Teach Me Like That (LMLT Book 2) (19 page)

London cocks an eyebrow at me.

“What?” I hate her scrutiny.

“Are you seriously telling me you’re angry at her for lying about her mother after what you just said? Not everyone has parents like you guys do.” She looks over at Kadin, including him in her appraisal. “A school teacher with a stripper mom? Can you blame her for lying?”

“She has to know I would’ve met them eventually,” I mutter staring into my coffee cup.

Kadin laughs causing me to look up. “Does she, though? Have you given her any reason to think she’ll be around for any period of time? Sounds to me like she figured you were just a passing fling and didn’t want to get into anything personal with you.”

London nods in agreement with her husband.

“Damn,” I say softly. The idea that Lexi may be doing to me what I do with every other woman makes my gut turn.

“I’ll be ready to head out in about thirty minutes,” Kadin says getting up from the table and pushing his chair back up. London follows him out of the room, and I immediately hate the silence I’m left in.

Silence gives a voice to the thoughts in my head, and that’s never a good thing.

I rub at my temples as Rhonda flashes in my mind.

Although I was a participating party in my relationship with her, I blame her for ruining me for all other women. Not in a good way either.

It was the little lies that she spewed that sent up the first red flags with Rhonda; those same red flags are rising with Lexi now too.

This isn’t the same. Is it? I’ve been welcomed into Lexi’s home, her bed. Lexi hasn’t had issues with me showing up unannounced, and I completely understand now after taking a step back, the reason she lied about her mom. Cindy is beyond awful. Until meeting her, I didn’t realize that people like that existed.

I have no idea how I feel about Lexi. I haven’t really given myself the opportunity to think about her beyond any type of sexual relationship.

Liar
, my brain tells me.

Looking back, I know I wasn’t at her house Sunday morning because I got too drunk the night before. I wasn’t there because it got so late I was too tired to leave. I was there because I wanted to be there. I stayed because having her in my arms felt right for some reason.

“You’re looking for excuses,” Kadin says coming back into the kitchen.

“She lied to me, Kadin. I can’t get past that.” Even though the words are coming out of my mouth, I don’t honestly believe them myself.

“Of course you can. She isn’t her, Kegan. This isn’t the same thing,” he assures me. “The question is, what are you going to do now?”

I shake my head slightly and rest my forehead in my palms. “I don’t know.”

“Take some time and figure it out. Lexi is a good woman. She doesn’t deserve getting strung along.” Kadin takes my coffee cup from the table, rinses it in the sink, and places it in the dishwasher. “But right now we need to go buy a horse.”

“Where are you going to put a damn horse?” I ask getting up from the table and following him to the door.

“Out back,” is his simple reply. “The barn and paddock were finished weeks ago.”

He totally played me, and he used his not so angelic daughter to seal the deal.

Lexi

“This is pitiful,” I mumble setting out more plastic cups near the punch bowl.

“Tell me about it,” I hear from beside me.

I cringe before looking over. A relieved sigh escapes my lips when I realize it’s Renee, the second-grade teacher, beside me.

“Chex mix and punch? This is a private school. These parents pay tons of money for their kids’ tuition, and we have open house night with cereal mix?” I shouldn’t complain, out loud at least.

I just knew I would walk into work on Monday to my door code being changed and police waiting to arrest me for lewd behavior on a school campus, but it’s blissfully silent. Amelia has kept her distance, and I can’t help but wonder what Kegan told her, or promised her, to keep her from firing me.

Renee looks down at the pitiful refreshments on the table and frowns. “It wasn’t always like this,” she says in a whisper as if the walls have ears, and she’d be in trouble for what she’s about to impart.

“Really? It was this horrible last year.” This is my second year at Edgewood, but the lack of supplies and bells and whistles has always been an issue since I arrived.

“We used to have food catered in for every event we had. I’m talking real plates, cups, and silverware. None of this plastic junk,” she says pointing at the tall stack of Solo cups.

“What’s going on then? What’s changed?”

“Two words for you, Amelia DuPont. She’s cheap and doesn’t feel like we should waste money on things like that.” She grumbles something unintelligible under her breath. “Incoming,” she groans softly and walks away.

I look over my shoulder and immediately jerk my head back toward the table. I busy myself tearing paper towels from the roll and folding them. No matter what nice way I try to fold them, they still look like cheap paper towels. I’m honestly embarrassed that this is what we’re presenting to the parents of our children. Maybe some of the parents will be upset and cause a stink; hopefully, the next event will be back to the way Renee said it was a few years ago before—

“I’m keeping my eyes on you,” Amelia says sliding up to the table. She purposefully hits it with her hips causing the tower of cups to fall over, several landing in the punch bowl. Thankfully the tablecloths are plastic, more than likely from the dollar store, and will wipe off easily.

I do my best to ignore her, but she’s breathing down my neck. I try to calm myself with a few deep breaths before I turn to face her. True to her normal self, she’s wearing a ridiculously low-cut top, and although her skirt is an appropriate length, her five or six-inch heels serve no purpose in an elementary school.

I can’t help but notice her appraisal of me. She has a look on her face as if she’s just taken a bite of spoiled meat. It bothers me the same way it did when the mean girls used to do it in high school. Of course, she would be one of those women.

“I have no clue what he even sees in you.” I do my best not to let her snide remark rub me the wrong way, but it’s almost impossible. “Kegan used to have class, but he seems to be slumming it these days.”

I bite the inside of my cheek until metallic blood hits my tongue, but I manage to keep my mouth shut. Kegan left Sunday morning, and I haven’t heard from him since. It’s Thursday now, so I guess his silence is a clear indication of what he thinks of me. I don’t have to justify myself to her, even though I want to. The last thing I’m going to do is risk my job justifying a man’s decision, especially when he’s not interested in me enough to call or even text.

I just smile at her and turn back to cleaning up the mess she just made.

“Ms. Carter!”

I turn to see Anastyn and Lennox Cole running toward me. Thankfully, Amelia steps out of the way as if she’ll catch some kind of contagious disease if she gets too close to the children.

I reach down and hug them as each one wraps their little arms around my legs.

“We missed you,” Lennox says softly.

“Missed me? That’s silly,” I tell her. “We were just in class a few hours ago. Did you show your mom and dad your caterpillars?”

They both shake their heads animatedly as if egg carton caterpillars are the best thing in the world.

“Good to see you again,” London Cole says.

I lift my head to her, reaching out my hand to shake the one she’s offering.

“Mr. Cole,” I say to their father shaking his hand as well.

My heart flutters at the sight of him. He and Kegan look so much alike it’s uncanny. Their father, although older, bears the same handsome features. I may be able to tell myself that Kegan Cole has no bearing on my life, but it still doesn’t stop the thumping of my heart just being around his family.

“Where’s Mr. Easton?” I knew the baby had been sick, but the girls told me he’s out of the hospital and back home.

“At home with his Uncle Kegan,” London says. My heart pounds harder.

My face must betray my reaction because she winks at me. Oh God. Do they know about Kegan and me?

“Momma doesn’t want him to get sick again,” Anastyn adds.

“Germs are bad!” Lennox chimes in.

“Yes, they are.” I turn back to Kadin and London. “They’re really excited to show you their work. They’ve been super busy girls since school started.”

“I can’t believe how much they’ve learned in a month,” London says with a smile on her face.

Kadin remains quiet as we talk about the girls and how much progress they’ve made. It’s almost as if he’s evaluating me for some reason. I don’t feel uncomfortable, but I just wish I knew what the silent interview was for.

Is he wondering if I’m good enough for his brother?

Maybe Kegan should tell him that ship has sailed. If telling me we need to talk and remaining silent for the next five days is his way of discussing things, then I’ve got no desire to explain myself to him or anyone else for that matter.

I make small talk with the Coles’ for a few more minutes until another student’s family comes up needing to discuss their child. We say our quick goodbyes, and I turn my attention back to the open house.

I’m exhausted by the time the school is cleaned up and back in order. Of course, Amelia didn’t stick around to help, but I didn’t expect her to.

A quick stop at the sandwich shop is the best I can do for dinner, and to save time getting into bed, I eat the whole thing on the way home.

Silence welcomes me when I open the front door. Cindy was here when I left this morning, but she doesn’t seem to be around right now. Against better judgment, I leave the front door unlocked. We live in a nice quiet neighborhood, so it doesn’t bother me. What would bother me, is locking it and having to get out of bed when she comes home drunk later tonight and bangs on it relentlessly, or worse yet, breaks a window to get in.

I smile at the thought of Kegan coming back over and fixing another window. I let myself imagine sitting on the sofa while he takes his shirt off like he did last time. I’d turn the heat up so he’d get all sweaty and delicious while I sit and drink ice cold lemonade.

I shut those thoughts down quickly. Fantasizing about Kegan before I actually slept with him was easy. Doing it after I know what he feels like in almost every position imaginable is dangerous. Those thoughts didn’t lead to me grabbing my vibrator out of my drawer. Those thoughts led to me wanting to call him and invite him over, and that isn’t as simple as it sounds

I kick off my heels in the front entry way and slide on my
Monsters, Inc
. slippers before heading upstairs and directly into bed.

Tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow I won’t wonder about Kegan as much. Maybe tomorrow when I wake up I won’t feel the fear I’ve felt all week that I’m going to lose my job. I don’t, by a long shot, think Amelia is going to back down, but other than the insults tonight about Kegan’s choice in women, she hasn’t brought up the incident in the closet.

I don’t know if I should be grateful or terrified.

Kegan

I used to look forward to Fridays. The day only came second best to Saturday mornings when I didn’t have to wake up early for work. Somehow, today doesn’t carry the same thrill.

The week has been torturously long, especially when Kadin came to get Easton last night and made sure to tell me just how beautiful Lexi had been last night at the girls’ open house. That little tidbit of information followed me into my dreams and haunted me all night.

I miss her. I’m man enough to admit that. I thought it was the sex and the way her tight body clings to me just before she comes that I was longing for, but as the week went on those carnal thoughts, although still there, turned into more than just a need for an orgasm.

I find myself wondering what she’s doing, what she’s wearing. I’ve wondered, more than once, if she is missing me the way I’m missing her.

I’ve been working with a different crew, starting another job across town and getting them settled. Today is the first day I’ve had the chance to even visit the Westover job. Her car’s gone by the time I pull up at a quarter to eight. I knew it would be. What I don’t know is if she’s been leaving super early all week like she did that first week.

Is she avoiding me? I can’t blame her for not reaching out and making contact; I haven’t reached out to her either. I figured my body’s need for her would dissipate over time, but it hasn’t yet.

“A couple of us guys are going to hit the town tonight,” Tony says meeting me at my truck. “You want to go?”

“Sure,” I reply. Beers with the guys never sounded so good. “Where are we at with this project?” I ask walking up to the construction site.

Tony drones on about the foundation and supply list getting delivered on Monday, and I can’t keep myself from looking over at Lexi’s house. It isn’t until my eyes land on the new window in her den that a genuine smile crosses my face.

I’m debating if this wasn’t a horrible idea after all. Looking around the dimly lit bar, it doesn’t have the same appeal as it used to.