Page 15 of Teacher's Pet

She sighs and picks up more trash. Her little sneakers sparkle in the bright lights and I find myself smiling. Only my daughter would wear a frilly dress and sparkly sneakers to a dance.

Who knows what the next iterations will be. I don’t like change. But change is part of life. It’s just the sucky part.

The part that broke my world into itty bitty pieces that won’t stay together no matter how much I try.

I finish up and gather up Harley who’s laughing at something Tally’s saying.

“All done. Let’s go home.” I want to take her home with me. Want the right to take care of her.

But it’s not my right and it never will be.

Harley glances over at me. “Daddy, Miss Carter walked here. Can we give her a ride home?”

I grimace. “Of course.”

She glares at me. “I can walk.”

“It’s late. Don’t make me pick you up and haul your ass out to my truck.”

Harley’s eyes widen.

Tally’s blue eyes narrow like sapphire fire. “I dare you.”

I lean down, right in her face and glare right back at her. “Get in my truck. Harley will worry.”

Her gaze flicks to Harley’s wide eyes and she nods. “Fine.”

She stalks out and I grin to myself as Harley chatters at her. They ignore me and I smirk to myself. Doesn’t matter.

She’s still going home with me. Her home not mine. But I don’t care. For tonight, I can take care of her. Just a little bit.

TALLY

Monday comes way too soon and I’m so exhausted that I seriously consider calling off of work. But I don’t.

Instead I’m sitting in my classroom and watching the last ticks of the clock on a really long day.

As the bell rings, I holler at the kids, “Don’t forget to bring your packed lunches on Friday because we’re having a picnic!”

All of them groan but I smile. They’ll love it. They do every year.

The last child walks out the door and McBride walks in right after Harley walks out and she looks back at me, a question in her eyes. I nod my head at her slightly and she keeps walking.

“Miss Carter. I’m glad you managed to make it to the dance the other night but I wanted to talk about a few things that were left undone after the party.”

I lift a brow, knowing that everything was taken care of.

“One of the bathrooms was a mess. We can’t have that kind of thing. It looks bad for the whole school district. You should have checked it before you left.”

I bristle. “Isn’t that the custodian who takes care of that kind of stuff? I don’t work on toilets, even in my own home.”

He stiffens. “Are you telling me that you think you’re too good to help out the school?”

“What I think she’s saying is that’s not her job. You have people that take care of that kind of thing.”

He whips around, glaring at Foster who’s standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His eyes are like chips of ice and I shiver.

“I don’t think this is any of your business, Mr. Marcone. I really think you should concentrate on your hellion of a daughter.”

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