Chapter 3
THE WARM AROMA OF freshly brewed coffee and baked goods enveloped Meaghan as she stepped into the cozy café on her way to work.
It was a morning tradition for her Monday through Friday and helped set the tone for her day.
And today, she needed a reset to her mood, especially after her father’s demands and insane warnings ringing in her ears. Who the hell did he think he was?
She scoffed at her own question. He knew who he was.
The problem was he expected everyone to accept his godlike role in their lives, even in her own as well.
She didn’t accept it, however. No way. She had put up with her father’s demanding nature growing up and halfway through college.
Once she had enough, she refused his help with tuition and paid her own way.
She refused to give him something to hold over her head.
She had even offered to pay him back for the first two years he had paid for, but he refused to take it.
That didn’t stop her, however, because she simply sent the money to her mother.
What her mother did with it, she had no idea, nor did she care.
She counted it as her father being paid back and left it at that.
She moved to the queue, pushing thoughts of her father out of her mind and allowing a sense of carefree joy to wash over her from last night’s karaoke with Ronette and Andy.
There had been plenty of laughter and impromptu singing that had filled the air, a temporary escape from the stresses of everyday life.
A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she recalled belting out her favorite songs, unabashedly indulging in the moment.
When it became her turn to place her order, Miley smiled at her and then immediately turned to make her caramel macchiato, guaranteed to kick-start her day. “So, last night was Wednesday,” Miley said as she worked. “Get your singing on?”
Meaghan laughed as she leaned on the counter. “I did. Went all the way back to the eighties for some Air Supply and Journey. Ronette did some Commodores.”
Miley glanced over her shoulder, smirking. “And let me guess. Andy had to sing American Pie, right?”
Meaghan bobbed her head, laughing. “Every Wednesday night.”
The young woman turned back around to finish the drink. “One of these days, I’m going to make it out there to hear you sing. It’s just that by the time I get off from here, I’m whooped.”
“I can’t blame you, but take a nap and come out. We’re there until midnight most times.”
“I’ll have to do that.”
As Miley finished the drink and then started preparing Meaghan’s bagel, Meaghan allowed her gaze to do a lazy sweep across the café, taking in the diverse array of patrons scattered around the bustling coffee shop.
As she did, she noticed a tall man, wearing jeans and a dark hoodie, sitting alone at a corner table, his eyes fixated on her with an intensity that made her shift uncomfortably.
She averted her gaze, suddenly self-conscious, her heart rate quickening ever so slightly.
As she took a deep breath, she scolded herself.
It had to be her imagination. Her father had wound her up, and now she was imagining things she would normally ignore.
She allowed her gaze to drift to the mirror up by the ceiling behind the counter, and her pulse quickened as she noticed that the man still stared at her.
“Here you go, Meaghan.” Miley’s voice snapped her out of her growing panic as the younger woman stood behind the counter, offering Meaghan a smile as she handed over the steaming cup and a small white bag.
Meaghan forced a polite nod as she took the drink and food, her fingers curling around the comforting warmth of the cardboard sleeve. “See you tomorrow morning.”
Just as she was about to make her way to the exit, trying her damnedest not to race out of there, the man from the corner table left his seat and approached her, a purpose in his stride.
She wanted to run, to scream, and she almost did when he dipped his head and smiled at her.
“I’m sorry to bother you, but didn’t I see you at Lily Pad’s last night? You sang several numbers with your friends, right?”
She opened her mouth, a stuttering breath whooshing out of her, and then had to close her mouth again to swallow. A slight chuckle bubbled out of her as she nodded. “Yes, actually, I was there. I’m sorry I didn’t see you.”
He laughed, waving off her apology. “Oh, I don’t sing. I just go there because the bartender has a heavy hand with pouring drinks, but I do love listening to people sing. Well, most of the time, anyway. And yours was outstanding. I just wanted to tell you.”
She felt a flush creep up her cheeks, equal parts embarrassed and flattered by the unexpected compliment.
“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Singing is one of my…
well, one of my outlets. I tend to get a little carried away sometimes.
” She clutched the cup a little harder, as if it could shield her from the unwanted attention.
The man offered her a charming smile, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort. “Well, you have a remarkable talent. Have you ever considered pursuing singing professionally? I think you’d do amazingly at it if you did.”
Meaghan forced a polite chuckle, her eyes darting toward the exit. “No, no, it’s just a hobby. I’m actually a kindergarten teacher, and I love it. As a matter of fact, I really should go before I’m late. Thank you again for the kind words. They made my day.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned on her heel and hurried out of the coffee shop, her heart hammering in her chest. As she made her way to her car, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that had taken root, her father’s warnings echoing loudly in her mind.
A growl slipped out of her because she had allowed him to rattle her so much.
Pushing the thoughts aside, she focused on the day ahead, determined not to let her imagination run wild again.
Kindergarten was her happy place, a sanctuary filled with infectious joy and innocence of young minds just starting their educational journey.
They were playful, eager, untarnished by the bullshit of the world.
At least, for the most part. She had a couple of students who had already had a rough life thanks to their parents.
Her heart broke for them, and she did everything she could to bring a little sunshine into their lives, giving them all the help and stability she could while they were within her care.
As she parked her car and made her way into the school, the cheerful chatter of children and the familiar scents of the crayons and finger paint immediately put her at ease.
With a deep breath, she immersed herself in the routines of her classroom, hushing the talkative students during morning announcements, writing the day’s lessons on the chalkboard, and offering each of her students a warm smile as they entered her room.
The morning went smoothly for the most part.
Of course, Lucas Thompson was as late as he always was because his parents fought with each other so much, they forgot who was supposed to get him to class, and usually the neighbor girl brought him on her way to high school.
Sophie was a constant shadow, always wanting to help and tattling on the other kids, while little Willie simply sat there, sullen and slumped in his chair as he doodled the day away.
He was a smart child, but his parents had recently died in a car accident, and he now lived with his seventy-five-year-old grandmother, who could barely take care of herself not to mention a five-year-old boy.
By eleven, the students were getting rowdier, and Meaghan couldn’t stop the smile from slipping across her face, knowing the children knew it was close to recess time.
However, she sat on her stool at the front of the class, clasping her hands together as she stared out at the eager faces.
“So, what do you think? Should we read a story?”
“Reeeaaddd?” Lucas whined, leaning almost completely over his desk. “I don’t want to read.”
“I love reading,” little Sophie said as she sat up straighter in her chair. “What story are you going to read?”
Other children whined, almost all of them frowning as they all reminded her it was time for recess.
She feigned surprise as she swiveled her gaze over her students. “It can’t be that late already. I’m sure you’re just pulling my leg.”
“Noooo,” Lucas whined even louder. “It’s time to play outside.” He then pointed to the giant clock on the wall. “Look at the time. It’s right there.”
She made a big show of turning to look at the clock on the wall, allowing her eyes to go wide as she covered her mouth with her hand. “Well, will you look at that? It is recess time.”
“I told you,” Lucas said with a loud sigh.
Meaghan glanced over at Willie, but he simply stared at his desk. She pressed her lips together, wishing there was something that would brighten the little boy’s spirit.
“All right, everyone. Clear your desks, putting everything where it belongs, and form a line at the door.
As soon as they were ready, doing their best to stand still, she opened the door and a rush of little feet raced out of her classroom for the playground.
She followed them out at a much slower pace, stepping up beside the other kindergarten teacher, Nicole Roberts, both moving to stand beneath the shade of a tall oak tree.
The children loved the sun and heat; she wasn’t really a fan.
“They seem full of energy this morning,” Nicole said with a laugh as she crossed her arms over her chest.
Meaghan couldn’t disagree with the other teacher.
They fell into a casual chat, every once in a while fussing at the students to slow down or stop playing so rough.
As they talked, she allowed her gaze to drift around the edges of the school property, always cautious when her students were outside.
The first thing that stood out of place to her was the two men loitering across the street, their gazes fixed on the school grounds.
A sense of unease crept up her spine, and she instinctively drew closer to her children, her eyes darting back to the men every few moments.
“You all right?” Nicole stared at her for a moment and then tried to follow her gaze, her brow furrowed.
Meaghan forced a reassuring smile, unwilling to cause unnecessary alarm. “Yeah, just me being paranoid.” She glanced back at the two men and noticed two more had joined them. “I just find it odd that men would simply stand there watching a bunch of kids playing.”
Nicole gave a weak shrug. “I stopped trying to figure out why people do what they do a long time ago. They make little sense most of the time.”
Meaghan didn’t necessarily agree with the woman. Most people made sense, even if no one else understood them. It just took time to figure out the sense they were making.
Pushing the men out of her mind, she focused on the kids playing until it was time to call them back inside for lunch.
As the day wore on, Meaghan found it increasingly difficult to shake the lingering sense of unease, her mind constantly drifting back to the men across the street and the encounter at the café.
By the time the last bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, her nerves were frayed, and she longed for the comfort of her own home.
Finally, the day was over, and it was time to get the children to the car loop.
Gathering her belongings, she made her way to the pick-up lane, the kids following behind in a straight line.
Setting her belongings against the wall, she turned and helped children into the cars as their parents arrived.
As she took a moment between vehicles, she scanned the sea of faces as she told Lucas Thompson to get back against the wall.
She knew he would be one of the last to go home, his parents not the most reliable people in the world.
As she looked around, her breath caught in her throat as a familiar face from her past stood out among the crowd, his piercing gaze locked onto her.
She hadn’t seen the man since… Well, since he had walked out of her life a decade or more ago, telling her she deserved a more stable life than he could give her.
What the hell is Callen McHollister doing here?