CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Josie walked into the school with confidence. She wasn't entirely sure how well this was going to go, but she knew that this had to at least bring her closer to Blake who hadn't once made any attempt to contact her after she shut the door.

She was nervous. What if he did not want to see her? What if he did not want to have her in his classroom? She felt that morning’s confidence dwindle instantly. Swallowing hard, she followed the secretary to the room she was supposed to be teaching in first. She smiled, introduced herself and spoke with the class. At first, she could not help but feel a little up tight, however she started to relax into it and once she did the presentation things went wonderfully.

The next few did as well, but as time passed and each class had different eyes she started to wonder if Blake's class was even on her list. She tried to not show her feelings, but how could she hide what she felt was destroying her insides? Her stomach churned and her eyes threatened to water during a small break between the classes.

The secretary came and collected her once more. She followed the homely woman into the next classroom, the day was almost done. She could tell by the way the kids scuffled through the hallways, looking out their windows longingly and were antsy to move around.

All hope was lost that she would see Blake today; that she would be able to speak with him… until she turned the corner into the last classroom for the day. The secretary mentioned his name and her heart fluttered. She was going to be able to see him after all! The secretary looked around the room and frowned softly.

Her heart thundered in her chest. As her thoughts swirled out of control she did everything in her power to at least look composed. She had too much time to think to herself, or so she felt. She could not help but think her greatest fear: What if he doesn’t want to talk to me?

“Is Mr. Ingram not in yet?” she asked the class and they shook his head. She pursed her lips and introduced Josie to the class.

“Thank you,” Josie said softly as the Secretary left her in search for Blake. Josie started to talk with the students, she smiled sweetly as she spoke to them, though her mind wasn’t really focused on what she was saying. She just had the words memorized by now. She glanced at the door when it opened again and Blake stepped into the room, he glanced at her for the briefest of seconds and went straight to his desk and sat down.

She felt gutted, but did not let it show on her face. She finished her presentation and let them ask questions until the bell rang. She let them all leave and turned to look at Blake, however he spoke before she could.

“Thank you, Ms. Steele,” he said as he stood and moved to walk around her to get to the door.

She reached out and took his arm softly in her hand.

“Ms. Steele?” he asked, his voice freezing her for a second.

“I…” her hand shook where it touched his arm. She was scared because all her feelings were confusing her. She had been able to control herself for so long since her ex but she could not handle this.

He said nothing; he did not even look at her. He just looked at the door.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered finally.

“For?” he asked quietly. A wave of emotion rolled through her once again.

“I’m sorry for letting my fear escalate to the point that it did—that I messed things up this way and I made this mistake in not asking you about what happened or actually just talking to you. I haven’t felt this way about someone in a long time and it scared me,” she said softly, tears rolling down her face as she tried to come to terms with the fact she was losing her composure.

He turned to look at her carefully, his dark eyes half curious, half glaring.

“I can’t handle this anymore, this being alone…I miss our dates, the way you made me laugh, the confidence boost…I need you! I’m scared that you’ll hurt me but I…please…please don’t hurt me. I need you…”

“I hadn’t been seeing anyone for months before my mother went to the hospital. I wanted to focus on myself and I hadn’t intended on seeing anyone for a very long time either. But then I saw you, the way you cared for my mom, the way the nurses spoke so highly of you…that smile…I had no intentions of hurting you…I could never hurt you.”

“I’m sorry!” she hiccuped in tears but he pulled her close. She smiled softly into his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair.

“We have a lot to talk about,” he murmured.

“Then we will talk about everything,” Josie said, pulling back to look him in the eye.

“Everything?”

“Everything,” she said.

“Even if it hurts?”

“We can take our time with that.”

“Do you trust me?”

“I trust you,” Josie said as sure as she could ever be.

“Good, don’t you ever doubt me, Josie.”