Page 26 of Reluctant Chemistry

CeCe fought the panic rising in her throat. She picked up her water glass but put it back down.No way!“Luka? But…he’s a paramedic.”

“Yes, as a volunteer. Anyway, he’s got all the bells and whistles as far as qualifications go, so let’s hope he’s keen. Otherwise, I might have to come and teach you guys myself. Right”—he drained his coffee—“I need to make a few calls.”

CeCe stood and smoothed down her jeans as her father left the room, her heartbeat racing in her chest. She cleared the table, stacked the dishwasher, and chatted away to her mother—meaningless words tumbling from her mouth as her stomach tightened in knots.

Later, as she readied herself for bed, CeCe stared into the bathroom mirror, her hands grasping the side of the basin for support. She told herself that Luka being her new teacher wouldn’t be a problem. She was eighteen, old enough to vote, drive, and drink alcohol in a bar, so she could see who she liked.

Then she remembered another male teacher who’d had an affair with a senior student the year before last. Their circumstances had been different—the twenty-year age gap for a start—but when people found out about them, the entire town shunned him. The girl ended up dropping out of school not long after he resigned. Rumor had it, they’d run away together, leaving behind his stunned fiancée and the student’s distraught parents.

But this was different. With Luka only in Tulloch Point until Easter, what would the harm be? CeCe splashed cold water on her face and patted it dry. She had this. They were responsible adults, free to do whatever they wanted.

And she wanted Luka.

However, as she lay in bed later, CeCe couldn’t stop thinking about Mr. O’Leary the teacher. She imagined him standing in front of the class, writing on the whiteboard, or sitting on the auditorium stage with the other teachers, inflexible in their formality as they tolerated stuffy assemblies.

Why had Luka failed to mention it last night? Had it just slipped his mind? After all, he probably had no idea she’d be in his class. Why would he?

* * *

During breakfast on Monday morning, CeCe’s father received a text from Carole Jones confirming Luka’s appointment, and as he relayed the news, she held her breath. Within the space of forty-eight hours, Luka had gone from being her lover to her teacher.

Doubt settled over her. What had she been thinking with her blasé attitude and I’m-a-mature-adult mantra? She wasn’t mature, not by any stretch of the imagination. Now Luka would be on the staff at her school, a person of authority to look up to, and to make matters worse, CeCe knew nothing about chemistry. She was only taking it because it was a requirement for her degree. He’d be scrutinizing her work and marking her assignments.

Her worst nightmare.

She’d texted Molly several times during the weekend to arrange a catch-up for early in the week. But Luka? She couldn’t even bring herself to open his name in her Contacts, let alone send a debut message.

That Wednesday, CeCe worked a full shift, finishing at five thirty. During the day, she’d half expected to see Luka browsing through the crime section, flashing her flirty smiles as he so often did, but today, he was conspicuous by his absence.

After freshening up in the staff restroom, CeCe walked the few short blocks to the Japanese eatery on Coronation Drive for her six o’clock dinner date with Molly. The place was half empty when she got there, which wasn’t unusual for early evening. While CeCe stood waiting to be seated, her cousin dashed in.

“Hi.” Molly stopped to catch her breath. “I almost didn’t make it. Some idiot just about ran me down with his souped-up Camaro.”

“Are you okay?”

“Shaken but not stirred.” She paused as they were shown to their table. Having no need to study the menu to know what they wanted, Molly looked up at their waiter, his pencil hovering over a tiny notepad. “Two vegetarian bento boxes and a couple of Asahis, please.”

As the waiter walked away, Molly leaned over the table. “What the hell is going on with this school shit?”

“Well, according to Dad, Hot Chopper Guy’s my new chemistry teacher.”

Molly frowned. “I thought he was with Search and Rescue.”

“Yeah, he is, as a volunteer. But he taught for two years after finishing his degree.”

“You’ve discussed it with him?”

“Not the job at school, but he told me he’d been a teacher and that it wasn’t his thing. He said he was here to finish his helicopter license. Other than that, I don’t know much about him.”

“But you Googled him?”

CeCe pulled her phone out of her bag. She swiped and tapped the screen, then offered it to Molly. “Yep. Take a look.”

Her cousin frowned as she scrolled. “The Rata River Equestrian Center? What’s the connection?”

“I think it must be his family’s business. There’s a photo of him in the gallery.”

“But he doesn’t talk about it? Whatdoyou two talk about? The five best positions for screwing each other’s brains out?” Molly returned the phone.

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