, I instinctively knew Hunter would be gentle with me.
The students’ focus was well and truly lost, and there were only a few minutes until the program was dismissed, so I clapped my hands to get their attention. “Okay, everyone. Remember to get your field trip slips signed for the visit to the museum. We’re turning in our re-enactment scripts next week too, so do all the research you can now. I’ll expect them to be based on historically accurate information, guys. This isn’t Hollywood.”
I got a few laughs as chairs scraped, feet shuffled, and the kids made their usual eager rush for the door. Even though this wasn’t a class, they ran out of here as if they were prisoners who’d just been freed from their cells.
Hunter made his way past them. My heart dropped when he turned away from me to head for Toby’s desk. Of course he was only here to pick up Toby. I knew that. But I’d hoped…
Hunter bent to whisper something to Toby, then looked up, his gaze so intense I felt the hair rise on the back of my neck. Toby gathered his things and left the classroom, but Hunter didn’t follow.
He came to me.
