Paxton placed Gage in my arms as I sat in the oversized chair.
“Isn’t he pretty, Corina?” Chloe asked, staring down at her baby brother.
“He is. Just like you, Chloe. How do you like being a big sister?”
She stood a little taller. “Oh, I love it! I’m a great big sister too. Mommy says she couldn’t do it without me.”
Paxton sat down on the sofa, a wide smile across her face. I was so happy for my best friend. She’d found her happily ever after.
“I bet she couldn’t,” I said. “Daddy helps too, right?”
Chloe nodded. “Yes, but he gags when Gage goes number two. He said he did with me too!” She covered her mouth and giggled. “It’s stinky!”
Laughing, I glanced over to find Steed and Paxton lost in each other’s eyes. The emptiness in my chest grew a little more as I looked back at Gage.
“Have you heard from Amelia again?” I asked as I ran my fingertip over Gage’s cheek. He was sound asleep and the most precious thing I’d ever seen.
Paxton sighed, “No! Have you?”
I shook my head, “Nope. She only sent me the one text that said she had something big to tell us when she got home from New Orleans.”
“Yeah, she sent that to Waylynn and me as well.”
“Let’s hope she didn’t do something crazy and get married,” Steed said with a light-hearted chuckle. My eyes lifted to meet Paxton’s. Neither of us had to say a word. We both knew that was exactly what had happened.
Paxton smiled bigger. “You never know with Meli.”
Steed tossed his head back to laugh, but stopped abruptly. “You don’t think they did, do you?”
Paxton shrugged. Steed looked at me. I laughed and added, “I'm not saying anything.”
“Do you think Wade and Aunt Meli will bring back a surprise for me and Gage?”
Steed gazed down at his daughter. “I bet so, pumpkin.”
Chloe jumped up, her face lighting up like she’d remembered something important. “Corina! I drew you a picture. It’s in my room. I’ll go get it!”
I giggled and nodded. “I can’t wait to see it!”
Watching Chloe run off, I turned back to Steed. He stood and paced the floor. “They got married. I have this weird feeling they did. Pax, do you think Amelia would do that?”
She nodded.
“Mom and Dad will freak out!” Steed said.
Paxton stood and took Steed’s hands. “Steed, calm down. Your folks are not going to care if they really did get married, which I really think they did. All they want is for y’all to be happy.”
“Besides, if they did get married, we could always throw a reception,” I added. “So much more fun, and less stress!”
Steed nodded. “You’re right. This would totally be something I could see both of them doing.”
Paxton sat down, pulling Steed with her. “Especially with everything that has happened with Wade. Knowing his history, I have a feeling he likes to live in the moment and not waste a second of it.”
“That’s true,” Steed said, “but if they did get married, we have a problem bigger than my parents.”
“What’s that?” Paxton asked.
“Chloe,” Steed and I both said at once.
Paxton’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, shit.”
“Hell! Shit! Fuck!” Chloe shouted as she came running back in.
“Chloe Lynn Parker, what did I tell you about saying bad words?” Steed cried out.
Stopping in front of me, Chloe covered her mouth and giggled. “Sorry, Daddy!”
She leaned in and whispered in a rather loud voice, “I need to be careful or Santa won’t bring my horse.”
“Your horse?” I asked.
Chloe nodded. “Aunt Meli said if I was good Santa would bring me a horse!”
Steed buried his face in his hands. “I’m going to kill her.”
Feeling my phone buzz on the desk, I glanced down to find a text from Amelia.
Amelia: Wade and I should be home around seven. Can you come over to my parents’ place for dinner? I want everyone there for our big announcement.
My heartbeat quickened at the thought of seeing Mitchell. No matter how hard I tried to forget him and move on, I couldn’t. I was going to have to soon. It was clear he wanted nothing more than the night we’d shared together. But was it clear? The way he looked at me sometimes…as if he longed to pull me into his arms. It was confusing, and one of the reasons I couldn’t let myself move on.
Me: Of course! I’ll see you then.
Staring at my phone, I took a deep breath and thought about asking Philip if he’d like to join me. We were only friends, two-of-towners who bonded while working together at the school, but I wouldn’t mind a repeat of Mitchell’s reaction when he saw Philip with me at the shower.
I dropped my phone. “For the love of Pete. Don’t play games, Corina.”
“Do you always talk to yourself?”
My head lifted. A handsome guy stood in the doorway of my classroom.
When I opened my mouth, nothing came out. I slowly stood. “Excuse me?” I finally managed to say.
“Oh, good. You’ve found Corina’s room,” our new principal, Lance Moreland, said as he walked into my room.
“Mr. Moreland, how are you this morning?” I asked, rounding my desk. School was starting in a few weeks and I was one of the first teachers to head back and prepare. What else did I have to do? It wasn’t like I had a distracting love life.
“I’m fine, thank you. Ms. Miller, I’d like for you to meet Lane Lewis. Mr. Lewis, this is Corina Miller. You’ll be taking her place in the first-grade classroom.”
“Wait, what?” I asked, my smile dropping from my face.
“Ms. Miller, Mr. Lewis will be teaching first grade this year.”
My heart sank. “I teach first grade!” When I swung over to Lane, he seemed just as surprised as I was, but he forced a smile. Ugh. If he wasn’t so gosh darn cute I’d be even madder.
“Well, we’ve had to make a few changes,” Lance said.
“Mr. Moreland, I was under the impression you didn’t have a first grade teacher,” Lane said, clearly feeling awkward.
“You’re firing me?” I cried out.
Mr. Moreland wore a shocked look. “What? No! You’re moving to kindergarten.”
“W-what?”
“Oh, no,” Lane said as he looked at me with eyes that said he knew exactly how I was feeling. “Been there. Done that.”
Yep. He knew.
“Kinder? You want me to take Paxton’s place? But…they’ll tear me to pieces!”
Mr. Moreland chuckled. “Don’t be silly. You teach first grade. Kinder is just one below.”
I shook my head. “No, first graders are broken in! They know the ropes. Kinders are…new and they’re scared, and the parents are insane.”
“Ms. Miller! We do not call the parents insane.”
Lane leaned in. “Kinder parents are harder to deal with.”
My head was spinning. I needed a drink. A hard drink.
Lane took me by the arm. “Maybe you should take a seat, Corina.”
I nodded. “Yes. Sitting would be good.”
Taking a few deep breaths, I pulled myself together and looked at my boss. “And if I refuse to teach kindergarten?”
Mr. Moreland seemed surprised. “Well, if you refuse, I guess we’ll have to see if another teacher will do it. I’ve gotten such amazing feedback from the parents who are on the PTA, though. Your name was the first and foremost to replace Paxton.”
I forced a smile. It was nice to know the parents thought so highly of me.
Lane cleared his throat. “First grade is right next door. Correct, Mr. Moreland?” The principal nodded. “I’ve taught kinder before. I’m sure Ms. Miller and I will work together during the transition, especially since I’m coming from teaching almost six years of tenth-grade biology.”
My eyes widened in horror, and my jaw fell open. “When did you teach kindergarten?”
With a wide grin, he said, “My first year of teaching.”
Laughing, I stood. “Oh, my gawd! They are going to tear you to pieces. You have no idea what you’re walking into.”
Now it was Lane Lewis who blinked like the room was spinning.
Mr. Moreland clapped his hands, causing both Lane and me to jump. “I see you two are going to be great working partners. Lane, I’m glad you decided to head on back into town. Tell your folks I said hi.”
And like that, our new boss—and the man who just set us both up for failure—quickly walked out of the room.
“I need a drink,” Lane whispered.
“That makes two of us.”