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“Oh, um.” Aero shifted slightly on the couch and her hand fell away. While the idea of celebrating with Sam was tempting, he wasn’t sure he could be around so many people, all those kids, the idea making him sway uncomfortably. “I’ll have to see what my schedule looks like. I’ll let you know, okay?”
“Okay.” Sam smiled, giving him the date and time, what he could expect, and how excited her students were for the event.
Aero nodded along, imagining all the little kids running around dressed as witches and fairies, cowboys, and pirates, swallowing hard over the lump in his throat. “Sammy, I’m gonna take a walk.”
Sam’s brows furrowed. “Sure. Are you all right?”
He nodded, standing from the couch and releasing her hand. “Just need some air.”
Sam watched him go, wondering what she’d made him think of with her invitation, and hating herself for asking while still hoping he would come.
Chapter 9
Sam waved at a few students she had taught the year before as they passed the snack table where she was stationed to serve juice boxes and cookies.
“Miss Coleman! Look!” Avery Johnson, a first grader who was dressed as a Transformer, held up a paper sack bulging with Halloween candy.
“Whoa!” Sam called back. “Did you leave any candy for me?”
He grinned mischievously and shook his head no before scurrying off toward the table where his friends were seated.
Sam laughed, brushing some crumbs off the table, as Peggy approached.
“Hi, Sam, how’s everything in here?”
“Great. I’m almost out of cookies. I’ll start cleaning up around four?” Sam asked, glancing up at the clock on the gym wall.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Peggy insisted, but Sam waved her off. “Well, if you insist, four o’clock is great. Things are winding down out there. Mr. Holloway ran out of candy and started handing out quarters to all the kids.”
“Oh, Mr. Holloway.” Sam sighed, shaking her head but grinning, picturing the seventy-year-old bus driver who decorated his bus each year with a different theme and handed out candy. This year wasBeetlejuice.
“I’m gonna head out and help direct traffic in the parking lot. I’ll see you Monday, and thanks again for all your help today. We all appreciate you.”
Sam’s cheeks heated under her boss’s praise, but she thanked Peggy and started putting unused napkins back into a cardboard box.
After folding up the tablecloths and taking the trash out to the dumpster, Sam wound several feet of leaf garlands and ribbons around her arm, scooped up the box of paper goods, and set off for the teacher’s room.
The hall was dim and eerie as her heels clicked on the tile. Inside the small room, she approached the storage closet at the back.
Fumbling with the handle, Sam yanked it open and dropped the box with a shriek of surprise. Inside the closet, lit by a single bare bulb, was a man’s equally bare ass. Tearing her eyes from the pale, gyrating flesh and catching sight of a mass of blonde hair, Sam realized what she was seeing.
On instinct, she slapped a hand over her eyes and stepped back, closing the door. Her heart was hammering and blood rushed in her ears as surprise and shock pounded through her.
An inappropriate giggle formed and burst from her lips, prompting her to cover her mouth. She knew she should leave, having interrupted what was obviously a private moment, but her knees wobbled as she laughed noiselessly for several moments, hysterical tears springing up.
As she wiped at the corner of her eye, the door cracked open and someone peeked out. “Sam?”
She immediately stopped laughing. “Mr. Weaver?”
The South Street Elementary music teacher smiled sheepishly. “Uh, sorry, we were just…”
“It’s okay,” Sam said, her cheeks flushing scarlet now that she realized she knew the couple. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s all right.”
“I’ll just be going now.” Sam waved awkwardly. “Bye, Kelly!”
A snorting laugh came from the closet, followed by the shuffle of bodies and clothes.
