Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
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Summertime in Big Ridge is living, breathing chaos.
Even at seven in the morning, traffic into town is backed up.
The tourist strip is a few blocks removed from the local downtown, but they’re close enough that I’m stuck behind a line of tail lights, winding through the only mountainous road that leads to town.
I grab my phone to send her a text, then remember she blocked our numbers.
Sally Mae said she wanted space and that we needed to respect it.
It hurt knowing even her mom was mad at us, but as the years went on, she wasn’t as angry.
But Callie was. She didn’t want to talk to us, hear about us, or discuss anything related to the Williams family.
Traffic starts to flow, and I toss the phone aside, remembering how we all got here.
Once upon a time I was pretty sure Callie was end game. Not just for me. For Jax and Knox too. Knox would never share though. Jax and I have lived our lives sharing, so us dating the same woman makes sense. Not to mention, it almost worked.
Until fucking Penelope. She caught me and Jax with Callie, used Knox’s phone to record everything, and posted it.
That night was the last time I saw her, and the feel of her soft body against mine is burned in my memories.
So much so that I can’t even bring myself to date.
Knox has been single ever since he ditched Penelope, and Jax isn’t much for dating either.
Much to my Aunt Lulu’s consternation, we’re perpetual bachelors.
If she had it her way, we’d all be married and have three kids apiece by now.
I think part of the reason why none of us have settled down is because of Callie.
She’s always had a special hold on us. I think we all fell in love the day we met at the summer festival and she stuck a lizard down Knox’s pants.
Chuckling to myself, I pull into the elementary school parking lot, taking my usual spot, and eye Callie’s now empty RAV-4.
What’s she doing here?
Tommy, a second grader still missing his front tooth, jogs past me. “S’up, bruh?”
“Nothing much, bruh.”
He spins around and walks backward toward the door, blond hair flopping as he bounces with every step. “Do you think that an Indominus rex could beat a t-rex?”
“T-rex is the OG.”
“The what?” Tommy stops walking and wrinkles his nose.
Chuckling, I shake my head. “The T-rex is the original dino king. I don’t know if a made-up dinosaur could beat it.”
“Yeah, but the Indominus is part velociraptor. It’s smart.”
I squint at him and open the door, holding it for him. “You know, you kind of look like you’re part raptor.”
He rolls his eyes. “No I don’t.”
The air conditioning hits me, and I sigh.
The fully functioning AC units were a big upgrade when they built the new building ten years ago.
I don’t know how anyone could teach without it.
I’d go crazy, and my second graders would probably love that.
I follow Tommy into the building. Summer school might be a necessity, but convincing kids to spend their vacation indoors is its own special challenge.
It’s up to the teachers to make it fun.
The hallway hums with the sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor and children’s voices bouncing off lockers.
I high-five a few students on my way to the cafeteria, where chaos is spawned.
Most horror movies have it all wrong. It’s not some grown dude in a mask that’s scary. A hundred kids full of sugar?
That’s terrifying.
“Mr. Williams! Jason put a frog in my backpack!” A girl with pigtails tugs on my arm right before I reach the cafeteria door.
I keep walking, gently leading her alongside me. “Did you thank him for the free pet?”
“Ew, no!” Her face scrunches in disgust before breaking into a giggle. “Mr. Williams! Frogs can’t be pets.”
“Are you sure?” I shake my head. “Maybe that’s why all my frogs run away.”
She giggles some more.
I smile. “Let’s find your backpack and relocate your amphibian friend, shall we?”
The cafeteria doors swing open to reveal organized mayhem.
Tables have been set up around the perimeter.
One is piled with colorful lunchboxes and water bottles, another with name tags waiting to be claimed.
The snack station is already being circled by hungry kids like sharks scenting blood. See? Terrifying.
My gaze immediately finds Callie. She stands with her back to me, her dark hair pulled into a ponytail.
She’s wearing jeans and a loose t-shirt that somehow still manages to hug her curves in all the right places.
Ten years and my body still responds like I’m seventeen and in love with my best friend who’s a year older than me.
Aspen pops up next to her, clipboard in hand and a huge grin.
Always the ray of sunshine, that one, but I prefer thunderclouds and rain.
My gaze strays back to Callie. They’re deep in conversation, heads bent together, and I find myself moving toward them without conscious thought. Frogs all but forgotten.
Callie turns, catches my gaze, and freezes. For one heartbeat, everything else disappears. It’s me and those hazel eyes I’ve dreamed about for years. She blinks and looks away. The moment shatters. Reality comes crashing into me.
We’re so far from where we used to be.
“I need something to do,” she tells Aspen, voice thin.
“Parents are starting to arrive and those waiver forms still need signatures.” Aspen points, her eyes darting between us with poorly disguised interest.
“On it.” Callie practically runs away.
I force myself to turn away, to do my damn job.
I help extract the frog and carry him to safety.
Then I help a little boy with his name tag, check in with a group of my students huddled around the books I set out yesterday, but my awareness never leaves her.
Every movement, every laugh, every time she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
. . I catch it all from the corner of my eye like some love-sick teenager.
Pull it together, Brax.
A parent catches me to discuss her son’s reading progress, and I nod along, offering reassurances while watching Callie work the room.
She’s always been good with people. She has a natural charm that makes everyone feel like they’re the most important person in any space she occupies.
Right now, she’s helping a dad figure out the waiver form while his daughter clings to his leg.
He eyes her like he’s hungry and she’s his next snack.
Like fucking hell. When I finally catch a break, I make my way over as she’s finishing up.
I give the guy a pointed look. “How’s the wife, Mr. Carter?” My gaze slips to the ring on his finger.
He narrows his eyes. “Fine. Thanks for asking.”
I smirk, shoving my hands into my pockets. “Tell her I said hi.”
Scowling at me, he nods. Oh he’s pissed, but what did he expect? Callie would never go for a married man. He’s a creep. There’s no way I’m letting him near my girl.
Callie is so intent on ignoring me, she’s oblivious to all of this. “That’s it, Mr. Carter. Just initial here and we’re good to go.” Her grin is professional.
I wait until the father walks away before stepping into her space. “Didn’t know you were moonlighting as school staff these days, Alley cat.”
She stiffens at the nickname. “It’s a favor for Aspen.”
The tension between us is a living thing, thick enough to touch. Ten years of unspoken words, apologies, accusations hover in the air between us like a grenade. Someone has to reach out and pull the pin.
“Callie, about what happened—”
“Don’t.” She glances around, making sure no one’s within earshot. “This isn’t the time or place.”
“Then when is?” I lean in closer, lowering my voice. “You can’t avoid me forever. Not in Big Ridge.”
A muscle twitches in her jaw. “Watch me.”
There’s so much I want to say. How Jax and I spent months searching for her after she left.
How Knox nearly drank himself into oblivion.
How nothing’s felt right since she disappeared.
How dad asked for her on his death bed, and she wouldn’t answer our calls.
The last part makes me a little angry. I know she was hurt, but she turned around and hurt the people who loved her too.
Before I can get another word in, Aspen’s voice cuts through the room, hands clapping for attention.
“All right, everyone! Time to start our day! Parents, thank you for dropping off your little ones. Kids, let’s line up by grade level!”
Callie steps back, relief washing over her face at the interruption. “Duty calls.”
“This conversation isn’t over,” I tell her, watching her eyes narrow.
“It was ten years ago. Let it go.”
I shake my head, letting her walk away for now. But only for now. I’ve waited too long for a second chance. I’ll be damned if I’m letting her slip through my fingers again.
Callie’s been on my mind all morning, so much so that I forgot to print out the writing practice sheets. As soon as I get the class settled on a task and make sure the assistant is okay to be alone for a moment, I head to the office, heaving out a heavy breath.
Summer school is always hard. A lot of the kids are here because they didn’t have the proper support at home or because traditional schools aren’t the best setting for them.
It’s nice to be able to help them progress, but somehow the short few weeks I’m with them is always more exhausting than an entire school year.
I turn a corner and run straight into Callie, who’s wide-eyed and panicked outside of her classroom full of students. “Whoa, everything okay?”
She looks at me, and I expect walls, her icing me out again, but there’s vulnerability in her gaze that makes me instantly protective.
“What happened?”
“What if I can’t do it?” Her eyes flick back and forth between mine. “What if I can’t teach them art?”