Page 50 of Scoop Me Up
I frowned and stopped, suspicious of her greeting. “Good morning, Ms. Finch.”
“I hear you were out on the town last night. Tired?”
I closed my eyes briefly.Damn small towns.And Ms. Finch was one of the worst gossips of them all. “No, ma’am. You must have heard wrong. I was actually home pretty early last night.”
She frowned, obviously unprepared for me to refute her claim. “Hmm. Maybe.” A moment passed. “Can I do something for you?”
I shook my head. “I’m just looking for Principal Carnell.”
She nodded her head in that direction. “Go right on back. He’s just getting the day started.”
“Thanks,” I said, trying to shake off the momentary derailment. I kept walking until I came to the principal’s office, the one with a little name placard that read “Max Carnell, Principal,” and knocked tentatively.
“Come in,” a voice called behind the door.
I pushed it open to find Max sitting behind his desk, focused on his laptop. After a moment’s hesitation, I closed the door behind myself and cleared my throat.
Max looked up at me, brows drawn close. “Sam, what can I do for you?” He knew something was up, I could tell. “Is this about last night? Because I have no issues with you dating a student’s parent. I trust you to exercise good judgment.”
I sighed softly and sank onto the chair in front of the desk.Jesus Christ, this town.“No, it’s not about last night.” My throat was tight with anxiety, and I swallowed hard.
Max’s frown deepened. “What is it then?”
How is it possible that everyone on the planet knows about Gabe and me, but Max hasn’t heard the news about the ice cream shop?I wondered briefly. A second passed and I shook my head to clear it. “Sorry. It’s just… I won the Frozen Fest flavor contest.”
His expression turned from worry to pride, a bright smile on his face. “I heard you won again. We’re very proud of you. I was thinking of finding a way to incorporate your ice cream passion into the school year next year. You could possibly lead a unit on food creation. How does that sound?”
I nodded slowly. “It sounds great. But… I don’t think that will be possible.”
Max tilted his head slightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll get the funding approved.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s—I’m here to put in my resignation.”
He didn’t respond for a moment, brow dipping in confusion. “You’re… leaving?”
“Because of my continued success with Frozen Fest, and a few other factors, I’ve been given the opportunity to open my own ice cream shop. It’s always been my dream. I don’t want to miss out on this chance, so I’ve signed a two-year lease. We open in August.”
After a quiet moment, he nodded slowly. “I understand. You’ll be sorely missed—by students and adults alike. Will you be finishing out summer camp?”
“Yes,” I said in a rush. “Of course. I've already got my parent volunteers prepped and ready for next week. Next Friday will be my last official day. I'll come in and pack up my things one day the week after camp ends.”
Max nodded again. “I appreciate your time here. You’re a great teacher and we’re sad to lose you, but I understand a thing or two about following your dreams. Maybe we can bring the kids by for a field trip sometime, once you’re up and running.”
I gave him a genuine smile. “Thanks, Max. I appreciate you, too. You’ve been a great boss.”
He winked at me. “Hopefully your next one will be just as good.” At that moment, the bell rang, indicating the start of the day. “Time for announcements. Let me know if you need anything at all while you’re making this transition.”
“Of course.” I stood, a warm contentment radiating from my chest, and headed to my classroom to get the day underway. As I did, my phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Miles: The foreman wants to change things up. Can you meet today after school?
It only took me a second to reply before I stepped into my classroom, students already unloading backpacks and setting up in their stations. I looked around the room, stricken by sadness. I’d miss it. I’d especially miss the students, whom I loved, and I had no idea how I was going to break it to them, but a different future awaited me. My childhood dreams were starting to come true.
The day went smoothly and by the time I was ready to leave school, I was giddy with excitement over meeting with the project foreman and getting the renovations underway. When I arrived at the building, I stood on the sidewalk in front for a few long moments, staring up at the second-story windows.
Mine, I thought.Well—not entirely mine. Mine-adjacent. Whatever.Either way, I felt the enormity of what was happening, a weight settling on my shoulders like a blanket. This was happening. It wasreallyhappening.
When I stepped inside, I found Miles chatting with Luke MacDougall. His eyes lit up when he spotted me.
