Chapter 15
Vienna
Weird Feelings & A Dingleberry
“We need another idea for a booth at the Spring Festival.” Jody Hansen, one of the fifth-grade teachers, is standing at the front of the cafeteria, leading the discussion during our staff meeting.
It’s a Monday afternoon and all of us are itching to go home, but Jody is determined to keep us until her list has been completed.
Honestly, this meeting could have been an email.
One of the second-grade teachers raises her hand. “What about a Flowers for Mom booth? The kids can make bouquets for their mothers for Mother’s Day, since it’s the Sunday after the festival, and we can ask Yancy’s Florals to donate blooms to the booth.”
A murmur of conversation filters through the room.
“I love that idea!” Jody says, but sadness builds in my chest. She scratches down something on her clipboard and then announces, “Perfect! All right, that’s it for me. Be on the lookout for an email with more details as it gets closer.”
Oh, now she decides to use email as a form of communication.
The staff scatters like cockroaches that have just seen light, but I stay back and wait until Jody is finished with a conversation to approach her. “Jody?”
“Hey, Vienna. Are you hanging in there? Are the kids driving you insane yet?”
I huff out a laugh. “They certainly have a lot of energy, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Glad to hear it. How can I help you?”
“Well, I just… I have a concern about the Flowers for Mom booth.”
A pinch develops in her brow. “Okay…”
“What about kids like Ellis Hart, who don’t have a mom to celebrate with? Don’t you think that would be a little insensitive?”
Jody sighs. “I understand what you’re saying, but unfortunately, that’s just part of life. We can’t shield her from Mother’s Day, Vienna.”
“I know, I just think it would be more considerate if we left Mother’s Day out of the festival.”
“Look, I know you have a soft spot for Ellis, given you’re her neighbor and all…”
Yeah, well, I also have a soft spot for her father.
“But I’m not going to sacrifice an opportunity for a bunch of kids just because of one.”
Nodding, I say, “Okay. Just…thought I’d bring it to your attention.”
Pulling my bag up on my shoulder, I turn to leave, trying to keep my emotions in check, but I struggle to do so. Jody is right in one respect, though. I know Ellis can’t be shielded from the reality of her situation, but the more time I spend with her, the more it resonates with me.
My mother and I aren’t super close, and since I’m an only child, I feel alone more often than not. Lydia was the closest thing I had to a sister, and when she died, the reality of my solitary situation was amplified.
I guess I just want to protect Ellis from feeling the same way.
Walking into the main office, intending on getting to my car as quickly as possible, I’m caught off guard when I see a man standing on the other side of the receptionist desk. The front receptionist isn’t around, so when our eyes lock, he smiles in my direction.
“Sorry, the school is closed.”
He nods. “I can see that. I was just trying to get some information about the school. My wife and I are thinking of moving to Blossom Peak, but I’d like to know a little bit more about the programs you have here.”
“Oh, well…” I point to the wall by the door where several papers are printed out with most of the information he’s interested in. “I’m just a substitute, but I know there’s a bunch of information on those handouts over there.”
His eyes drift to the wall and then back to me. “A substitute?”
“Yeah. One of the teachers is on maternity leave, so I’m filling in.”
Leaning over the counter, he rests his forearms there, tilting his head at me. “Just a sub? Why not a full-time teacher?”
“Oh, well, I’m sort of new in town.” Honestly, I still haven’t classified this town as my home because my intention was for my stay to just be temporary, but now…
His eyes move up and down my body. “Well, you certainly look like a teacher the kids would like.”
His comment makes me uneasy. “Uh, thank you?”
“I bet you’re a good mom too,” he adds.
Sadness overwhelms me, quickly followed by more uneasiness. “I—I really need to be getting home.”
He pushes himself up off the counter, adjusting his pants on his waist. “Of course. Thank you for the info, Ms.…”
“Lewis,” I finish for him.
There’s a twitch in his eye as he says, “Thank you, Ms. Lewis.”
I watch him walk to his car and wait for him to leave the parking lot before I make my way out to my car, releasing the breath I was keeping trapped in my lungs.
I’m sure he was just like any other tourist passing through, but something about that man gave me the creeps.
Well, good thing your neighbor is a sheriff, right, Vienna? Perhaps you need to tell Rhonan about your visitor…
While driving back to my house, I consider whether it’s even worth bringing up.
I was probably just being paranoid. The man was just asking questions and trying to be friendly.
Yeah, that’s it. I’m just way too up in my head right now, especially since I haven’t heard from Rhonan since we slept together, and it’s been over twenty-four hours.
Today has been an emotional rollercoaster, so I’m more than excited about the idea of sitting on my back porch with a glass of wine and playing fetch with Roscoe to end it on a high note.
And if I happen to get a glimpse of Rhonan while I’m outside, then it will just be a happy coincidence.
Yeah, keep telling yourself that, Vienna.
But when I pull into my driveway, I notice Rhonan’s truck isn’t parked in his.
Disappointment floods my chest, but I brush it off and go inside, change my clothes, feed Roscoe, and pour that glass of wine.
As soon as I take my seat in the chair on my porch, Roscoe brings his ball over to me.
“All right, boy. Let’s play.” Leaning my arm back, I catapult the ball as far as I can, smiling while watching Roscoe chase after it.
He eagerly grabs it in his mouth, and rushes back to me, dropping it on the ground so I can throw it again. “Good, boy! You’re learning!”
“Damn, I’m impressed.” A voice from the other side of the fence makes me jump, and when I turn my attention over there, I’m shocked to see Rhonan watching me from the other side, his arms resting over the top of the wooden slats.
“Jesus, warn a person that you’re watching them, will you?”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “I thought that’s what I was just doing.”
“Daddy!” Ellis shouts from his yard.
Rhonan glances over his shoulder. “What’s up, sweetie?”
“Is Ms. Lewis home yet?”
“Who do you think I’m talking to, Ellis?”
“Roscoe,” she replies without missing a beat, making me laugh.
I stand from my porch, wine in hand, and cross the yard, Rhonan’s eyes trailing me the entire time. I can feel my lips quirk to the side as he tracks my movements, his gaze making heat pool low in my belly until I’m only a few inches from him on the other side of the fence.
“Hey, there,” I say, our gazes still locked.
His eyes dip down to my lips before he speaks. “Hey.”
“Ms. Lewis?” Ellis asks, her silhouette visible through the slats in the fence.
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Can I play with Roscoe?”
My dog claws at the fence when he hears her. I peer down at him. “What do you say, boy? You wanna go play with Ellis?” Roscoe barks in response. I turn to face Rhonan and shrug. “I think he’s made his choice loud and clear.”
Rhonan tosses his head to the side. “Meet me at the gate.”
As I walk into Rhonan’s backyard, my arm brushes his chest. Roscoe takes off toward Ellis and her laughter fills the air, but Rhonan grips my hand before I can walk away from him.
His nose drags along the column of my throat. “Fuck, you look gorgeous.”
“Thank you,” I say, feeling warmth bloom across my cheeks.
“How have you been?” His nose moves to my hair now.
“Good.”
“That’s good.”
“Rhonan…” I warn softly, though I don’t pull away.
“I need your number, Vienna.” He leans back and our eyes meet.
“Okay…”
“I realized after I left your house the other night that I don’t have it. I’d have asked for it sooner, but I was working all weekend.”
Realization dawns on me that his silence over the past few days was probably due to both of those factors.
“Oh.”
He toys with my bottom lip. “Yeah. Oh.”
Nodding, I watch him take his phone from his pocket and then I rattle off my number to him, feeling my phone vibrate as he calls me. “There. Now we can text like other adults in this century do.”
I chuckle as he releases me and then secures the gate behind us, leading me up the deck to the chairs. “You know, I didn’t think you were home tonight either. I didn’t see your truck in the driveway.”
“Keeping tabs on me?”
“No,” I lie. “I am just observant.”
Rhonan shrugs, but there’s a hint of a smile on his lips. “Joanne took my truck tonight. Her car was making a funny sound, so we’re taking it to Dilynne’s garage in the morning.”
Taking my seat, I stare up at him. “I see.”
“Would you like more wine?” He gestures to my glass that only has a little left.
I drain the glass and then hold it out to him. “Sure.”
“Great. I’ll be right back.” I watch him walk into the house and then turn my attention to Ellis and Roscoe. But that’s when I notice that Roscoe is running around in a circle, sniffing his butt.
“Ms. Lewis!” Ellis runs up to me. “Roscoe is running around in a circle.”
Standing from my chair, I reply, “I can see that.” I wait for him to stop, but when he does for just a few seconds, he goes right back to chasing his tail. Yet, he’s not exactly after his tail. No, his nose is certainly positioned right at his back door.
I walk down the steps and onto the grass. “Roscoe, baby. Come here.” But he doesn’t close the distance between us. Instead, he starts dragging his butt across the grass. “Okay…well, that’s new.” As soon as I get closer to him, I finally see what’s got him all riled up. “Oh my gosh.”
Ellis is giggling. “Your puppy is so funny, Ms. Lewis.”