Theo
Adam: Quick meeting in my office this morning? Was going to talk to you earlier, but you missed gym time.
Iyawn as I step out of my truck. After staying up late watching movies with Addison at my place, talking to her on her way home on the phone, and then continuing the conversation when we were both in bed, I’m exhausted.
Getting up at the ass crack of dawn to have Everett run circles around me in the gym was at the bottom of my list.
Addison is going to be okay, though.
Me: Be there in five.
Another text comes through and it’s Addison. She sends me a picture of her in her bed, the morning light peeking in through the windows.
Good Girl: Morning. I’m tempted to stay in bed all day.
Me: No one would blame you if you did.
Good Girl: But you’d miss me?
Me: Hell yeah. I miss you right now.
I’m almost to Adam’s office when she sends me another picture. This time, the bedroom light is on, and she has two different outfits laid out over the blanket. As much as I enjoyed seeing her wearing my clothes last night, I love her cute outfits.
Me: The shorts. Seeing your long legs is what gets me through my work day.
Then, she sends me another picture. This one is of her legs.
Me: I’m trying to decide if you’re a good girl or a bad girl for this…
Me: See you later. Meeting with Adam. Bye, beautiful.
I pocket my phone and step into the admin office. The receptionist gives me a warm smile, nodding for me to go on into Adam’s office.
“Theo,” Adam says in greeting from his desk. “Close the door.”
After shutting the door, I make my way over to the chair Addison sat in yesterday. Her grapefruit scent clings to me for some reason. It’s like I can always smell her and I don’t hate it.
“Yesterday was a shitshow.” He grimaces and then thumps a huge stack of papers on his desk. “I’m going to be busy all day dealing with these little monsters.”
“Are they all expelled?”
He snorts. “One kid who was eighteen and stuffing all the pictures into every hiding place on his person is gone. About fifteen, including Elody Parish, are suspended for a week. Everett’s afternoons are also packed for detention for the next couple of weeks.”
Even though a lot of students got in trouble for participating, it doesn’t feel like enough.
“How do you deal with these assholes all the time?” I grumble, anger flaring hot in my gut. “They’re out here actively bullying a girl who doesn’t deserve it and they barely get a slap on the wrist.”
Adam sighs and then leans forward to pin me with a firm stare that probably makes unruly kids wither in their seat. Since I’m an adult, I meet his look with a fiery glare of my own.
“They deserve what they got,” Adam agrees, “but there were some other things brought up that I have to address.”
I arch an eyebrow at him. “Okay…”
“A few students, in their effort to talk themselves out of trouble, suggested Addison was having an affair with a teacher here, too.” He points right at me. “And Everett and I both saw how you held her yesterday. Seemed intimate.”
A flush creeps up my neck, but I hold his stare, hoping guilt doesn’t reflect back at him from my eyes. “And you believe them?”
“No,” Adam admits, “but I’m a man and not blind. There was something between the two of you.”
I scrub my palm over my face and huff out in frustration. “I am protective over her, man. They fuck with her all day every day. It’s in my nature to make sure she’s okay. But if you’re suggesting I’m fucking Addison—”
“I’m not suggesting that,” he says quickly.
“Good, because I’m not,” I bite out.
Not yet.
“Glad to hear it.” He sighs heavily. “Just be careful, Theo. Maintain professional boundaries. You can be a safe place for a student, but within those parameters. She’s already outrunning a bad rep from her old school. I’d hate for you to be complicit in giving her a new one here.”
I know he’s right, but I can’t pull back from her.
Not now.
We’ve fallen into something that neither of us will claw our way out of.
“I’m your friend,” Adam says gently. “Yes, I’m your boss, but I care about you. If you were in a romantic relationship, I’d hope you would tell me.”
That’s never happening.
“I need to get to class,” I grumble as I rise to my feet. “Anything else?”
He flashes me a smile. “Don’t miss gym day tomorrow or I’ll personally send Everett to your place to drag your lazy ass out of bed.”
I snort out a laugh. “I’ll be there.”
Once outside of his office, I book it to the greenhouse. Unfortunately, by the time I get there, the classroom is already filling up with students. I scan the room and am disappointed to find Addison’s not here.
But then she enters the greenhouse. Her grapefruit scent, more potent coming from the source, dances its way over to me.
Several heads turn at her arrival, and I hear some stifled laughter.
I tear my gaze from my beautiful girl to shoot daggers at a guy whispering something to his buddy and pointing at her.
Her denim shorts are too damn short for school, but I don’t care. I love them. I wasn’t lying when I said her smooth long legs do something to me. Her pink converse are cute on her dainty feet. The shirt she’s wearing is tight, low-cut, and shows off her belly button.
She’s such a distraction.
It’s crazy to think just last night, I had her in my arms on my couch. We held hands, I kissed her head, we laughed at the movies we watched. Holding her felt so natural and right.
I clear my throat and then prepare for my lesson.
At least I have something pretty to look at.
There are fifteen missed calls from Mary Ellen today. I hate that she thinks she still has some sort of hold on me. I’d like to block her altogether, but she has a flair for the dramatic. That’ll only make her escalate her efforts to communicate with me.
The last kids file out of my final class for the day. I’ve already texted Addison that we can meet for Greenhouse Club if she’s feeling up for it. I want us to make a solid plan for the homecoming dance since it’ll be here before we know it and is pretty labor intensive.
Someone enters from my peripheral and I turn, grinning as I greet Addison.
Except, it’s not Addison.
The woman I was married to and slept beside for years is standing just inside the greenhouse door. Her mousy brown hair is pulled into a tight ponytail that tugs on her eyes. I remember her once telling me it was her secret to get rid of crow’s feet.
“Theo,” Mary Ellen cries out, a bright, albeit false, smile on her face.
I once thought she was pretty, but now all I see is ugliness inside and out. Everything about her is fake. It’s so obvious now.
As she approaches me, she rubs at a small baby bump. It could be passed off as bloated, but since I know she’s pregnant, I see it for what it is. I suppress a shudder as she nears. Not because I’m worried this baby is mine, but because Mary Ellen is a viper in my den. I want her out.
“What are you doing here?” I say coolly, crossing my arms over my chest.
She stops a few feet away and her smile falters. “The principal said I could find you here.”
“But why are you here? At this school?”
Her lips thin out and her eyes flash with familiar disgust toward me. It was something I saw often in those last few months of marriage to this woman. Utter contempt.
“I thought you’d want to see your baby,” she bites out, her words like a strike of a snake. “You always did want to be a daddy.”
My blood curdles at her words. Yes, having a family was and still is a high life priority. But not with her. Not anymore.
“It’s not my baby, Mary Ellen. We both know that.”
She scoffs. “Are you saying I’m a whore who doesn’t know who the father is?”
“I’m saying we can both do simple math. We weren’t having sex. This isn’t an immaculate conception.”
“You’re still a cold, dead, emotionless fish. Thank God I divorced you.”
I’m the one who filed, but I don’t argue with her. “Nevertheless, the baby isn’t mine.”
“We’re still awaiting the paternity results.” She lifts her chin in defiance. “And when I’m proven right, you will pay child support, though I’m unsure how you’ll be able to afford it with this pathetic job of yours.”
I glare at her, refusing to answer. Maybe she’ll just go away.
“I found another stupid picture…oh.”
Mary Ellen whirls around at the same time I snap my head in the direction of our newcomer. Addison, with her long, flowing blond hair and innocent expression looks like my guardian angel come to save me from the devil herself.
Addison quickly crumples the photo in her fist and shoots me a worried look. Somehow, she knows who this woman is to me. And she’s worried. Like I said, my guardian angel.
“You’re interrupting an important conversation between me and my husband,” Mary Ellen says nastily to Addison. “School’s over, little girl.”
“Ex,” I bite out. “And you need to leave, Mary Ellen. Greenhouse Club starts right after school. If you need to discuss something with me, you have my lawyer’s number.”
Mary Ellen’s critical glare sweeps over Addison and she shakes her head in disgust. “Careful, Theo. Wouldn’t want you to become a pedophile statistic with all these pretty young things running around with their doe eyes just because your ego needs stroking…among other things.”
“OUT!”
Addison and Mary Ellen both flinch at my angry outburst. My ex-wife mutters something nasty under her breath but hurries away.
If she sensed something between me and Addison, there’s no doubt she’s feeling inadequate.
Addison is everything she’s not. Mary Ellen commands rooms she can be queen in.
But Addison is angelic and otherworldly.
A mere queen could never compare to that of which comes from heaven.
As soon as she’s gone, I deflate, relieved to be able to breathe again. Addison rushes over to me and throws her arms around me.
“Oh my God, she’s scary,” Addison says, breath tickling my neck. “No wonder you hate her. Evil woman.”
I run my nose along Addison’s cheek. So soft. Her touch brings me such fucking joy. Her voice. Her presence. Seeing the two women compared side by side is eye opening.
Addison pulls back to look at me, but our arms remain wrapped around each other.
“Another picture? Someone distributing them again?” I ask, frowning at her.
“Found it beside the trashcan,” she grumbles. “It’s fine. Today went a lot better than I expected.”
I lean my forehead against hers. “I missed you.”
“Missed you too.” She stands on her toes, bringing her mouth close to mine. “Does that mean you’ll actually kiss me now?”
Before I can consider the consequences, I press my lips to hers.
She parts her mouth and a small moan of appreciation escapes.
It’s all the encouragement I need to devour her.
Her taste is divine and addicting. I love how tentative and unsure her tongue is against mine, like she’s trusting me to lead the way.
I’ll always take care of her and make sure she’s safe.
I slide my hand into her hair and caress the silky strands, angling her head just the way I want so I can kiss her deeply.
“Ow.”
A voice outside the greenhouse has Addison jerking away from me. I quickly clasp my hands in front of me, hiding my erection. When a girl with big glasses and messy hair enters, I’m a little confused. She rubs at her elbow.
“Is this a Greenhouse Club meeting?”
I recognize the girl from my third hour class. “It is. Welcome, Miss…”
“Hall. Mindy Hall.”
As much as I hate that me and Addison won’t be alone, I’m a little grateful that someone else is interested. There really is a lot of work to do and not enough hands.
“I’m Addison,” Addison says, waving to her. “Thank God. I thought I was the only one who thought this would be fun. We were just getting ready to plan for homecoming. I’m so excited you’re here!”
Mindy smiles at her and awkwardly makes her way over to my stunning girl. “You are?”
“We both are,” I assure her. “Come on. We’ve got work to do.”