Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Elle
I barely got my ass into the lunch chair before Molly started in on me. "So did you call him?"
"I did."
"And..." She motioned for me to keep talking. "Are you going to make me beg?"
I laughed at her antics as I took my sandwich out of my lunch bag and set it out along with my chips. "And he was crawling around in the mud training. Apparently they start at four a.m. or oh four hundred as he called it."
I watched as Molly's jaw dropped to the floor. "Who in their right mind willingly wakes up that early to crawl around in the mud?"
I had to agree with her. There was no way you were getting my ass up that early to do much of anything.
"Rhett and his team it would seem."
"Yikes! Well, good for him. Did he say why he practically ghosted your texts yesterday?"
I shook my head. "Not exactly but we talked about him being a jerk about it and how he's still figuring out being my friend. He promised to call me tonight."
"That's good at least. As long as he follows through."
"I think he will." At least I hoped so. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but there was no way I would become a doormat. That wasn't the kind of woman I was. "He did text me after I got off the phone with him."
I unlocked my phone and pulled up the text. Then slid it across the table so that Molly could see.
"Girllll." Molly squealed. "He called you beautiful."
"I know."
"And all you said was 'you too'?"
I dropped my forehead to the table with a slight thwack and groaned. "I froze. He caught me off guard, and I completely froze. I wanted to send him something clever afterward, but I swear my brain short-circuited."
"I got this."
Before I even realized what was happening, Molly's fingers flew across my phone. I reached out to grab it back, but it was already too late.
"Sent." Molly gave me a satisfied look, and I was afraid to see what she had to say but forced myself to look anyway.
ELLE
I hope you're enjoying getting dirty, handsome (winking emoji)
"Oh my God, you didn't."
I went to delete the message, but it was already too late. The little bubbles appeared next to Rhett's name to let me know he was texting me back.
RHETT
I would enjoy it better if you were here
I could feel my face heat up.
"He texted you back, didn't he? Let me see."
Molly snatched the phone out of my hands before I could pull it to my chest. "I knew it. He totally wants you."
"Give me that." I managed to grab the phone back before she could do any more damage. "And it doesn't matter if he wants me or not, I don't know if I could handle the kind of job he has."
All joking aside, what Rhett did for a living was dangerous as seen by the bullet he took just this past weekend. Could I handle knowing he was going out on an assignment and possibly getting hurt?
I didn't think so.
"So you want a boring, stuffy man who sits behind a desk? Because he too could die from being hit by a car crossing the street."
"It's not the same, and you know it."
"Maybe not, but are you really going to live your life with what-ifs? How is that living?"
I really hated when she was right. Of course I didn't say that though. Instead I picked up my sandwich and took a bite even though I had no ambition to eat anything. My stomach was in knots.
It wasn't until I finished chewing that I found the words to answer her. "We're just friends."
Molly popped a grape in her mouth. "You keep telling yourself that."
The rest of lunch, we ate in silence. Molly eating more than me as I picked at my food. By the time the period was over, I was more than eager to get back to my classroom and hopefully some kind of normal.
I managed to make it through the rest of the day without looking at my phone every five minutes.
If my students noticed that there was something wrong, they didn't say anything, which gave me hope they didn't notice.
It wasn't until I was on my way home that my phone rang again.
A quick glance showed Rhett was calling.
"Hello?"
Rhett's chuckle filled my vehicle. "You sound surprised to hear from me. I told you I would call."
"I just assumed it wouldn't be until later tonight."
"You know what they say about assuming." Rhett laughed once again, and the tension I was feeling all afternoon slipped away.
"Something about making an ass out of you and me, I think," I teased him back, and it felt good to fall into a natural conversation.
"Yup, something like that." I wished I could see Rhett's face. I wanted to watch as he laughed and smiled. It was good to hear, but I wanted to see it as well. "So how was the rest of your workday?"
"Uneventful. The kids were good and did their work as asked."
"Is it ever eventful?"
"Oh yes." I chuckled. "Usually when my team teacher does a science experiment. It gets all the kids rowdy and then they come back to me hyped up like she gave them spoonfuls of sugar."
Whatever Molly had up her sleeve clearly didn't get done today, and secretly I was thankful. There were only so many times I could handle the craziness she brought to my classroom.
"Does that happen often?"
I laughed so hard I snorted, then immediately covered my mouth and nose like it would help take the noise I made back.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" It was a good thing we weren't on a video call. I was saved from Rhett seeing just how embarrassed I was.
"For what? Making a cute sound."
I didn't think it was possible for me to get even more red than I already was, but one look in my rearview mirror at myself and it was obvious that I could.
"Anywho..." I cleared my throat and made Rhett chuckle. "To answer your question, yes, it happens often. Almost once a week if I'm being honest."
"One science experiment a week? Is that normal?"
Ha! Nothing about Molly was normal, but instead of saying that, I tamed my answer a bit. "Molly is known for her crazy ideas."
"Was she the one who recommended you go out last Friday?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. It's all her fault I was out in the city."
"Then tell her I said thank you. Without her, I never would've gotten to meet you."
Was it possible to swoon while driving? Because I was pretty sure that was exactly what I was doing right now.
"Okay." My voice came out in a squeak, and it was a good thing I was pulling onto my road because what more could I say to that.
Clearly Rhett didn't have much to contribute either because the two of us stayed quiet as I parked and opened my car door.
"Are you home?" he asked after I slammed the SUV door shut.
"Yup. I just got here."
"Good, I can finally see your face." At first, I was confused by what he meant, but then it became clear just seconds later.