Page 33 of Love Undecided
Chapter 13
Brad
I leave the precinct to head toward the elementary school. Once I'm in the truck, I radio in to the station to let them know where I'll be. The station has a large SUV that we use about town, or when the Chief has to be somewhere that is non-emergency.
Or, like today, when I want to check on Kat.
Or, apparently, visit Stacy Hunter’s class.
A feeling of dread comes over me as I pull up to the school. The kids are still at recess and Stacy is in the yard with them. She must have been looking for my station car, because she waves as soon as I pull up. The kids all run to the fence to say hi. I steel my shoulders and make my way on to school grounds.
“Hey hon,” she says. “We are so happy you are here, aren’t we kids?”
The kids chime in with little cries of ‘yes’ and scramble over one another to reach the gate where I’ll be entering the playground from.
Stacy comes over and gives me a quick peck on the lips.
“Not appropriate, Stac,” I say wiping at my lips. She just giggles.
One of the girls taps me on the elbow. “Are you Miss Hunter’s boyfriend?”
“No,” I say at the same time Stacy says, “yes.”
I sigh, frustrated. I need to break it off with Stacy. There just never seems to be a good time to do it. It's gone on too long and she's getting way too involved.
We both agreed in the beginning that it was casual, just sex, and that it wouldn't lead to anything more. And that is because I'm in love with someone else. I was brutally honest with her about it. She said she just wanted to fuck a fireman. That it was a fantasy of hers. That she's not a commitment type of girl.
I should have known better. Every girl I've met who says she's not a commitment type of girl is the exact opposite.
The bell rings, signaling the end of recess. Stacy’s class aide starts to herd the kids into the classroom. Stacy grabs my forearm and hooks her arm through mine to walk into the class. I carefully disengage myself from her.
“Stacy, I’m on duty.”
“I know, but I’ve missed you,” she says, with a pout. “Can I make you dinner tonight?”
“I can’t tonight. But we do need to get together, to talk.”
We are inside the class by now and she takes that moment to clap her hands to get the attention of the kids, so I’m not sure that she heard me or not.
“Class,” she says. “We have a special treat today. A real-life hero is going to talk to us about safety with strangers. He’s an extremely brave firefighter, and someone who is very special to me. Let’s give him an extra warm welcome, Lieutenant Brad Matthews with the San Soloman Fire Department.”
I’m not happy that she introduces me as someone who is very special to her. I can’t be any clearer about our situation, and my lack of feelings for her. It’s like she doesn’t process what I’m actually saying, and just believes what she wants to about us. I know this game she’s playing, and it doesn’t end well for her.
I finish with my part of the talk in about fifteen minutes, then spend another ten answering questions about being Miss Hunter’s boyfriend. She walks me out to my truck after, leaving the class in the hands of her aide.
“Shouldn’t you be in there with them?” I ask.
“No, they’re fine with Anna. I often have other things to do that take me out of the class. Besides, if I stayed there, I wouldn’t be able to do this.” She reaches down to cup me.
“Stacy, what the fuck!” I pull her hand away from me and thrust it back at her.
“Baby,” she whines.
We reach the truck and I open the door to get in.
“Stacy, look—”
“I know what you’re going to say.”
