Page 35 of The Deadbeat Next Door

Cody’s smile slipped a bit, but he took my hand again. “I’ll do my best. She’s deserves it.”

“She certainly does,” Caroline said. “Carrie Harrison is an absolute angel. Do you know—”

“Caroline, is Missy in?” I asked, before she could launch into a monologue about my kindness. She was a wonderful, kind woman, but she tended to go on and on once she started.

Caroline frowned and shook her head, before returning her attention to Cody. “She doesn’t like anyone to speak well of her, but you are her fiancé and you should know that she gives her heart and soul to this school and all the students here. She is good people. When my husband of forty years passed away, Carrie brought me casseroles for three weeks and helped me clean up my house after I had all those people traipsing through for the memorial service. She is a saint.”

My cheeks heated and I was squeezing Cody’s hand so hard, I was surprised he hadn’t shaken me off.

“She is a good person,” Cody said. “I was drawn in by her outer beauty, but it was her inner beauty and her good heart I fell in love with.”

My good heart was in danger of cracking with all this praise, real and imaginary. “Thank you, Caroline, but we have dinner reservations,” I lied. I mean really, what’s one more lie at this point? “Is Missy available?”

“Of course, dear,” Caroline said. “Go right in.”

Missy’s door was open and I walked in, pulling Cody along with me. “Hello, Principal Melcher,” I said as cheerfully as I could manage.

Missy looked up, her make-up and perfect hair unable to quite hide her sour expression. Her eyes widened when they settled on Cody and her expression changed to a sweet smile, though her lips pursed when her eyes dropped to our joined hands.

“Miss Harrison,” Missy said in a pinched voice.

“I just wanted to introduce you to my fiancé, Cody Reynolds,” I said. “He’ll probably be stopping by from time to time, and I thought it would help if you’d met him.”

Missy frowned, her brow creased in confusion. She stood and extended a hand to Cody. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Reynolds. Are you from around here?”

Cody gave her a charming smile. “No, ma’am. I’m from South Carolina originally. I’m in town looking for property to establish my winery. I just got lucky enough to be neighbors with Carrie.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “I saw her and I knew I’d be an idiot not to grab her and hold on tight.”

I elbowed him in the side, because he was seriously sounding more like an aggressive stalker than a smitten fiancé. He squeezed my neck a bit harder than necessary.

Missy smiled, but her expression suggested she’d tasted something nasty. “Yes, well, there’s no accounting for taste.” She looked at me. “I hope you don’t think parading him in here will end your probation?”

Cody’s whole body tensed. “I’m sure Carrie explained that she had a bad reaction at Philistine’s the other night from a combination of allergy medicine and alcohol.”

Missy glared at him. “I’m aware that she fed me a story to excuse her bad behavior,” Missy said. “It doesn’t change the fact that she was behaving, in public, in a way that is improper for anyone who cares about the education of young children and the influence her actions may have on them.”

Cody’s hand over my left shoulder tightened into a fist and I had a bad, bad feeling that this would all spiral downhill. “I wasn’t trying to make excuses—”

“Miss Harrison,” Cody said, “was out for a night with friends. It wasn’t a school function or in any way associated with her job. I’ll have to consult with my lawyers, but I’m pretty sure your authority doesn’t extend to what Miss Harrison does in her free time.”

Missy paled a bit at the word lawyers, but she’d never been one to back down easily. “This is a small town, Mr. Reynolds, and public opinion matters. I’ve had calls from several parents about Miss Harrison’s behavior and I can’t ignore those complaints.”

My stomach dropped and I was pretty sure I was going to be sick. “You’ve had complaints?” My voice was a bare whisper of sound.

Missy’s triumphant smile kicked my fear and disappointment in myself right into anger and annoyance. She was on a power trip and looking for revenge and I was sick of it. I loved my job and I loved working for the public school, but maybe it was time to brush off my resume and apply at the only other high school in town, a snooty private school that paid a lot better and wasn’t headed up by my arch-nemesis. “Yes,” Missy said. “Numerous complaints. I’m sorry Miss Harrison, but your probation stands.”

“Thank you for your time Principal Melcher,” I said. I squeezed Cody’s side hard. Maybe a little too hard, since he jumped in place.

I pushed him toward the door, he dropped his arm from around my shoulders, and we left. He took my hand again as soon as we were out the door and I didn’t drop it. My plan might not have worked, but now that I’d lied to my principal, I had to keep up the ruse.

“What did you pinch me for?”

“I just didn’t want you to get all belligerent and say something to make her mad,” I said.

He stopped next to my car and faced me. “Believe it or not,” he said. “I do understand the need for tact and diplomacy, but that woman is clearly unreasonable and borderline insane.”

“Maybe. But she’s not entirely wrong. This town is small enough that what I do can get back to my students. I didn’t set a good example the other night.”

He frowned down at me. “You went out with your friends and you had a good time. So, you had a bit too much to drink. It’s not like it happens all the time.”

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