Page 18 of I Knew He Was Trouble
And suddenly, I’ve lost my appetite.
“Hi,Ms.Kelsey!”
I search through the sea of children until I spot Evie running toward me, sporting a giant grin. I can’t hold back the smile that pulls at my lips from seeing the joy on her face.
Tyler arranged for me to meet Evie briefly last night so we’d know each other when I picked her up from school today. She was shy then—nothing like the enthusiastic girl in front of me now.
“Hey, Evie.” I kneel so I’m on her level. “Did you have a good day at school?”
“I finished writing the whole alphabet today,” she says enthusiastically as I help her into the booster seat Tyler gave me, and she buckles herself in. “Most of my friends are still on ‘m’.”
“Wow, that’s awesome.”
I can’t remember anything about kindergarten. Well, except that a boy named Owen was obsessed with me, chased me on the playground, and kissed my arm, leaving behind a ketchup stain on my favorite sweater. You know, the important things.
When I return to the driver’s seat, I ask, “Do you like your classmates?”
She regales me with all the kindergarten drama for the rest of the drive home. By the time I’m helping her out of the booster seat and grabbing her backpack, I know about everyone in her class, from the kid who is a booger-picker and which of her friends always has the best food at lunch.
I stand in front of the door and hesitate. It feels weird entering Tyler’s house without him there…like I’m breaking in even though I have a key. I’m half-worried that the cops will show up the minute I open his front door, but thankfully, instead of sirens, all I hear is the sound of Evie’s little feet pounding against the hardwood floors as she runs past me into the house.
I lock it behind us and follow her into the kitchen, placing my purse on the counter. “Let’s get you a snack.”
Evie wrinkles her nose. “Uncle Ty has healthy snacks.”
I hold up a box of fruit snacks like it’s Simba fromThe Lion King. “Except when Ms. Kelsey helps him shop.”
“You’re the best.” Her grin is the widest one I’ve seen yet.
I tear a pack of fruit snacks open and hand it to her with a cheese stick because I’m all aboutbalance.
“Can I see what homework you need to get done?” I ask as she bites into the cheese. I’ve always been more of a tear-it-and-eat-it kind of girl, you know, since it’s calledstringcheese, but I digress.
Evie pulls a blue folder from her backpack and slides it across the granite countertop. “Ms. Martinez puts new homework on one side and my graded work on the other for my mom to see.”
“Mind if I look?”
Evie shakes her head, and I sift through the pile of graded homework. I blow out a low whistle. “There’s a lot of A’s in here. You should be proud of yourself.”
She shrugs, popping another fruit snack in her mouth. “Kindergarten is easy.”
Evie’s words come out like she’s sayingthe sky is blueorTaylor Swift is the best pop star of our generation—something that’s an irrefutable fact.
I take out the single sheet of work on the other side. “This is all you have to do tonight?”
“Yep.” She reaches over, takes it, and pulls a pencil out of her backpack. Evie makes quick work of her math sheet as she finishes her snack. After putting away her homework, she smiles up at me. “Want to see my room?”
“Sure.”
I follow her up the stairs but quickly regret my decision when she opens the first door on the left.
“This is Uncle Ty’s room.”
I didn’t want to walk in Tyler’s front door, let alone see enemy territory—his bedroom. My hand pushes the door open a little further as if it has an independent brain controlling its actions.
Well, since it’s open, I may as well take a small look.My eyes roam over the space, not surprised in the slightest at how tidy it is. His whole house looks clean enough to perform surgery in, but still homey at the same time with little touches of him.
There’s a picture of Tyler with his parents, sister, and Evie on the nightstand, and a book propped open. He has the same navy blue throw pillows on a small couch and his bed, bringing a deeper tone to contrast with the house’s white walls.
