Page 10 of Rocking Cedarwood

Chapter Three

The following Monday, Michael hadn’t talked to Niall. How could he? The embarrassment was too much. Besides, he was still in the midst of an argument with Dex.

“No one can know about this,” Michael growled into his phone. He hated talking to his lawyer almost as much as he hated root canals. “I’m this close to getting a longer contract. They always announce the contract stuff at the end of the school year. If you tell everyone now, I’m screwed.” He rubbed his forehead with the back of his hand. Some secrets were best kept under lock and key, and he had one doozy of a secret.

“I’ve got people begging for the Blackhearts to play Christmas, New Years and Halloween. Come on. You can chuck the day job and make a killing,” Dexter snapped.

“I don’t want to make a killing.” He checked his wristwatch again.Damn.If he didn’t get off the phone soon, he’d be late for the staff meeting. “Look, I’ve got to go. I’m not ready to disclose anything, so keep it under wraps. I don’t care if you’re a goddamned lawyer, I will sue your ass for defamation or disclosing my identity or whatever.”

“I’m not going to disclose or defame. I want you to be happy and follow your dream. The last I knew, the dream wasn’t teaching. It was music,” Dexter said. “The school gig was temporary until the band hit it big. Now we’re five years down the road and you’re not ready to leave, are you?”

No, he wasn’t. He glanced through the window at the people in the hallway. Niall stood with one of the second-grade teachers. At the beginning of the year, Niall had moved from teaching first grade to third grade and had ended up in the classroom directly across from Michael. He considered Niall one of his closest friends, but after the way he’d abandoned Niall at the end of the race the other day, he wondered if his friend would even speak to him. Niall didn’t know about Michael’s secrets. Then again, only two people knew the truth.

“Well?” Dexter asked. “Are you even still there?”

“I’m here.” He spied Niall walking down the hallway. Niall pointed to his watch and grinned. If he was mad, he wasn’t showing it in public. Michael nodded once and held up one finger. He’d be there in a second. “Okay, I have to go. No other shows besides the ones already scheduled. After August sixteenth, the band is on hiatus again. That’s how it’s going to be. I’m not going to discuss this anymore. Bye, Dex.”

He swiped his thumb across the screen to end the call, tapped the button to silence the phone then jammed the device into his back pocket. He was still on the clock at the school.

Michael headed back into the building. Niall waited in the doorway of Michael’s classroom.

“Ready?” Niall fell into step with him. “We’re meeting in the cafeteria for the year-end wrap-up meeting then going to Havermeier’s room for the transfer meeting. Christ, it’s hot. Who decided Monday needed to be this freaking humid? We’re almost to June.”

“I’m not wild about the humidity either.” He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I’m glad you were paying attention. I’m horrible with schedules unless there’s a bell involved.” Not a total truth, but he couldn’t be completely honest with Niall. When he went out with the band, Michael knew every schedule better than the people creating the schedules. He had to know what time to be where in order to get into the character of Bandit—his musical alter ego. If anyone found out about what he did with his summers—especially anyone in the school system—he’d lose his position teaching fourth grade. Until now, there hadn’t been a problem. Hell, the band cooperated, and as long as he kept everything about his other life quiet, everything stayed balanced. No one at the school questioned where he was over the summer and the band liked having the rest of the year to work with other bands. As long as he didn’t discuss or mix his two worlds, he was good. He wanted to tell Niall about Bandit, but with the system working so well, he hadn’t gotten around to having the discussion.

“I’ve got to sit with the other third-grade teachers so we can discuss the upcoming school year, but I’ll catch up with you for our run afterward.” Niall half grinned. “We were nominated to retrieve the sandwiches for the meeting. Want to drive, or should I?”

“You can.” He suppressed a sigh. He’d get to spend quiet time with Niall?Score.Maybe then he’d have the chance to apologize for leaving so fast after the race. He parted ways with his friend and headed to the designated fourth-grade teachers’ table.

For the next hour, the principal and vice principal droned on about the switches in teaching positions, introducing the new core standards and the schedule for the next school year.

Michael doodled on the notepad in front of him. Each teacher had been given a pad and pen for note taking. Lines for songs came to him while he half-listened to the core standard descriptions. The benchmarks hadn’t changed much.

The lyrics weren’t any good, but at least they looked like poetry. If the other teachers at his table noticed, they’d think he was doing something for a creative writing lesson. He flipped to a new page. Thoughts of the band and his summer schedule filled his head. For the short term, the two needed to be separate. No mentioning the band to the school staff and no mentioning his teaching position to the band. If everyone was left in the dark, then no one would spill his secret.

Michael turned his attention to Niall. Go figure the third-grade teachers would be across the room during the end-of-the-year meeting. It would be too easy to have them at the next table over. At least Niall was in a place Michael could ogle him without looking too obvious.

Niall met Michael’s gaze and smiled. Michael’s skin warmed all over. He’d noticed the twinkle in Niall’s eyes and the way his cheeks always seemed to feature five-o’clock shadow, but he hadn’t wanted to touch him as much as he did right now. He longed to run his fingers through Niall’s blond hair and rub his cheek against Niall’s. He suppressed a shiver.

Unlike most guys Michael’s general age, Niall was sweet and chatty. He didn’t expect anything but managed to see the good in people. He wasn’t one of the burned-out teachers but seemed to come to school every morning with a renewed zeal for teaching. He was everything Michael wanted to be—except he wasn’t a heavy metal music star.

Michael doodled again in the notebook, but this time he drew Niall. He probably should keep the drawing covered, but whatever. If someone saw, then they saw. He was friends with Niall and liked looking at the hot man.

He should ask him out. Not to run or exercise together, but a real date.

Michael snorted.Should, but come on.He’d be leaving on tour in seven days and wouldn’t be back to Cedarwood for the next two and a half months. How was he supposed to date a guy he couldn’t really see and explain to the guy why they had to have a long-distance relationship?Easy. I can’t.Until now, he hadn’t had to worry about dating anyone or having said long-distance relationship. He and Niall ran together, but that was it.

He should beg off from going with Niall to get the food. He had the feeling once they spent time alone together outside the school without the excuse of a run to buffer the desire, he’d rethink his tour plans.

As the meeting wound down, fear swept over Michael. In seven days, he’d be out on tour. He’d done some rehearsing, but the new material was still rough. The band hadn’t had much time in the studio because he’d been busy wrapping up the school year with his fourth graders. He worried about his music and his contract. Would the school renew his one-year contract or would they offer him a two-year deal? The chance was there, but it was only a chance. He closed his notepad.

The principal grabbed Michael’s attention. “This year, the Cedarwood schools will be extending plenty of contracts to the newer teaching staff.”

Michael dropped his hands into his lap to hide the shaking. Niall had already attained a two-year contract and would be eligible for tenure at the end of the school year. Michael tallied the number of years Niall had been at the school. He’d started when he was twenty-two and was now twenty-eight. He’d done his time with four one-year contracts and would be at the end of his two-year contract.

Michael focused on the principal and superintendent. The superintendent nodded. “This year, we’re extending two-year contracts to Mr. Claron, Ms. Bledel and Mr. Jepsen.”

The room erupted in applause and Mr. Barton, another of the fourth-grade teachers, slapped Michael on the back. Michael couldn’t believe what he’d heard. He’d earned the contract he’d wanted so much. He met Niall’s gaze. The warmth and happiness in Niall’s eyes resonated to Michael’s core. He shouldn’t be so happy Niall was proud, but screw it. He liked having Niall’s approval. He loved knowing Niall had been proud of him when he’d finished the race, too. But then Dex’s phone call had fucked things up.

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