Page 43 of Hers to Tame
“I brought his seventh grade one too. Everybody is unattractive in middle school.” Flipping through the book, I find Colin.
“Seriously!” He’s already developed his charming, panty-dropping smile. The only difference is the braces on his teeth. “Who looks that good in junior high?” I ask as Julien just shakes his head, returning to the library.
Maggie: Based on what I’m looking at in both elementary and junior high, you really should have a lot of pretty babies.
Colin: Are you offering? I can catch the next plane out!I should have known he was too quick to let it go. I have to remember he is much better at witty banter than I am.
“Hey, Maggie. Are you ready for the next round of workshops?” I jump when one of the other teachers speaks to me from the door. Dropping the phone in my desk, I stand up, joining her.
The afternoon is filled with workshops so it’s time to leave before I fish my phone back out of my desk. There are probably ten texts from Colin, each one a little more panicky than the previous.
Colin: I’m just kidding.Was the first, growing more dramatic with each text.
Colin:I think I’ll be okay once these heart machines are hooked up. The bag I was breathing into just wasn’t working.It’s the last and most Oscar worthy.
Maggie: So much drama, Mr. Rhett! I’ll call you when I get home.
When I get home, I find a bouquet of flowers sitting on the table beside my front door. They don’t look like they’ve been here very long but there’s no note with them. I would assume that Colin had sent them, but they’re not the kind that a florist would deliver.
They look like a bunch put together at a flower stand instead. It’s probably a good bet that somebody had the wrong house but didn’t want to keep lugging them around. Shrugging, I walk in my house to hunt a vase. I might as well enjoy them.
“I didn’t mean to freak you out with the whole baby thing,” Colin says as soon as he answers his phone. “I don’t know why I always say the most fucked-up things around you. I figured you hopped the first plane out of the country.” I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up inside me.
“Hello works when you answer the phone too, but sure, bring babies right back into it. Man, you really have that on the brain don’t you?” I listen to dead silence for a minute on the phone.
“So, I’ve pretty much just proved my case. I have always been and will continue to be a complete idiot around you,” he finally answers.
“You might be a lot of things, Colin Rhett, but I don’t remember ever thinking that the valedictorian of one of the most prestigious college prep schools in Ft. Worth could ever be called an idiot.”
“Are you still toting around that stupid annual?” I can hear the smile in his voice. It makes me miss him so much it hurts.
“I am. The seventeen-year-old me intends to get myself off later looking at the eighteen-year-old you.” I have to hold in the giggle I feel when I hear the hiss he lets out.
“You have a very dirty mind, Miss Emerson. It’s going to be the death of me,” he whispers in a growl. I didn’t even know you could whisper and growl at the same time but he somehow pulls it off.
“I’ll make you a deal, counselor. How about after I crawl in bed later, I give you a call so you can help me out with that. I wouldn’t mind adding a little audio to my visual later.” I can hear him hum for a few beats.
“And that’s exactly how a grown-ass man comes in his work slacks like a fucking teenage boy. Call me later, babe. I have a mess to clean up.” I laugh as he hangs up. With most men, I would think he was just kidding but this was the same man that had to hang up once before for the same problem and that time, we were just discussing books!
The rest of the week is uneventful. By Saturday, I am ready for ladies’ night with my friends. Sometimes we go out to a bar, but with Izzy pregnant, we’ve vowed to stick to our homes instead. This time it’s Lily’s turn to host. I’ve already bought a bottle of wine for the occasion. Even being pregnant, Izzy insists that the rest of us still enjoy our mandatory night of wine and pizza.
As I’m walking to my car outside my house, I could swear someone is watching me. After looking around for a few seconds I see no one though, so I shrug it off.
“Grayson and Teddy are going to drive me crazy. I’ve never heard two people argue about how to move the furniture more than those two.” Izzy is explaining the tribulations of moving to their new house. Grayson bought it for her as a Christmas present promising they would start moving right after the honeymoon.
“On a good note, I should have plenty of money in the swear jar to decorate the baby’s room!” she adds. I’ve observed one of the cussing explosions Grayson has over Teddy’s foul mouth. They are really funny.
“I hate to tell you then, Matt is completely moved into the condo.” Lily laughs when Izzy flips her off. “Don’t be angry,” she chastises. “He really didn’t have much.” Turning to me she asks, “So where is Colin this weekend?”
“In Kansas City. I told him I had too much to do this weekend.”
“I’m amazed he didn’t come down anyway. Did y’all make up after that academy award-winning scene outside the reception?” Claire asks. When Izzy looks confused, they fill her in on what happened.
“He did not say that! If I was still there, I would have had Grayson kick his ass. I might anyway, just for good measure.” Izzy looks at me, amazed. “So don’t leave us hanging. What happened after that? I can’t believe I was on some stupid island when all of this went down.”
“You were on your honeymoon!” I say. “Grayson would have noticed if you hadn’t been there. Anyway, he showed up at the house every day trying to apologize. Finally he just said it all through the front door. How many times can any of you claim to have heard Colin call himself an asshole?”
“That has to be a record or something, although he has been known to be one on numerous occasions,” Dia adds. “But what happened after that? We need details.”
