Page 55 of The Ex Next Door
“Oh, Declan.” She lowered herself back to him, curling into him, cradling him tight.
He would have blamed himself.
“It’s okay.” He tightened his arms around her. “The father was arrested and worked out a plea deal of some sort. Anger management. The family moved out of the area, which was probably the best thing for the kid, too. He wasn’t going to easily live that ordeal down. Being benched somehow was now the least of his problems. Anyway, after that, I needed a break from teaching.”
For the first time, Amy wondered how many teachers were serving cocktails or hawking their wares because they felt safer there than they did in a classroom.
“No one can blame you for stepping away.”
“Well, no one but my father. He can’t accept that I’m going to let this one event color the rest of my life.”
“Are you?”
“I learned a lot about myself through the process and I’m not sure I’m cut out for teaching the upper grades.”
“You’d do really well with grade-school kids. David and Naomi adore you.”
“It’s a thought.”
“It would be funny if we both wound up teaching at the same school.”
“Got to say, I wouldn’t mind seeing you every day in the teachers’ lounge.”
“I’d always have your back, and I wouldn’t be quiet about it, either.”
He chuckled and rolled to a sitting position, getting up and offering his hand. “I know.”
“It’s getting late.” She stood, adjusting her tousled hair and straightening her rumpled clothes.
“I’ll walk you next door.”
They held hands, and when they crossed into her side of the lawn, Declan pulled her close for another deep kiss. It went on for days, forcing her to reconsider going home. She was out of breath when they broke apart. Funny, she would have thought she’d have more questions for Declan, such as “Where is this going? Do we have a future? Are we exclusive?” But Declan had always made her feel so secure and safe. He’d made himself clear without any words. This time, she had the answers for somethingheneeded to know before they went any further.
“You were honest with me since the first day we moved in. I know what you want and what you’re looking for. But I just ended a marriage not long ago, and I can’t promiseyou anything. I’m just rediscovering who I am. I have kids, and an ex I’ll have to co-parent with for the next ten years. Pretty sure I’m going to have my ex’s partner involved soon. I don’t know what’s happening or where I’m going. But I have a plan. You’ll just have to be patient if you want to be with me.” She sighed, closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to his chest. “But as far as I’m concerned, I want to see where this goes. Where we go this time around.”
“Tinks, I’ll take whatever you have to give and do it with a smile on my face.”
He wouldn’t be the only one smiling. It was all she needed to know.
Chapter Sixteen
Amy quietly closed the front door, hoping not to wake Mom and Lou, who’d pulled out the sofa bed in the living room. Lou was on his side, snoring away.
Amy tiptoed halfway to her bedroom when she heard Mom.
“Have a good night?”
She jumped what felt like three feet in the air and held a hand to her throat. “You scared me!”
“Why? I’m just standing here,” she said from the dark kitchen.
“In the darkness, like an ax murderer!” Amy hissed, switching on a light.
“You watch too many crime shows. The truck pulling up next door woke me.About an hour ago.” The last sentence was said with emphasis.
“Yes, we… It’s hard to go right to sleep after working. We were both kind of wound up, so we were just hanging out together…you know, talking about work and stuff.”
“It’s thestuffwhich I’m worried about.”
