Chapter 39
Letting the heavy door to Daisy Chain Primary click shut behind her, Polly made her way through the car park and down to the street, thankful that the schoolchildren had long since disappeared home.
Sinking to the wooden bench on the edge of the grass verge, Polly slumped her shoulders.
Stacey had warned her the interview process had changed since she’d last got her teaching job, but being on show all day had been gruelling.
First a lesson observation, followed by being scrutinised as she spoke informally to a group of children about their visions for the school and what they were looking for in a new teacher and then the actual formal interview and all that between endless hours of waiting around.
Watching the wind drag a leaf across the pavement, Polly pinched the bridge of her nose.
Stacey had told her to go straight into her classroom to tell her she was done, but she’d just needed to get out, to get away from the people she used to work with, who were now sitting around discussing her flaws and imperfections and deciding on her future.
At least it was done now. They’d promised her they’d let her know the outcome of the interview process later today, so she wouldn’t have to wait long.
Pulling her tote bag onto her lap, she wrapped her arms around it.
And then more interviews would come if she didn’t get the job, or, if she did, she’d have to have the worst conversation with Zac.
Pulling her mobile from her pocket, she scrolled through her apps, leaving the messages from Zac unopened.
She couldn’t face reading them. She knew what they’d be saying.
He’d be asking her how things were going and whether she’d managed to get everything done she’d needed to sort.
He’d likely be offering her a lift back to Pennycress, too.
But she couldn’t face lying to him. It had been hard enough when she’d said goodbye yesterday and she’d had to make something up again and, now after feeling drained from the day of relentless questions and judgements, she really didn’t think she could face trying to evade more questions, not when she didn’t even have the answers herself.
No, she’d wait until she’d heard the outcome of the interview and then she could be honest with him.
Once she’d accepted the position – if she was even offered it – then it would be done.
He wouldn’t be able to talk her out of it.
Swiping away as a missed call from him flashed up, she clicked on Tetris and settled back against the hard wooden bench, looking forward to zoning out whilst she waited for Stacey. Looking forward to not thinking.
She heard a car pull up on the road in front of her and kept her eyes fixed on her screen, guiding a purple block into the perfect space.
She didn’t have the energy to make small talk and she couldn’t risk looking up and one of her old pupils’ parents recognising her or anything.
She watched as the row of tiny bricks flashed on her screen before disappearing and began guiding another block down into position.
‘Polly.’
Dropping her phone, Polly leaned forward and grabbed it just before it landed screen-down on the tarmac. Looking up slowly, her eyes locked with Zac’s. She swallowed. What was he doing here? What would she say to him? Tell him she was waiting for Stacey? It was true, but it wasn’t the whole truth.
‘Zac, what are you doing here?’
Widening his stance in front of her, he frowned. ‘I could ask you the same thing.’
‘I…’ She looked down at her phone, closing the app of the game before she mumbled her reply. ‘Declan told you?’
‘He did.’
Feeling the seat of the bench shift under his weight as he sat down next to her, she forced herself to look at him, to see the hurt in his eyes. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just—’
‘The problem is, you quitting has left poor Declan in a bit of a sticky situation.’ Zac held out his hand.
Placing her hand in his, she immediately relaxed as she felt his touch, the stresses of the day melting away, and this confirmed she’d done the right thing. Only, what was he saying?
She shook her head. ‘What do you mean? What situation?’
‘Well, last week he had two potential successors to train up to take over his job from him and now he has none.’ Zac smiled.
‘You’ve quit too! Why did you quit?’ Snatching her hand back, she tucked her hair behind her ears.
‘The same reason as you, I should think.’ He shrugged nonchalantly.
‘No, you can’t. I quit for you, so the stupid promotion didn’t come between us. You didn’t need to as well. What’s the point in us both handing in our notice?’ This couldn’t be happening. It made no sense. Why did he have to do this after finding out she had? It was madness. Utter madness.
‘Not much point, really.’
‘Then take it back. Take back your resignation.’ She widened her eyes. All of this had been for nothing.
‘You take back yours.’ He met her gaze again, challenging her.
‘No! I quit first! You do it. You go back.’ She crossed her arms. What was he trying to prove?
Zac shook his head slowly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. ‘I phoned Declan up when we got back from the hospital. I handed in my resignation before you.’
Slumping her shoulders, Polly opened her mouth, ready to speak before closing it again. How was she supposed to respond to that admission?
‘You blew me away at the hospital. The way you were there for me. You even hung around after having the displeasure of meeting my parents. Not many people would have done that,’ he chuckled quietly. ‘It was then when we were driving back to Pennycress after our dinner that it hit me.’
‘What hit you?’ She searched his face. What was he trying to say?
He shrugged. ‘That I love you and I have for a while now. I pushed you away before because I had feelings for you and I didn’t know how else to cope having to compete for the promotion, but what I didn’t realise, not until that weekend at your flat, was quite how much I felt for you, and I wasn’t about to let anything have a minuscule chance at coming between us. ’
‘Say it again.’ Shifting on the bench, she turned to face him.
‘I don’t want anything to jeopardise our relationship.’
She shook her head. ‘Not that bit, the other bit.’
Zac broke into a grin. ‘The bit about me loving you?’
Polly nodded, unable to form any words.
Turning, he faced her before taking her hands in his. ‘I love you, Polly Burrows.’
He loved her. He had actually said he loved her.
‘I love you too.’
Bringing his hand to the nape of her neck, he leaned forward, their lips millimetres apart. ‘Then follow your dreams. Tell Declan you don’t want to resign. Accept the promotion.’
Pulling back, Polly shook her head. Didn’t he see that him telling her how he felt didn’t change anything? Not anything to do with the job, it only made her even more sure she’d done the right thing. ‘No, you take it.’
‘I can’t. I’ve already accepted a position back at HQ. They’re looking for someone to run the sponsorship accounts.’
‘No.’ Jumping to her feet, Polly began pacing up and down the path.
This couldn’t be happening. He wanted her to go back to Meadowfield whilst he moved back here, back to Featherford, to work at HQ?
He’d just told her he loved her and yet he was quite happy to live a two-hour drive from her?
But then, if she took this teaching job, and he stayed in Meadowfield, they’d end up in the same position, both of them living at opposite ends of the Cotswolds.
How was this going to work? She sat back down and sighed.
‘We’ll only see each other at weekends.’
Zac scrunched up his nose. ‘Apart from the fact that I made being able to work out of the Meadowfield Reserve offices a condition of me taking the job. Plus, the pay rise is enough to cover my gran’s nursing home fees so my parents don’t have to sell up.’
Turning to look at him, Polly grinned. ‘Seriously?’
‘Seriously. We’ll still both be working in Meadowfield. If you’re happy having me under your feet and taking up one of your desks, that is?’
‘Happy?’ Polly shook her head. ‘I can’t believe it. Everything is coming together. Is this even real?’
‘It sure is.’
Lifting her hand to his face, she cupped his cheek as she looked into his eyes. It felt real, he felt real, but… ‘Pinch me. Let me see if I wake up.’
Chuckling, Zac shook his head. ‘I’m not going to pinch you, but this should work just the same.’
Feeling his hand come to the nape of her neck again, this time she didn’t pull away as he leaned in, their lips touching as he kissed her. Bringing her hands to his head, she ran her fingers through his hair before resting them against the back of his head.
Yep, this was definitely real.