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“When do you need this?”
“Two days.” He answered, Rose with a nod of her head. “But I need them delivered. That a problem?” Rose shook her head.
“No. We offer delivery.”
“Are you who delivers it?” His question caused her confusion; never had anyone asked that. With her head lifted, she furrowed her brows.
“Not normally.” She replied.
Martin, nodding as he glanced at Sarah and another employee watching through the back window. “What’s the address?” Rose felt her heart hitch when he said the address; she knew it well. What game was he playing? She asked herself as she wrote down everything without another glance in his direction. “No problem.”
“I was wondering…” His words stopped as she continued to write. As quickly as their interaction had started, it ended, Martin paying the bill before he left without another word. Rose lifted her eyes to find him holding the door open for someone before he flicked his keys in his hand, moving from her sight.
“I think he likes you,” Sarah said softly over Rose’s shoulder.
“You’ve lost your mind.” Rose tore the paper from the notepad and went to the backroom, Sarah hot on her heels.
“You didn’t see how he was looking at you,” Sarah said as they entered Rose’s small office.
“He’s married, or at the very least has a woman having his baby.” Rose spit out. “And even if he didn’t, Martin Brock would never be interested in someone like me unless it was more tormenting.”
“You don’t know that,” Sarah said as she leaned against the doorframe.
“Do you see that address?” Rose held out the paper. Sarah, with a quick read and sigh. “He ordered cupcakes to our high school, the very place where he caused me nothing but pain. Then ask me to deliver it. Are you kidding me?” Rose moved to the small fridge and grabbed herself water. “This is all a joke. I know it.”
“You’re not the same person you were back then.” Sarah encouraged.
“Yeah, I’m a divorced fat wom…person. I mean, can I call myself a woman since I can’t have babies like everyone else?” Rose took a swig of her water. “I’ve got paperwork to do. Better get back out front.” Sarah knew better than to talk with her friend when she was in this place. Rose had never been the easiest person to convince once her mind was made up.
Rose waited for Sarah to leave; her gaze lowered to the notepad at his name. He would not bully her anymore, she thought. He would not intimate her. She might not be like a supermodel, but she was a human; she had feelings, and it was time he knew that.
CHAPTER4
Martin
That day had been one long time coming, one Martin had worked his ass off to get. Crap fundraisers, late meetings, school trips nobody wanted to do—extra duties, including bus loading and unloading during the Winter months. Though Martin aimed high for his promotion, it had not always been that way. He hadn’t become a teacher for learning; he just wanted the Summer off. He would have been the first to admit that and put little effort into his day-to-day until a few words from his father changed everything.
“No honor in a man coasting through life.” The words of his father constantly echo in his mind. “How do you want people to remember you? To speak your name.”
Martin closed his eyes as he remembered his father's words, which forced him to look at how he lived his life.
Martin had always been a man who did as he wanted and always got what he wanted. The scholarship. The perfect girlfriend in both high school and college. The classic car cherried out. Though all of that came easily, he was the ‘it’ guy. He never had to work for anything, and though he thought he was indestructible, it was when his father grew ill that he realized life was short and even the untouchable was touchable. He stood behind his desk, his fingers pressed against the dark wood, his gaze lifted to the picture in the corner.
“Did it, Dad.” Martin smiled as he looked at the picture of his father and him, though his moment was cut short by the sudden knock at his door.
“Knock, knock.” Martin’s gaze lifted to the school counselor, Brenda, slowly moving into the room. “Thought our new Vice Principal could use some champagne.” His brows arched as she glided toward him with a sway of her hips. “Don’t worry. Sadly, it’s alcohol-free.” Martin chuckled and nodded his head.
“Well, how could I say no?” He moved around his desk with a quick stride, grabbing two plastic cups from the small table in the corner of his office.
“You can’t.” She replied as he stepped beside her. It had been no secret Brenda had a thing for Martin since he started at the school, and Lord knows she was his type. Blonde, thin, blue eyes with a killer smile. She dressed in skirts that could cause even the most self-controlled man to stumble.
“Thank you.” Martin quickly said as she filled his cup halfway. With a flirty giggle, she sat the bottle down and jumped onto the edge of his desk, her long leg wrapped over the other, causing her skirt to lift. Martin’s gaze lowered to her exposed thigh briefly before he lifted the cup to his lips and took a large swig of the warm liquid.
“No problem at all. I’m probably your biggest fan of this promotion. Finally, I have an excuse to work closely with you, and conferences won’t be such a bore with you in attendance.” Martin cleared his throat with her suggestion, chuckling as he shook his head.
“I wouldn’t say that. I’m not as wild as I was in the old days.” She giggled with his admission; her palm pressed against his chest as she lowered her head as though he had told the funniest joke.
“Something tells me that’s far from the truth.” She added, her finger slowly moving over his shoulder and down his arm.
