Page 13 of A Better Place

“Why don’t you say the word look one more time? It’s not sounding weird or anything.”

“Don’t try to change the subject. So-o-o, tell me.”

“Nothing to tell. He dropped off Harper at school, then he came back and had lunch with her. Simple as that.”

“Not buying it.”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying!” I whine and drop my face into my hands.

She giggles, obviously not caring at all that I’m already embarrassed. She nudges me in the shoulder to gain my attention. “Tell me. Come on. You know you want to,” she teases.

“Fine. Okay, you know how I can be a tad bit klutzy at times?”

“A tad?” she asks with one eyebrow raised in that cool way that most of us try to do and practice in the mirror but never achieve.

“Maybe more than a tad,” I tell her and wave her off. “Anyway, I kind of fell ass-over-elbow into him.”

She stares at me, as if this isn’t shocking, and I realize I didn’t tell her the worst part.

“Oh, right into his crotch,” I finish. There, that shocked her. Her hand stalls with her coffee cup midway to her mouth. Her eyes are wide, and her lip is twitching.

She bursts out laughing. “Oh girl. Seriously, only you! How in the world did you fall into his crotch?” Her voice is insanely loud and immediately gains the attention of everyone around us.

I smile uncomfortably at everyone who has turned toward us with weird looks on their faces.

“Shush! Do you have to be so loud?” I ask her.

“Well pardon me, I was a little shocked!” she says then shoos everyone from staring at us.

“Imagine how he and I felt!”

“Oh, I imagine you wanted to crawl in a hole.”

“Yeah, the thought crossed my mind.”

“So, take me through this. How did you happen to fall into his… crotch?” she asks in a quieter voice. Thank goodness.

“Well, you know me. I basically fell over my own two feet. I was wearing TOMS! TOMS, Christine! I tripped over a carpet square!” And then something horrifying happens. I literally can’t stop the words from spilling out of my mouth. “It’s his fault, really. I mean, you’ve seen him! He’s just… holy crap. I almost passed out. I wasn’t expecting Captain Frickin’ America to walk into my classroom! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone as hot as he is in real life.

“I made such an ass out of myself, too. Just being near him made me all tongue-tied and idiotic. Then I acted like a chirpy little high school girl. I had to hide in my classroom and ask another teacher to cover the lunchroom for me when he had lunch with Harper so I wouldn’t trip all over him again… or try to feel him up, apparently.”

I notice, much, much too late, that her eyes have widened, and she’s no longer looking at me, but behind me. My stomach bottoms out, and I wish I could just slither between the benches and fall below the bleachers.

“Oh my gosh.” I groan as I drop my face into my hands knowing exactly who she’s looking at behind me. “He’s behind me, isn’t he?”

She nods her head to confirm my fears.

“A little heads up would have been nice!” I whisper shout to her.

“I didn’t know you were going to have verbal diarrhea!” she whispers back.

“Well, how was I supposed to know that he would be standing right behind me!?”

“Maybe don’t spill your guts on how frickin’ hot Hotty McHotPants is in public!”

“It’s not my fault he’s like some sort of gorgeous freak of nature! With those stupid muscles and scruff and those damn eyes that scream…”

I hear someone snort, and that’s when I realize too late, once again that we’re not really whispering at all. And everyone seated around us can hear every little thing we’re saying.

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