Right With Me - Stacey Lewis Page 0,10
themselves as well. “I’m Stacey Montgomery, and this is my husband Isaac.” The pretty redhead turns slightly to focus on her daughter. “The little bookworm over there is Sophie.”
“She gets that from her mother,” Isaac shares, his warm brown eyes sparkling with a joke only he and his wife understand.
Leaning further into him, she explains, “I review books, so I’m always reading something.”
“Oh, I bet that’s a fun job.” It’s true. Normally, when I think of book reviewers, I think of stuffy old men publishing scathing reviews in the paper, not someone like Stacey Montgomery who’s beautiful and friendly, her smile and personality drawing people in.
Realizing I’ve been staring at her much too long while I think about the differences between her and the reviewers I’m used to hearing about, I turn my attention to her husband. “And what do you do, Mr. Montgomery?”
“Please, call me Isaac,” he says with a grin and a wink that makes his wife roll her eyes in a way that says she deals with his charm often. “I own a construction company.”
His profession isn’t shocking at all. He’s tall and lean, but his arms and shoulders clearly say he does plenty of physical labor.
Get a grip, Hailey. He’s the father of one of your students. It’s been way too long since I’ve been around someone as attractive as he is. The thought makes me think of Mitchell, the asshole I met a few months ago who was also too attractive for his own good… and married just like Isaac.
Ugh. He has no business invading my thoughts. I’ve been working so hard to forget I ever met him, but I’m failing.
Forcing myself to focus back on the conversation I’ve been having with the Montgomerys, I pretend not to notice the concerned looks they’re both giving me and paste a smile on my face. “I’m sure I can count on you coming in for career day, right? The kids love hearing about putting things together and tearing them apart almost as much as they love doing it themselves.”
Isaac chuckles but assures me he will, and I spend a few more minutes explaining what I’m planning to do this year with their daughter, a speech I’ve spent the last week and a half preparing and memorizing since I know I’ll be saying so many times.
More families are coming in, so I let the Montgomerys go explore the room and what I’m planning to have their daughter study this year while I go greet the others. Meeting all the kids I’m going to be teaching this year makes that exploding feeling in my chest bigger, and I feel like I’m where I’m supposed to be…finally.
The meet the teacher time is almost over when the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. Praying to every deity I know, I turn around slowly, hoping it’s not who I think it is, but my wishes go unanswered.
Standing in the doorway is Mitchell in all his bearded and tattooed glory. Any hope I had that my memory of him was exaggerated dies as we stare at each other in disbelief. Surely fate wouldn’t be so cruel as to have his child in my class.
Please, please let him just be in the wrong room.
That request goes unanswered too when the adorable dark-haired girl at his side says in a sweet little voice, “Are you Ms. Lucas?”
I can’t ignore her. Crouching down so we’re eye-level, I confirm, “I am Ms. Lucas. Who are you?”
She ducks her head and leans heavily into the man I’m trying desperately to ignore. I almost look up at him, wanting to share with him how precious she is, but stop myself at the last second. He’s the enemy, even if his daughter is in my class and I’m not going to make any of this easy for him.
After a few seconds of hiding, Mitchell reaches down to cup her shoulder with his big hand and she lifts her gaze to his. “Tell her your name, honey.”
That voice… saying that endearment… I’m fairly sure my ovaries just exploded. I have got to get a handle on my hormones.
His daughter finally peers up at me and takes a deep breath. “Evie.”
I think back on my student list, but I don’t remember seeing an Evie on it. Relief courses through me, but Mitchell’s next words obliterate it.
“Evelyn,” he says, and without thought, I look up at him and freeze.
He’s staring down at where I’m practically on my knees in