I went through the motions of my morning routine on autopilot.
As I pulled on a dark blue pantsuit, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
Not too shabby.
I smiled to myself as I saved Maccon’s number in my cell. All I wanted to do was text him about how happy I was to have met him, but that seemed a little too eager. My mother’s longwinded warning about playing hard to get sounded in my head as I shoved my phone into the side pocket of my purse.
“We’ll see if he shows up tonight,” I whispered to myself under my breath as I locked my front door.
Despite not wanting to admit it, the prickling worry of never seeing Maccon again reared its ugly head.
* * *
“Morning,”Lauren Day called over to me as I filled my travel mug with coffee in the teacher’s lounge.
I smiled over at her. “Good morning.”
“Don’t you look nice.”
I smoothed out the jacket of my suit as my cheeks flared red. “Dress to impress when it comes to parent-teacher night, right?”
She twirled in her adorable sundress, laughing a little. “Don’t you know it.”
“Did you have your wine in the bath last night?” I asked, adding sweetener into my steaming coffee.
“It’s tradition,” she replied with a toothy grin. “I do love a good bath. What about you?”
I could feel the back of my neck get hot as blush took over my entire face. “I decompressed in the best of ways.”
Her eyes grew wide as she took a step closer to me. “I feel a juicy story coming in behind those words.”
I pursed my lips. “You know I am not one to kiss and tell.”
“As long as it wasn’t that deadbeat Elijah, I am happy for you.”
I pulled my hair into a ponytail, needing to do something with my hands for a minute. “He wassomuch better than Elijah ever was.”
She put her hand on my shoulder just as the bell rang. “I am going to need details later. For now, you’ve been saved by the bell.”
Chapter 11
Maccon
“Daddy, come on,” Emerson whined, pulling me into her classroom. “I want you to meet my teacher.”
With Piper in tow, we made our way into the tiny, brightly decorated space that had far too much glitter for my taste, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
Kinsley locked eyes with me from the other side of the room where she was talking with a husband and wife.
“Excuse me.” She didn’t break eye contact with me as she ducked away from the parents. “Maccon? Are you stalking me?” she whispered teasingly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“No. Emerson is my daughter.” I pulled my kid into my side, feeling completely uncomfortable and embarrassed.
“Hi, Miss Rogers.” Emerson wiggled her fingers at her teacher.
“Hey, Emerson. Thanks for bringing your parents here tonight.” Kinsley looked from me to Piper, and I was mortified.
Piper cleared her throat. “Parent,” she corrected. “I’m the aunt, Piper.”