Page 27 of Meet the Teacher

Zayn spits out a bit of his beer from laughing and grabs a napkin off the counter to wipe his mouth. “You know, you’re a lot funnier than I remember, Miss Parker.”

Not sure if it’s him or the drink, but warmth makes its way from my cheeks down my entire body. I also want to be annoyed at him calling Miss Parker so much, but for some reason, I like how he says it.Stop it. Don’t fall for this heartbreaker twice,I remind myself.

“In all seriousness though, how is the school year down here treating you?”

I shrug, noticing the music getting louder. “I—well, I’m shocked, to be honest. I was starting to dread teaching, but maybe I just needed a change of scenery.”

He nods. “That’s good to hear.”

“Yeah, so far, I’m glad I gave it a second chance,” I admit—to both him and myself.

“So, you’re a believer in second chances, eh?”

“Um—” I clear my throat. “I guess so. Sometimes.” My cheeks flush harder.I really walked myself right into that one, didn’t I?

Luckily for me, he just continues the conversation. “Well, I know Riley bug is so happy you’re her teacher. She’s doing so well this year, thanks to you,” he says.

“Oh, stop it.” I wave a hand at him. “Riley is a smart, super sweet girl. She’s a great kid, Zayn.”

“Thanks, that means a lot. I try,” he says. “Here comes the bartender. Ready for another?”

“Yes, please. But I think this one will be my last for the night. Don’t need to be puking when I get on the bull. That isIFI get on the bull, I clarify.

He squints his eyes. “Don’t back out now.”

I grit my teeth as the bartender drops off our new drinks. I pick mine up, move the straw to the side and chug it back. I decide that even if I don’t get on the bull tonight, I still need an answer to a question that’s been on my mind since the pet shop. “So, I’ve been meaning to ask, is Riley’s mom Samantha Leeman?”

He opens his mouth to answer, but then the music stops for a moment and a loud voice calls over the mic, “Who dares to go next? Anyone else ready to tackle Billy the Bull?”

I look at Billy himself, trying to gauge whether or not I’m ready to go through with this. I tip back my drink once more to ensure I’ve gotten every last drop before slamming it down to announce, “Yup. I’m doing it. Summer would’ve never let me back out of this.”

I take a deep breath. “You’re gonna watch me, right?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he says with a smile.

I head over to the middle-aged man with the microphone who gives a snarky laugh at my presence.

“I’d like a ride, please” I say with confidence.

“You got this, Autumn!” Zayn shouts, walking closer to the bull-riding area. It’s basically a giant circle with padding and a fake bull in the middle.

The man whose long, gray braid hangs down over a Harley Davidson shirt under a leather jacket asks, “You sure about that, sweetheart?”

I cringe but answer, “I’m sure.”

“Okay. Name?”

“Autumn Parker.”

He stares at me with arched eyebrows for a moment. “Okay, Parker. Fill out this form and you’ll be all set.” He hands me a paper on a clipboard.

When I get to the bottom to sign my name, the man says, “Alright, you’ll want to hop on by using the foot grip where the saddle is. One hand should grab onto the center bar while the other is in the air. Hold onto that center bar as long as you can and try to use your body weight to balance out the bucks. If you can hold on for longer than ten seconds, I’ll speed it up. Any questions?”

At this point I’m so shocked I’m going through with this, so I shake my head in response.

I walk into the padded area and pause for a moment to toss my hair up into a ponytail. I whisper, “This is for you, Summer,” as I slowly mount the mechanical bull. Fear rages through my body. I steady my shaky hand by gripping tightly onto the center bar.

The man waits over by the machine and I flash him a signal to start up the bull. I raise my left hand in the air as the guy announces into the mic, “Hey folks, let’s see how long Miss Autumn Parker is able to hold her own on Billy. Here we go, in three . . . two . . . one . . . YEEHAW!” The audience yells out a resounding, “YEEHAW!”

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