has been dialed up like a burner on the stove cranked to high heat.
“Last night.” Going with the truth never hurts.
She nods, clearly waiting for me to elaborate.
“We…we went out for dinner. Together. And…and we thought we’d give dating a try.”
And the award for the worst actress ever goes to…
“Even though you two work together?”
“Well, I think it’s great,” Ava jumps in, smiling broadly. “I couldn’t think of a more perfect couple.” She hugs us both, but the hug she gives Landon is longer as she says something to him I can’t hear.
He gives her a small nod and winks at her.
She shakes her head as she rolls her eyes.
“Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way,” I say, “can we go inside?”
Judging from Kiera’s expression, that was the wrong thing to say. She narrows her eyes at me.
Oops.
“I also moved in with him,” I blurt as if someone had given me truth serum.
All things considered, it’s amazing that my grandfather didn’t banish me from the family as soon as I turned eighteen. Lying makes me squirm, and if the police or FBI had ever questioned me, I would’ve revealed everything I knew within for the first three minutes of the interrogation.
This is probably why my grandfather made sure I didn’t know anything that could get him into trouble with the law.
At my news, Kiera’s eyebrows come close to knocking against her hairline. “You. Moved. In. With. Him.”
I vaguely hear Ava mutter, “Oh, boy,” but I’m too busy trying to convey to Kiera with my eyes that I know what I’m doing to look Ava’s way.
“That’s right.” I glance around me, searching for a rock to hide under.
“You’ve only known him for a few days.”
“You do realize he’s standing right next to me? He can hear you.”
She whirls on him. “Then maybe he can tell me why the rush to live together. Or can I expect a wedding invitation by the end of the day?”
I choke out a laugh. “Definitely not.”
Ava puts her hand on Kiera’s shoulder. “I’m sure they have a good reason for moving so quickly. But whatever the reason, you can trust Landon. He would never do anything to hurt Chloe.” She gives him a meaningful look. “Isn’t that right?”
“Ava’s right,” he says. “Now, I don’t know about you, ladies, but I need to get inside to prepare for my students.” He doesn’t give me a chance to object or stick around to talk to my friends. He tugs me along, still holding my hand.
And I willingly go with him.
Anything to escape further interrogation from Kiera.
“Well, I’d say that went well.” My tone is a cross between a grumble and a snorted laugh. “Told you this wasn’t going to be easy.”
“Trust me, that’s nothing compared to being shot at.”
Hopefully, that’s something I’ll never have to find out for myself. Just the threat of it yesterday was bad enough.
I start to head to our classrooms. Landon has different plans and steers me toward the main office. “There’s someone I want you to meet first.”
We step inside. Instead of Jeanine standing behind the desk, a woman about my age with dark hair—complete with cool blue chunks—pulled up in a loose bun, is there in her place. Her knit dress is classier than you’d typically expect to see in an elementary school.
She’s talking to a good-looking man whom I’ve never seen before.
At the sound of the door clicking shut behind Landon and me, the pair peers over in our direction. The woman smiles at me…then her gaze drops to Landon’s hand, which is still encasing mine.
Her smile broadens.
Landon leads me over to the pair. No one else is in the office. Principal Woodnut’s door is shut, which means she’s on the phone.
“Chloe,” he says. “I’d like you to meet Isabelle and Adam. They’ll be working undercover with me in the school.”
“I’m taking over Jeanine’s job,” Isabelle explains, in case I hadn’t figured it out for myself based on where she’s standing.
Adam nods his greeting. “I’m the unofficial assistant janitor.”
“Unofficial?”
“That means I’m assisting the janitor, but I’m not getting paid for it, so I’m not on the school board’s payroll.” I’m sure the union will love that if they ever find out.
“We don’t want to take any chances when it comes to the students here,” Isabelle says, looking none too concerned about riling up any unions. “But we also don’t want to draw any attention to the situation by having uniformed cops in the school.”
A winter chill takes up residence