Chapter 10 #2
Dallas keeps his eyes fixed on mine, not reacting to April’s smack on the arm while his smile grows. It causes my stomach to somersault with guilt for even thinking her father was a murderer. Granted, I didn’t know her father is Dallas. The comment would throw up a red flag for any teacher.
“I’m sorry,” I admit, letting my shoulders fall in relief. “Like I said, I just want to ensure my students are safe.”
April reaches across the table, taking my hands in hers. I look from her to where our hands connect, and I wonder if she feels how clammy and shaky they are from this entire meeting.
“I appreciate that so much, Miss Barlow.”
“Please, you can call me Poppy.”
“Poppy.” She nods. “I’m so happy I could make it into town for this meeting.
In an effort for full transparency…” She pauses, looking to Dallas for confirmation that she can continue.
He nods. “We are divorced. Dallas and Sage are here in Bluestone Lakes because I took a job opportunity in the city. But it also keeps me away from my daughter temporarily.” I can feel the emotions building with each word out of her mouth.
“It’s another reason I was so nervous about this change for my girl. ”
“Wow. I’m sorry. I had no idea.”
She shakes her head. “There’s no need to be sorry. I just wanted you to know about her life outside of school. I wanted to give you a little background about our situation. I won’t be able to make many meetings or school functions.”
I nod in understanding. “If it’s okay with you, I can keep you in the loop on our classroom app.
” I slide the paper with the login information for both of them.
“Normally, we only see one parent in it, but I’m happy to add you so you know what’s happening with updates and even some photos I take in class and send through the app every so often. ”
“That would be…amazing. Really amazing, Poppy.”
“And this is how we can get in touch with you?” Dallas asks quickly.
His question throws me off guard. Does he want to get in touch with me? I mean, it’s bad enough that he knows where I live. But this? I’m not sure how I feel about that.
“Yes. And my number is on the papers you received, too.” I want to palm my face because why did I just tell him about my phone number? “Do you have any questions for me?” I ask, clearing my throat.
April shakes her head. “This covers it for now.” She chuckles. “I’ll probably have one at some point, but right now I’m just happy to hear her first few days were great.”
Offering her a smile, I briefly review the remaining topics I wanted to discuss from my meeting list. I mostly keep eye contact with April to avoid stumbling over my words. I already feel slightly better that I managed to address my entire list, even if it made me uncomfortable the whole time.
The classroom door opens, and Rachel drops Sage off, signaling me with a wave that she has to head out for the day.
Once Sage spots her mom, her eyes widen momentarily before she shouts, “Mommy!” and runs into her arms, where April sits.
“Hi, baby. Surprise!”
“You’re here. This really is the bestest day ever now.” Sage beams.
“Is it?”
Sage nods. “Daddy made me pancakes for breakfast before school. Then, I colored the most epic picture during drawing time. And Miss Rachel, let me pick a snack at the cafeteria just now on our way back from the library!”
April laughs. “That sounds like an epic day.”
Sage turns to face her dad. “Hi, Daddy. You met my favorite teacher, huh?”
Dallas smiles at his daughter before looking at me. I know I’m blushing at her compliment and Dallas’s picture-perfect smile. He stares at me for longer than I wish he would, which is unsettling but also makes goose bumps pebble across my skin.
“I did,” he replies.
That’s my cue. I need to stop looking at him and force myself to resist the pull of his eyes on me.
My heart shouldn’t race uncontrollably at the mere sight of him.
I should be able to breathe steadily, without the suffocating sensation of everything being trapped in my chest. I should not feel a fire in my gut, but ice cold on my skin.
“Thank you again for coming in today,” I practically choke out, stacking my papers and going to my desk on the opposite side of the room. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Sage.”
“I can’t wait!” She fist-bumps the air.
“Want a bite to eat before I head back to the city, baby?” April asks her.
“Yes!”
April looks to Dallas. “I’ll drop her off after we eat if that works for you?”
He nods.
Taking Sage’s hand in hers, they reach the door. “Thank you again, Poppy. We’ll chat soon.”
“Anytime.” I smile, and they walk out.
After carefully stowing the papers away in a file folder, I look up to find Dallas where we left him at the table. He’s still standing there with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, staring at me with such intensity as if he has a million and one questions floating through his head.
I feel stuck behind my desk, uncertainty coursing through me. I want him to break the silence, to say even a simple thought that could dissolve the thick air between us. Another part of me desperately wishes for him to leave the room, to escape this feeling.
“So…” he says, looking to the ground before his feet move in my direction across the room. With each step, my nerves grow. He stops before me, forcing me to tilt my head up, and I’m met with the most piercing gaze. “You’re my daughter’s teacher.”
“Yes.”
“And you’re my neighbor.” He smiles as if the memory of this morning sparked something.
I swallow, fighting down the shiver so my voice doesn’t break. “Seems that way.”
“Interesting.”
Our eyes remain fixed on each other as if he wants to say more. Breaking the stare, I turn on my heel to avoid making this more awkward than it has been. “Thanks again for coming in for this meeting. You have a very adorable daughter.”
“I’m glad I did.”
I straighten my spine, putting on my professional face in an attempt to show that he’s certainly not affecting me right now.
“I had something else I wanted to talk to you about,” he adds. My body freezes up, and I remain silent, waiting for him to say more. “You braided Sage’s hair.”
“I’m sorry. Her ponytail fell out when we were on the playground. She told me she prefers her hair in a braid, so I put one in for her before we returned to the classroom. I’m sorry,” I say again, trying to defend my reasoning.
Dallas laughs, and it vibrates through my body.
I raise an eyebrow and tilt my head in question.
“There’s absolutely nothing you need to be apologizing for, Poppy. I’m not mad.”
“You’re not?”
He shakes his head. “I wanted to say thank you. So, I guess it’s not a question, but more of a thanks.”
“I—Uh. Sure. Anytime.”
“She also mentioned something to me yesterday.” He takes one more step closer to me, his earthy wood scent engulfing all of my senses, knocking me off kilter, but I remain steady.
“Yeah?”
“She said you would bring her a puzzle for her one day.”
I swallow. “I did.”
“And now you know where we live.”
“I do.”
His eyes scan my face as if trying to memorize every detail. It’s unsettling, yet it ignites a fire in my gut with how he looks at me. I know I shouldn’t want more since he’s off-limits, but I can’t deny how he makes me feel things I’m not accustomed to.
We both stand there in silence, staring at each other for longer than necessary. The way his eyes stay laser-focused on mine tells me that there’s a whole lot more he wants to say, but isn’t.
“I’ll be seeing you around then, Miss Barlow.” He winks and walks away.
I don’t take my eyes off him as he leaves, closing the door behind him and leaving me alone in my classroom. I close my eyes and take a calming breath.
“You’re most definitely going to be seeing a lot of me, Dallas Westbrook,” I murmur to an empty room. “Whether I like it or not.”