Page 7 of Best Frenemies

“Ah!” he hums, shaking a dramatic finger between our faces. “Whatdon’tthey have to do with it, Katy Cat?”

I sigh at both his riddle-like answer and the ridiculously annoying nickname he gave me a year and a half ago and shake my head. “Never mind. I better get back to my classroom so my students don’t have to wait any longer than they already have.”

“Gotcha,” Mack taunts with a wink, strolling back in through his door, only to lean back out into the hallway dramatically, not quite done with me yet. “Oh, we’ll be on the rooftop terrace if you get done with time to spare. Bring your kids out to play. We’ve got plenty of balloons.”

I shake my head again and smile sarcastically, enhancing the expression with an over-the-top thumbs-up. A deep, throaty laugh jumps from his lungs and makes the strong cords of his neck flex, and my chest tightens.

I don’t know how on earth someone so annoying can be so attractive, but I know one thing with certainty—I can’t wait to be free of work,and him—and on the beach for a whole week.

“Oh, by the way. I almost forgot to tell you,” he adds. “We have to meet with Principal Harris during lunch today.”

“What?” I scrunch up my nose. “Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“You didn’t ask her why?” I quirk my brow, and he just shrugs.

“Didn’t see the point. She’ll tell us at lunch.” And then, he turns on his heel and heads back into his classroom.

Seriously?

Any sane, normal human being would have asked her, butno, not Mack Houston. That man just skates his good-looking ass through life without a damn care in the world. I, on the other hand, will be overthinking this meeting for the next two hours.

Good grief.I loathe him so much it’s physically painful.

Now, I just have to make it through the rest of today,includingthe meeting I apparently have with Principal Harris, and then, it’ssunny Florida, here I come.

The end-of-day dismissal bell can’t come soon enough.

Mack

The lunchroom is rowdy as I drop off my class at their assigned table and give high fives on my way through the others. One enthusiastic child throws an Uncrustable at me in hopes of bringing me to a stop, but I just rip it out of the package as I walk and turn back to look him directly in the eye while I take a bite.

That’s the thing about young kids—you can never give them an inch, or they’ll take a mile. And in order to be the Fun Teacher like me, youhaveto maintain control. Fun without control would just be pandemonium. And despite what Katy Dayton thinks, that’snotwhat’s going on in room 216.

Sandwich lesson instilled, I head toward the front of the school for the “big meeting” with my two biggest fans.

Several teachers stop me to say hello, and Mona even pops her head out of the nurse’s office at the sound of my voice.

Eventually, though, I make my way into the reception area and offer Betty and Carol a smile and a wink while sliding by them on my way to the principal’s office at the back.

“Well, well, well, Mr. Houston, it’s so nice of you to join us,” Principal Dana greets when I step through her office door. Katy is already sitting down in one of the chairs across from her desk, and the scrunched-up look on her pretty face makes it apparent she is not any more thrilled to see me now than she was two periods ago.

“Am I late?” I question innocently, already knowing that I am. Schmoozing the staff as I walk takes time.

“Only ten minutes,” Katy mutters under her breath. “But that’s nothing new.”

Principal Dana smirks and pulls out a nail file, loving every second of Katy’s disdain for me. I think she’s hoping if she gives Katy the space, she’ll do the legwork of eating me alive.

But this isn’t the first time Katy and I have been in this office together, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Ms. Dayton’s not shy about airing her grievances about me and my classroom as regularly as possible.

This year, the only thing standing in her way is that Principal Dana rarely agrees to meetings. Something about them getting in the way of her “self-care” time.

I sit down in the seat beside Katy, and I swear to God, she moves her body away from me on instinct. With her long legs crossed and her shoulders pointed away from me, it’s like her entire being revolts against my presence.

She sees us as straight-up rivals. I see our battles as a pastime. One thing is for sure—we are not built the same.

Truth be told, I’ve always had a bit of a thing for her. Maybe it’s her unattainable nature that calls to me—most women aren’t a challenge—but she’s also beautiful and complex. A little uptight, sure, but she’s got these big blue eyes and flawless skin and an almost majestic shade of brownish-copper hair that makes her feel a little otherworldly.

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