“Oh…” Dismayed, I take in the two large pieces of furniture. “I hadn’t considered where I’d put them when we finished. I can keep them in the hotel room, if you need the space.”
She waves off the offer and heads toward the door. “It’s fine. Once they’re dry, I can move them to the attic, so they won’t be in my way.”
“I appreciate it.” I take off my apron and hang it on the peg by the door. “The room service is nice at the hotel, but I can’t wait to be back in a space that’s my own.”
“If you ever want a home-cooked meal, our door is always open,” she says as she leads the way around the house to the driveway. “I always cook enough for leftovers, so it’s never an imposition, even if it’s last minute.”
I follow her to my car, where she stops and slides her hands into her pockets. “Well, have a good rest of your week.”
“You, too. And thanks for today,” I say as I open my car door. “For the lesson. And for…”
I gesture toward the cottage, unable to articulate how I’m grateful for the space, the respect, and the lack of pressure these lessons have been.
She looks off to the side, her jaw working in thought before she says, “I could make this a regular Wednesday thing, if you’re interested.”
I straighten in surprise. “Are you sure?”
She scruffs her boot on the driveway. “Nathaniel and Blake have been telling me I need to take more time off. You’d be giving me an excuse to relax more.”
A flutter of excitement fills me, and I lean on the car door. “Well, if you need the excuse, I’d be happy to oblige.”
She turns back to me, and the pink in her cheeks undoes me. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Before I do something stupid, I slide behind the wheel. “I’ll be here on Wednesday.”
Chapter Eighteen
Leif
My knuckles ache as I grip the steering wheel on my way to Pinecrest Academy.
The folder of Quinn’s documentation sits on the passenger seat where Emily could have been if I’d accepted her offer. Late September sunlight glints off windshields in the oncoming lane, blinding me with each flash.
“I can handle this,” I mutter to the empty car. “I’ve dealt with Carson before.”
The words sound hollow to my own ears. Traffic slows at a yellow light, and I tap my fingers on the wheel, counting seconds until it changes. Two cars ahead, a mother adjusts her rearview mirror to check on a child in the back seat. The light turns green, and we all lurch forward.
Emily’s offer replays in my mind.I can come with you. Two sets of ears are better than one for these meetings.
It’s a standard review. I don’t need to bring a buddy to hold my hand. If I can’t come to an agreement with Carson to maintain the status quo, Blake will need to be brought in, but I hope it won’t come to that. He’s trusting me to resolve this without conflict.
But no matter how many times I tell myself this, it doesn’t ease the anxiety twisting in my gut.
Nothing about Carson Whitaker is standard, and everything with him is cause for worry. But it’s too late now to change my mind. Emily is on Misty Pines right now, at least thirty minutes away if the boat is on the island and she left right away. And my meeting starts in five minutes.
I turn onto the road leading to the academy, its manicured grounds appearing through the line of maple trees bordering the property.
Cars dot the parking lot in front of the brick building, and I find a spot near the entrance. The engine ticks as it cools, like a bomb counting down to an explosion.
“Come on, don’t be so dramatic,” I mutter as I flip down the visor mirror and inspect my reflection.
Dark circles shadow my eyes from a restless night. I straighten my collar, smooth a hand over my hair, and adjust the tie I haven’t worn since I started work in Misty Pines. The Wright Pack doesn’t stand on formality, and the damn thing now circles my throat like a noose.
With a sigh, I lean my head back on the headrest and focus on my breathing. I can do this. The school counselor will be present.Everything will be fine.
Grabbing the folder, I climb out of the car. Cool air bites at my cheeks, damp with leaf rot and wet grass. Classes are still underway, leaving the school hushed as I jog toward the main entrance.
I pull the right door open, steel myself, and step inside.