Chapter 6
Holly
“Bye, Ms. Robins!” Thomas shouts as he grabs his dad’s hand and I grin as I wave towards him before looking down at Caleb who is still standing beside me despite calling his name ten students ago.
With a raised brow he grins while Lyra tells Ice all about my cousin’s messed up one night stand, a story I wish she wouldn’t repeat but by the amusement in Ice’s eyes, he thinks it’s funny which it is.
I just wish my daughter didn’t witness Matty’s poor choices come banging on the front door.
***
“You need to leave my man's house right now!” the woman in a barely there dress demands as she stands on my doorstep with her hands on her hips, where her dress is cut out on both sides, though it doesn’t look like the dress came that way.
I blink at her words, then blink again as Lyra’s giggles echo.
What does she mean her man's? I slowly close my eyes as it clicks.
For god sake. Am I surprised Matty slept with a girl who wanted that much attention that she cut her own clothes to make it look slutty? Uh, no.
What I am surprised about is the fact she had found out where he lived and decided to track the man down.
“You mean my house?” I confirm as I look at the delusional woman and she narrows her eyes at me and I know she isn’t going to go quietly. I sigh before calling, “Matty, it’s for you,” not wanting to deal with this.
The woman growls, clearly unhappy that I’m not doing as she asked and barges past me, shoving me against the door and I gasp in shock because, seriously, I didn’t expect it, as she then storms into my home like a crazed lunatic.
For the love of… Matty knows how to pick them huh?
“You’re married with a kid?!” I hear her screech before Lyra’s little voice echoes, “I’m not his kid, he’s mine and my mama’s cousin.
” At that Matty groans loudly as she asks, “Why are your clothes cut funny?” Then, unhelpfully, she states, “My mama said it’s naughty to cut your clothes.
You should fix them before your mama finds out. ”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what it is like with a now seven-year-old.
I snort as amusement takes over from the anger I felt that this woman has brought her jealous, clingy crap to my home.
Lyra can’t keep her thoughts from escaping her mouth, and the woman’s horrified screech shows she didn’t find it as funny as I did.
***
"Ms. Robins?" Caleb asks and I raise a brow at him while Ice chuckles at Lyra’s story, glancing my way to check if it’s true. I nod, which makes him grin widely, then, I give my full attention to Caleb, who clearly has an idea.
“Yes, sweetheart?” I ask just as Mrs. Jones shouts, “Tyler, will you get down from there!”
I try not to roll my eyes and keep them on Caleb. I seriously don’t know how she got past her interview. She shouldn’t teach kids, she lacks patience.
“Tonight my dad is making chili,” he says, and I nod because okay, but I soon wince when he asks, “Can you and Lyra come for dinner?”
Oh crap.
"Lyra’s had his chili before," he continues while I try to think of a way out of this but the boy isn’t backing down, "She really loved it, and I think you would too."
He blinks his big blue eyes at me, giving me that look kids use to get their way and most normally get what they want. I look up at Ice for help, but he just grins.
Double crap.
I clear my throat, seeing he is going to be of no help, and I try, “I don’t think that would be a good idea, sweetheart,” and his bottom lip juts out even further and a knot forms in my stomach.
Triple crap.
Here I am, basically thinking that Mrs. Jones shouldn’t be a teacher because she has no patience with her kids, I struggle to say no, and the puppy-dog eyes Caleb is currently giving me…
Damn.
“He has a point, you know. Dirty's chili is really good and all you have to do is show up at around five-ish,” Ice jumps in, and I narrow my eyes at the man with suspicion.
It isn’t lost on me that I haven’t met Caleb’s dad yet, whose name I am guessing is Dirty.
Every drop-off and pickup, it’s been either Ice or a brother, but never Caleb's father, and I think showing up without him knowing will not go down very well, especially with a stranger.
I open my mouth to decline as Ice subtly shakes his head to tell me not to, when Lyra decides to jump in and practically begs, “Oh, can we, Mama? Please, can we?”
I blink as she links her fingers and places them under her little chin and bats her icy blue eyes at me, copying Caleb, and Ice chuckles as I slowly drop my head and nod, giving in.
As I said, I just can’t seem to say no when they look at me like that, which is another reason I would suck at being a kindergarten or first-grade teacher.
Sighing, I say, “I just need to grab our things and clean up the class room quickly. Why don’t you go ahead, and I’ll get there around five.”
Ice raises a brow, and I roll my eyes before confirming, “Meet at the clubhouse?”
He nods with a smirk, then says, “Come on, buddy, let’s go let Dad know there are an extra two for dinner.”
Caleb cheers, making me half-smile as Lyra says, “See you soon, Mr. Ice,” and I grin.
Her and her ‘Mr.’.
***
Forty five minutes later, it’s nearly five and a lump forms in my throat and nerves fill me and right now, I don’t know if this is a good idea as I pull up to large metal gates. To the right, a guard booth holds a man inside looking at me with suspicion and I swallow hard.
Lyra sings away in the backseat, taking away the weird sound coming from under the hood that started on the way here which is why it took me longer than it usually would to get here.
I ended up driving a lot slower.
Matty said the car was on its last legs when he last took it for an oil change, but I just can’t seem to part with it.
I guess it’s because it’s the first thing I bought for myself.
Putting down my window as a man with dark red hair and a scowl walks over, I give him a polite smile, but his never comes. Instead, he scowls harder if that is even possible, looking mean.
Okay then.
“Hi, uh….” I begin, but the man cuts me off and states, “You’re at the wrong place, lady, you need to turn around.”
I blink. Uh…
“Hi, Mr. Alan!” Lyra calls from the back, and I look at her with furrowed brows.
She knows him?
“Oh, hey, cutie girl, you here to have a playdate with Caleb again?” the man, Alan, asks, his demeanor softening.
Umm…?
“Yep,” Lyra confirms, “Mr. Ice said Mr. Dirty is going to be making his chili.”
I blink as Alan looks my way, his hardness all gone, a smile in place, and I am completely confused right now.
“You know my daughter?” I ask the obvious, and the man chuckles, “Yeah, but normally it’s Matty bringing and picking her up. You must be Ms. Robins?”
I nod and mumble, “Yeah, uh, Holly. Ice told me to come to the clubhouse around five-ish.”
“Alright, I’ll give him a call and then buzz you in. Dirty should meet you both outside,” he says, and I nod and mutter, “Uh, thanks,” confusion still filling me.
My daughter is friends with people I have never even met before.
I don’t know how I feel about that.
After a few minutes, Alan opens the gates just as Caleb rushes out of the front door and I drive through while Lyra, in the back, waves at Alan as we drive past.
The noise from my car gets louder and I wince as I pull up next to Caleb, standing next to who I’m guessing is Dirty but I don’t pay him any mind. My sole focus is not running over a child and thinking of a plan to just drop Lyra off, then go again, not wanting to impose.
Maybe I can lie and say I’ve booked my car into the garage.
Crap, isn’t Caleb’s dad an owner of a garage?
Just as I turn off the ignition, my thoughts running wild, Lyra shouts, “Hi, Mr. Dirty,” from the back seat, and I chuckle at her excitement and say, “Go on then,” and she squeals as she climbs out of her seat and opens the door, only for Caleb to be there to help her out.
Shaking my head, I follow suit and climb out of the car, focusing on the kids celebrating that their plan—one I soon realized they formed at break time—has kind of worked.
Still, I don’t plan on staying, though, for months, Caleb has wanted me to meet his father, and I guess he’s now getting his wish.
Caleb says, “Ms. Robins!” with excitement like he didn’t see me all day, and I giggle before saying, “Hi Caleb.”
“Are you ready for some of Dad's chili?” he asks excitedly as Lyra rushes over and my mouth parts in shock as the figure beside me kneels, and my shy little girl throws herself at the man I’ve never met, and I can’t help the gasp that escapes me.
I’ve never seen her react this way to a man before, not even Matty, and I have to admit, I am really confused.
The man holds her tightly, and all I see is the top of his man bun, and I swallow hard.
Does she see him as a father figure?
Do I need to cut her time with Caleb outside of school down?
Is she attaching herself to him?
Crap, she’s not going to like having her play dates cut down.
I turn slightly, and I give Ice a tight smile, noticing him by the door, and he smiles back before I turn to Caleb and, clearing my throat, I admit, “Actually, Caleb, I was just dropping Lyra off. I thought I could come pick her up in a few hours.”
The light in Caleb's eyes instantly dips, and I hate myself instantly while the man beside me looks my way and, without meaning to, we lock eyes, dark blue ones instantly trapping me, and oh holy crap, my stomach tightens.
Oh my…
I can feel my pulse hike up as I stay locked in with him, the attraction, the sparks, instantly there, even with the beard and man bun, something I never thought I would be into, but here we are.
I want him.
Oh crap, crap, crap.
I’m instantly drawn to him. I want to throw myself at him, but he’s my student’s father.
Oh no, What am I doing, lusting after a student’s father?
No, no, nope.
Blinking, I break the connection instantly despite my body’s protests and I look at a pouting Caleb, and I swear I pale.
He’s about to use the puppy dog look on me, isn’t he?
He answers my silent question as his lip pouts and his eyes widen.
Oh come on…
I wince at the look and try to look anywhere but at him, and I hear Ice chuckle behind me.
Okay, so the need to give him the middle finger is extremely high and I clear my throat as I lock eyes with Caleb again, and dammit, I melt as his eyes tear a little.
Seriously?
A throat clears beside me before a deep, dark chuckle echoes, making my chest squeeze, and the man I was just lusting over, something I haven’t done in a very long time, or ever if I’m being honest with myself, asks, “How exactly are you a teacher if you fall for that look?”
Amusement laces his tone, and I scrunch my nose up as I look at the man who is now standing with my daughter in his arms, her head on his shoulder and oh holy cow there goes my ovaries.
My mouth dries as his lips tilt into a smirk seeing my reaction to him with my daughter.
“I uh, well, to be honest, I’m not sure,” I admit with a stutter, “but the kids are amazing so I never really have to say no.” I clear my throat, “Until now but I’m struggling.”
He grins wide, and his whole face lights up, and I’m blinded by him. He’s all I can see, even hearing the distant opening and closing of a door, I can’t seem to make myself look away.
He’s, damn, he’s like a tattooed god.
I never had this reaction to Adam…
“Please, Ms. Robins,” Caleb says, breaking the spell I’m under, and I blink and look towards the boy, who again is pouting and I…
Dammit.
I huff, “Okay,” not able to say no, and he grins wide as he cheers, and Dirty chuckles, “He has you wrapped around his little finger…” and I hum because yeah, out of all my students, I have this need to always protect Caleb and keep him safe, I just don’t know why.
“Mr. Dirty, can I ride your bike?” Lyra asks, and I look at her with wide eyes, shocked by her soft demand, to see her looking at the man who is, yeah, he’s everything.
Wearing jeans, a tank and a vest thingy, his hair in a man bun…
The man is sex on legs, that is all I can say and is it bad that I’m picturing him with his overalls tied at his waist and no top on?
Yep, bad, very bad.
“If your mama says yes, then you can, and Caleb can go in her shi…. I mean her car,” he answers my daughter and my mouth drops open a little.
“Did you almost call my car a shit box?” I ask with a raised brow and Dirty side eyes me, and he admits, “It is a shit box,” and I huff as I eye my car before scrunching my nose up because, yeah, he’s right, it is a shit box, one I’m struggling to let go of but that is only because I brought Lyra home in it.
I can’t part with it because not only is it part of my independence after everything, it’s because it holds memories of my daughter,
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Caleb, you can sit in the front,” ignoring the man’s words because I know they are true, and Caleb cheers while I look at Dirty and I frown at the feelings inside me.
I don’t know why, but I trust him with her, and I don’t even know him.
How fricking weird is that?
“I’ll drive slowly,” he comforts, thinking that is the reason why I paused, and I slowly nod before opening my driver's door as Caleb climbs into the passenger side.
I look his way again, seeing him placing Lyra on the front of his Harley, grinning at her before she waves at me, and I wave back, causing him to look my way again.
Our eyes connect again, and he tilts his head, and I swallow hard and introduce, “I’m Holly, by the way,” not knowing what to say.
My head is, well, it’s scrambled.
He smiles softly and replies, “Alex…” and I furrow my brows in confusion.
I thought his name was Dirty?
Ignoring my look, he climbs behind Lyra and starts his bike, making her squeal out a giggle.
I feel eyes on me, and I notice Ace now standing in the doorway of the large building with Ice.
I smile and wave, gaining grins back before I climb into my car as Dirty pulls up next to me and nods to the dirt track road, and I nod.
Caleb cheers, “Let’s go, Ms. Robins,” and I smile and start my car, the knocking instantly starting making me wince before following Alex towards the dirt track, all while my heart flutters, which scares the living daylights out of me.
This man makes me feel things I’ve never felt before, and I can’t have that.
I’m his son's teacher, and tonight will be the first and last time I'll spend time with the man because I need to be professional.