Chapter 9 Monroe #2
“Possibly. But interestingly enough, there is one thing that Lewis gets very chatty about. Perhaps it’s in the Adair genes.
” I teased, and they leaned in, intrigued.
“Lewis is very enthusiastic about our upcoming Christmas play. It was announced this week that there will be two plays this year, one organized by the lower school, P1 to P4, and another by the upper school, P5 to P7. Lewis is excited about it. We got together with the other classes on Friday to discuss ideas because we enjoy having the kids’ involvement, and Lewis was brimming with suggestions.
” I leaned toward them now. “And he told me he’d not only like to help with set design but that he’d like a part, too, and wondered if he could do both. ”
Regan grinned from ear to ear as she nudged her husband. “Part architect, part actor, huh?”
Thane chuckled but appeared surprised. “The set design part doesn’t shock me. Lewis has always been interested in my work. But the acting takes me aback.”
“It’s good, though, right?” Regan studied him. “It could bring him out of his shell a little. Give him confidence.”
Thane nodded, contemplating it. “Aye, aye. I’m just surprised he wants to. But that’s great.” He looked at me. “Can he do both? Set design and acting, I mean.”
“I aim to make sure my kids can follow their passions, whatever that may be. We’ll give him space to do both.”
“Good. Thank you, Roe—I mean, Ms. Sinclair.” He gave me an affectionate look.
“You can call me Roe.”
Regan chuckled. “Then you have to stop calling us Mr. and Mrs. Adair.”
A few minutes later, I bid them goodbye, turning to my last parent of the night and catching words I don’t think Regan Adair meant me to hear.
“Okay, my curiosity is killing me now. You have to tell me how you all know her.”
My stomach flipped at the thought of Thane telling her my story.
“Ms. Sinclair.”
The parent standing before me drew me from my panicked thoughts. Staring into his dark eyes, I searched my befuddled mind for his name. “Mr. Barr?”
“Call me Haydyn, please.” His grin was almost flirtatious.
Shaking off the idea, I gave him a tight-lipped smile and led him into the classroom. When I glanced over my shoulder at him, I found his eyes on the sway of my arse.
Okay, maybe his smile had been flirtatious.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be the first time a dad had flirted with me. I’d even had a dad flirt with me in front of his wife. Classy.
“Take a seat, Mr. Barr,” I offered.
“Haydyn, please.” He unbuttoned his stylish wool coat and sat down, crossing one leg over the other.
Now that I wasn’t thinking about the Adairs, I noted that Mr. Haydyn Barr was attractive.
I knew from his son, Michael, that they lived in one of the outlying villages and that Haydyn was a professor at the University of Highlands and Islands.
A professor of what, I did not know. From Michael’s lack of chat about a mum, and the fact that a nanny picked him up from school, I guessed Mr. Barr was single.
How a professor could afford a nanny and the designer coat he wore, I did not know.
“So, how is Michael’s progress this year? ”
Michael was one of my brightest pupils, and I told his father so, relaying his achievements over the first term.
“Wonderful. I hope he’ll follow in my footsteps into engineering, and you need to be well-rounded for that.”
“You’re an engineer?”
“I teach civil engineering at the Inverness campus of UHI.”
Smart and attractive.
Stop noticing his attractiveness. “I’m sure if Michael has an interest in engineering, he’ll grapple the subject easily.”
“If?” Mr. Barr smirked. “Michael’s nine years old. I’m not going to force him to follow in my footsteps. I just would like it. That’s all I meant.”
Realizing he’d caught my slight admonishment, I tried not to blush. “Of course.”
“He talks about you. I was looking forward to meeting the teacher he enjoys so much, and I have to say, I understand completely now.”
Oh, boy. “That’s very nice.”
“Here.” He slipped his hand into his coat and pulled out a business card. “If you ever need to discuss Michael.”
I took the card. “Thank you.”
“Or …” He leaned into me, his smirk definitely inviting.
“If you’d ever like to grab a drink. Usually I’d ask for your number, but I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t be appropriate …
so I’ll leave it in your hands.” He stood as I gaped at him in shock at his forthrightness. “I hope you call about that drink.”
I licked my lips nervously because I was going through the world’s longest dry spell, and a woman had needs. Remembering exactly why I was going through the dry spell, however, shook me out of my stupor, and I gave him a soft smile. “That wouldn’t be appropriate.”
Haydyn Barr grinned and walked toward my classroom door to pull it open. “Keep the card for next year. When you’re no longer my son’s teacher.”
Wow.
I bit back a smile and he chuckled, nodded, and strolled out.
Turning his card over in my hand, I stared at the embossed words: Dr. Haydyn Barr, Professor of Engineering. Below were his contact details at the university.
He was tempting, but one, I would never jeopardize my job by dating a parent; and two, I never wanted to date again.
My romantic history wasn’t loaded down by many men.
After I’d fled Ardnoch and struggled to make rent living as a student in Inverness, I’d avoided dating for almost two years.
No one was Brodan, so I didn’t want them.
When I moved to Edinburgh for teacher training, I met Nick through a uni friend.
He was a few years older, a fireman, and he reminded me of Brodan.
Not in looks, but just his cocky charm that hid a sweetness.
I thought I might even love him a little, but after four years of dating, he fell in love with a colleague.
She was my opposite in every way. They fucked around behind my back for six months until I caught them together.
All my friends were his friends, so I lost them and had to start over again.
Then I moved to Glasgow to teach. I dated a little, but nothing serious, and then I met Steven when I was twenty-seven. Steven … a disaster of epic proportions. It had taken me three years to get myself out of that situation.
I’d been single for the seven years since.
All my dreams of being a wife and a mum went up in a puff of smoke.
Because as painful and lonely as it was to be alone, at least I was safe.