Mrs. Torres. “Hi, I’m Alex Vega. Ryder’s dad.”
“Oh hello, I am Juanita Torres. Miguel is my son. He tells me about Ryder almost every day. Miguel likes him very much.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Torres. Ryder really likes Miguel too.” He nods at me, just once. “Hello.”
I clear my throat. “Hello. I was about to give Mrs. Torres—”
“Juanita.”
“I was about to give Juanita this list…” I hand one photocopied sheet to her and one to Alex. “The other second-grade classes will be attending the observatory on a different day, so it’s just us. All fifteen of my students will be going on this field trip today, and you’ll find each of their names listed here, as well as their emergency contacts and any allergies we know of. We’ll be returning to school for lunch, but they’re bringing snacks from home with them, and they are not to purchase any food from the observatory. My cell phone number is listed at the top of the page. Please enter it into your phones in case we get separated at the location. Hopefully we won’t. Please keep your phones on vibrate, but I’d appreciate it if you don’t take any calls that aren’t related to this field trip for the next few hours. I’ve divided the students up into groups of five and buddied them up. Each of us will buddy-up with one student. I’ve paired both of you up with your sons, but please ensure that you pay attention to all five children in your group so we return here with as many kids as we leave with…”
I finally take a deep breath—not just because I’ve been yammering while staring down at my copy of the list but because Ryder’s dad smells so fucking good, I want to stick my face in the crook of his neck for like half a year or so.
But I won’t.
I quickly glance up and find him smirking at me and my stupid trembling hands.
Don’t you smirk at me, Ryder’s dad. If you think this is going to be an opportunity for you to flirt with me, then you’ve got another think coming.
“Sounds good,” he says, holding up crossed fingers.
I remove two Hello My Name Is stickers that I’ve filled out and hand one each to my volunteers. “Please wear this so the kids can see it.”
Alex Vega removes the backing paper and very slowly and carefully and annoyingly smooths the Hello My Name Is Mr. Vega sticker out over his left pec while watching me watch him.
I take the backing paper from Mrs. Torres. “I can throw that out for you.”
I hold my hand out to Alex. His fingertips brushing against the open palm of my hand sends a direct message to my lady parts, and the message is this: You think I’m not going to flirt with you today, Miss Stiles? You’ve got another think coming.
I clear my throat and smile at the good chaperone. “Juanita—would you come inside to help me round up the kids? Mr. Vega, would you mind waiting for us at the school bus? Make sure the driver is there? We’ll join you in a minute.”
“I’ll see you in a minute.” He starts walking backwards down the hall, giving me a very obvious and appreciative once-over when Miguel’s mom is heading into the classroom. Down to my exposed bare ankles, back up the flowing blush-colored maxi skirt, to the somewhat tight white T-shirt that I’m wearing under a cute jean jacket. A slightly more work-appropriate version of the boho nerdy chic style I was rocking the night we didn’t meet. Definitely not slutty. But also not anything that Mrs. Norbert would have worn.
I roll my eyes and give him a warning look before he turns to walk away, giving me a painfully awesome view of his cute butt.
There’s a great example of a long and short u sound right there.
Cute. Butt.
But damn. I like the way he looked at me.
Franklin Baldwin, you’re a genius.
Oh God.
Oh shit.
Franklin Baldwin, you’re an idiot.
The wind.
The Santa Ana winds.
Fuck you, wind.
13
Alex
I fucking love you, Santa Ana winds.
Here’s what they brought me today: a tantalizing glimpse of Miss Stiles’s long, shapely bare legs and black underwear that should not be sexy but totally is.
That long skirt of hers just flew right up as she was turned to face her line of students, and I am so glad she sent me over here to wait for her.
I watch her wrangle the pink fabric and shove it between her