Chapter 17 Anna
Anna
“Guys, I think I fucked up,” I blurt out, dropping into the chair opposite the girls.
Gemma freezes, a Danish halfway to her mouth.
I did the bloody yoga class they’d signed me up for.
The evil pair failed to mention that it was hot yoga.
Like, standing-in-front-of-the-sun hot. I thought I was being bloody cremated.
No wonder April was “too pregnant” to participate.
If she did, her baby would have slid right out onto the mat.
And, just my luck, the instructor for this morning’s class?
Yeah. The crystal-up-the-arse guy, Rafael.
Now we’re at the Daily Grind, where Gemma and I agreed to meet April after the class.
“What kind of fucked up are we talking about?” April asks, stirring sugar into her coffee. “Like, I-slept-with-my-ex’s-brother fucked up? Or I-tried-to-fart-but-followed-through fucked up?”
April’s douche-canoe of an ex cheated on her, so naturally she went and fell for his brother. Personally, I think screwing his dad would have added a certain je ne sais quoi, but each to their own.
I give her a look.
“Oh God.” She pauses. “What happened?”
I didn’t plan to have phone sex with Liam, but I couldn’t help it.
He’s so bloody hot. There’s something about witnessing a father be gentle with his child that does things to me.
It’s primitive and completely irrational.
It’s like every single-dad romance novel I’ve ever read come to life: the hot, tortured father being vulnerable and protective all at the same time.
But once the phone sex was over, the panic set in. I indulged in about three minutes of the post-orgasm haze before I quickly ended the call. Like a total coward.
“I had phone sex with Liam last night,” I say in a rush.
April’s spoon slips from her fingers, clattering to the table.
Their eyes widen.
“I’m sorry, you what?” Gemma demands.
“You heard me.”
“Why didn’t you say anything during yoga?” Gemma asks.
“Because I was afraid that if I opened my mouth, I’d vomit from the heat.”
“It wasn’t even that hot,” Gemma says, waving a hand dismissively.
April holds up a hand. “Gemma, focus. Anna just dropped a bomb.” She turns to me. “Start from the beginning.”
So I do. I tell them everything. From Finn running away to Liam’s panicked phone call.
April blinks. “So let me get this straight. You helped him comfort his traumatized child, and somehow ended the conversation playing ‘beat the bishop’ over the phone with his father?”
I drop my head into my hands. “I should be reporting this to administration but I’m bloody humiliated. What if I do, then word spreads and all my colleagues find out? I’ll be the talk of the whole school. Oh God, I’m going to lose my job.”
“Not necessarily,” April says. “I mean, as long as no one finds out—”
“Someone always finds out,” I cut in. “This is a private school, April. It’s not Fight Club. Gossip spreads faster than head lice.”
Gemma reaches across the table and squeezes my hand. “Look, what’s done is done.”
“Inspiring words, Gemma. Thank you.”
She rolls her eyes. “I think you should keep talking to him.”
“What?”
She shrugs. “I’m serious. It seems like a little harmless fun. Why not see where it goes?”
I look to April for backup.
“Actually,” April says. “I kind of agree with Gemma.”
I blink. “Excuse me? You’re supposed to be the sensible one!”
“I am being sensible,” April insists. “Anna, you’ve been miserable for months. And now, for the first time since your divorce, you’re glowing. You care about this man and his son, and clearly Liam cares about you.”
“But my job—”
“Nothing’s happened to your job,” Gemma interrupts. “And if it goes to shit, you’ll work it out.”
I glare at her. “I like working at Richmond Private. I’d like to not get fired, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, but you also like Finn’s dad’s cock,” Gemma says.
Damn it, she’s right. I side-eye her. “Touché.”
April takes a sip of her coffee, setting it down gently. “At least think about it. It could be worth exploring this thing with Liam. Don’t let fear make the decision for you. Safe choices aren’t always the ones that make us happy.”
I arch a brow. “Easy for you to say. You fell for your ex’s brother and it all worked out perfectly.”
“Perfectly?” April laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Anna, I was petrified. I thought I was the worst person alive for falling for James while I was still processing what his arsehole brother did to me.”
“But it worked—” I start.
“Because I took the risk,” she interrupts. “Because I didn’t let my ex’s betrayal dictate my future.”
“It’s different, though,” I protest weakly. “You weren’t risking your career.”
“No, just James’s entire family dynamic.” April snorts. “But we knew it was worth it.”
“The question is,” Gemma adds, leaning in, “do you think Liam is worth it?”
Well, shit.
The warmth of the sun kisses my exposed skin, and I untie my cardigan, enjoying the fresh air. A pair of bunnies hop along the footpath, their white tails flashing before vanishing into the brush, as I make my way to the school’s driveway.
“Oh my God, can you see him?”
“Where?”
“Right there!”
“Don’t point! You’ll make it obvious.”
“Ugh. He’s so handsome.”
“I would climb that man like a tree.”
“I’ll happily be his boy’s new mummy.”
I roll my eyes at the whispers drifting around me.
It’s my turn on the morning drop-off duty roster for the next couple of weeks, so I get a front-row seat for today’s hot topic.
Unable to help myself, I glance over to see who’s got them all worked up, and my stomach drops at the black Range Rover across the street.
Through the tinted window I can make out Liam’s gorgeous profile.
“Hey, Anna,” Josie, the school counselor, says, sidling up to me.
It takes everything inside me to avert my gaze from Liam. “Hey, Josie.”
She tilts her head. “How are you feeling after yesterday? I can’t imagine how stressful that must have been. I’m so relieved Finn is okay.”
“Yeah, I’m pretty exhausted, but I’m okay.”
She shoots me an empathetic smile. “Well, if you ever want to chat about it, my door is always open.”
I give her biceps a gentle squeeze. “Thanks, Josie. I appreciate that.”
“Always,” she replies, spinning away through the school gate.
Turning back, I watch Finn hop out of the car with a backpack almost the size of him. The window rolls down and the whispering increases as Liam calls out to Finn, who’s already reached the footpath in front of me. “Buddy!”
Finn spins around and jogs back toward the car. He nods quickly to whatever Liam’s said, reaching up for a fist bump through the window before rushing back toward the gates.
Liam’s window rolls back up.
“Is that his kid?”
“Obviously.”
“Do you think his daddy would be interested in making some siblings?”
“Stop it! You’re so bad!”
Jesus. They have no shame.
“Hi, Miss Anna!” Finn calls out as he passes.
My throat squeezes with emotion at his greeting. He’s beaming. A full-blown, proper teeth-baring smile.
“Good morning, Finn,” I manage. “Is everything okay? You look like you’re in a bit of a rush.”
“Da was just making sure I have my lunchbox.”
“Do you?”
“Uh-huh!”
“All right,” I reply, patting his shoulder. “I’ll see you in there.”
He races past me to Yuki, who’s standing at the entrance. She waves at him before they disappear through the doors together. I turn and watch them go, feeling like my heart might explode. This is what I’ve been hoping to see for weeks: Finn acting like a normal, happy kid.
My phone pings in my pocket. I pull it out discreetly and see a text from an unknown number.
Unknown: You look beautiful this morning, Anna.
Color slashes my cheeks as I lift my gaze back to his car. Liam’s looking directly at me now and, even from this distance, I can see that cocky, sexy smirk playing at his lips. He raises his hand in a small wave.
I roll my lips to stop from smiling like a lust-fueled idiot and tap out a response instead.
Me: Awfully bold of you to text me here, don’t you think?
Three dots appear and I lift my eyes to see him tapping out another text.
Unknown: I want to make it up to you. For yesterday.
Me: You did make it up to me—remember?
I nibble on my lip.
Unknown: Let me take you on a date.
My fingers hover over the screen, my insides sparking to life from how badly I want to say yes. But the high from his message quickly fades as the reality of our dynamic creeps in.
Me: I can’t.
His next message comes straight away.
Unknown: Can’t? Or won’t?
Me: Both. We can’t be seen together, it’s too risky.
Three dots appear. Then disappear. Then reappear.
Unknown: No one will see us. I promise it’ll be private.
I look up to find him still watching me. The flames in his eyes weaken my knees. I take a deep breath and, instead of blowing him off, I settle on:
Me: I’ll think about it.
I watch as his gaze drops to his phone, and I tap out of our chat and lock my screen when—
“How about that drink, then, Anna?”
I gasp, slapping a hand to my chest, and pivot to find Roger standing way too close. “Roger, I—”
“I took your class for you, Anna. I didn’t have to do that; it was my pupil-free day. You owe me. It’s just a drink.” He shrugs.
I swallow hard against the nausea scaling my throat. When my eyes whip back to Liam’s car, a pang of disappointment jolts through me. The spot’s empty.
Stupid Roger and his stupid timing.
I pocket my phone and take a step back. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Just one drink,” he presses, advancing a step.
Bloody hell. He isn’t going to let up on this. My shoulders sag. “If I agree to have one drink with you, will you leave it alone?”
A self-satisfied grin blooms across his face. “Yes.”
I wince. “Fine. One drink. But that’s all—I mean it.”
His lips twitch, like he’s pleased with himself. “I think you’re going to be surprised at how much you enjoy it.”
I flare my nostrils. “Let me make something very clear: This is not a date.”
“Oh, of course not.” He smirks.
I pin him with a glare. “I’m serious.”
“Friday. Seven o’clock. The Crown Pub,” he says, winking. Then, he turns on his heel and strides away.
“Five-thirty,” I call after him.
“I’ll see you there,” he throws over his shoulder.
He walks away before I have the chance to take it back, leaving me pissed off and trapped.
And aching for the company of someone else entirely.