Protecting His Pregnant Lover - Leslie North Page 0,24

into a position as hastily as possible.”

“From the outside it will have to look like an organic decision, sir. Possibly one that’s been in the making for a while. But I think we both appreciate the need to expedite the process.”

“Of course.” Principal James folded his arms and sat back, musing on this. “It will be hard to place you, though, considering your academic strengths.”

Maybe it was all the other conflict swirling inside him right then, but damn if that didn’t feel like a dig to Levon. His hackles rose automatically after years of slights about his shortcomings as a result of his dyslexia. He’d learned to cope with it pretty well over the years, especially after he’d entered the naval academy. One of the reasons his memory was so good was because he used it to help cover his reading issues. Still, he didn’t like the reminder of his failings back when he’d been in school. Liked it even less that it was coming from the man who’d been the bane of his teenaged existence back then, even if the put-down was only in Levon’s head.

Luckily, he didn’t get a chance to answer because a bright voice chirruped from the doorway. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting, Principal James, I… Levon?”

Levon turned slightly to see Olive, her curvaceous figure half-filling the door, already blushing and backing out of the room. He hadn’t told her about this little meeting with the principal. “Mrs. Phelps must have stepped away from her desk, there’s no one out front…” she jabbered. “So I just thought… you know what? I didn’t think. How out of character for me! … Okay. Leaving now.” She wheeled like a skittish deer caught in the road and made to bolt.

“Wait, Miss Owen. Perhaps you can help us.” Principal James beckoned her back into the office with a wave of his hand, inviting Olive to take the seat beside Levon’s. Olive shot him a what-the-hell look as she sat down. “Miss Owen, I know this may be upsetting for you to hear, but I want to make you aware of a situation the school is facing at present.”

Levon sat motionless as he listened to Principal James fill Olive in. Olive snuck him sideways looks periodically, but didn’t say anything—not even to let the principal know that she was aware of all of this already, that Levon himself had told her the previous night. She nodded intently, adjusted her glasses on occasion, and inserted questions when appropriate, even when she already knew the answers. Apparently, she didn’t want anyone to know that she and Levon had already been in contact. He wasn’t sure how that made him feel, but he shrugged it off. This wasn’t the time to be feeling anything—he needed to stay focused on the case.

“… so what do you suggest?” Principal James asked her. “We need to find a placement for Levon on campus that will enable him to keep an eye on things.”

“Hmmm. Well…” Olive tapped her lower lip in thought. “What about that maintenance position we’ve been trying to fill for the past year? I hate to say it, but filling that one isn’t likely to draw too much attention. We can all agree how much the janitorial staff is overlooked. And…” Olive put up a finger, her expression opening as she had her eureka! moment, “… he’ll have the keys to everything!”

“She’s right.” Levon wondered why neither of them had thought of it before. He even had the uniform in his truck. “Does the maintenance staff interact much with the students?”

“No, not directly.” Principal James capped and uncapped his pen thoughtfully. “But we don’t need to let that stop us. Olive, why don’t you act as Mr. Asher’s informant? Relay any relevant student communication to him. Anything you might overhear.”

“R-really?” Olive sat up a bit straighter and blinked. “You want me involved?”

Levon wanted to roll his eyes at the principal’s suggestion, since that was basically what they were already doing, but instead said, “I think the maintenance position would be perfect. And hey, you’re lucky—I actually have the skillset to fill that job.”

“You’re way overqualified,” Olive muttered as they all rose. Levon shook the principal’s hand—a first—and left the man’s office without a detention slip.

Also a first.

8

“What are you doing?” The question was out of his mouth almost before he was through the door to his apartment.

All day, Levon had been daydreaming of the moment he would arrive home. Indulging