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“Got things to do.” I grab my jacket and head to the door.
“Diego—”
Whatever she was going to say was cut off by the slam of the door, and I know I just fucked everything up. Well and truly.
ChapterFourteen
NADIA
All through my little class, the talks with them about the next meeting. And setting up something permanent, I silently curse him.
All through my meeting with the pastor, who agrees to let us use the hall on a regular basis as an experiment, I’m imagining doing very violent and unholy things to Diego.
I stomp back to my car and unlock it, throwing myself in.
I should be feeling sad Jay’s on his way to Dallas and relieved he’s safe. I should be happy this group thing is going well, and the church idea, which was brilliant, might just be my way around Peabody.
He can’t stop the church from doing what churches do, help people. If I choose to volunteer to run those sessions with children, that’s not his business, either. It’s not on school grounds or in odd places that could reflect badly on him for refusing to give me space.
Here, at the church hall, I’m just me, not a teacher. I can even pitch it to him as something he came up with to help the youth, if it comes to that. He loves looking good.
So, I should be happy, a little sad, and hopeful.
Instead, I’m in shreds. That kiss when he looked panty melting hot in that expensive suit seemed almost like a taste of a new beginning.
I didn’t expect a kiss and hot sex to magically fix things, but he just acted like a child and took off.
I put my hand on the ignition key when a tap on the window almost makes me scream.
Josie’s smiling face is there. “Get out! We need to talk.”
I do. “You just missed the class, and you shouldn’t be here.”
“I have to be. I want to help and, look, other kids have turned up. I talked to Pastor McGregor, and he’s happy to extend the times.”
My head spins. I wanted to do more but didn’t expect such a big and long turn out. I thought we’d build up to this, but there are about fifteen kids ranging in age there in the hall.
“Seems like a lot of parents make them go home and work first, so some miss classes others just have nothing to do. Shizz, girl, I don’t know, we just go with it. And I’m here to help.”
“I . . .”
“Word gets about. Kids have these things, phones? And they’re ducking good at texting fast.” She laughs and hoists her bright bag up. “I have a lot of ideas but if we do this, get together a few times a week, we can maybe get others involved, do it each night after school. I’ve got art supplies and books, so maybe we can just read, talk books, draw and paint, and if anyone needs help with homework, there you are because, girly, I’m an art teacher.”
Things go well until two boys start picking on Sadie, a pretty girl with glasses and pigtails.
“Leave her alone. I’m not above giving out lines.”
One of the boys pulls her hair. “Freak.”
“Lines, now. Josie?”
“On it,” Josie says as I take off after Sadie.
The shadows are getting long, and dusk is approaching.
The kid’s fast, and I’m puffed by the time I catch up to her.
“They do that because they like you.”
