First to Fail (Unraveled #3) - Marie Johnston Page 0,10

is not your legal last name. If you wish to be addressed by a different name, it will need to be reflected on your birth certificate.” It was why I was Ms. Shaw and not Ms. Preston. I’d suffered enough through prep school with that last name.

When I’d been groomed to take over for my father and fix his good ol’ boy oversights, I’d legally changed my name.

“I wasn’t exactly asked an opinion about my birth certificate,” Jaycee said snidely.

“As I said, that is between you and your parents. Due to your current level of detention, further disuse of Mr. Budinsky’s name will result in suspension and possibly expulsion.” Usually, I looked the parents in the eye when I stated that consequence, but I couldn’t right now.

Jaycee’s eyes flew wide. “For saying Mr. Butt-in-ski once in a while? You can’t be serious.”

“Jaycee—” Chris’s voice was more exasperated than a warning. I wanted to tell him that he was in charge, not Jaycee, but like the last name thing, that was between him and Jaycee. My concern was the girl’s behavior at school.

“Dad!”

I cut in before the focus was taken off the more severe problem. “I’m taking into account the tardiness. Perhaps you need to think long and hard about how much you want a boy to affect your prep school time.” Jaycee blinked at me. Nope. The girl hadn’t thought of it like that before and she was attempting to control her environment left and right. From the way Chris’s jaw clenched, he hadn’t thought of it like that either. “It’s a lot of power to give a boy when you’ll be facing the repercussions.”

“Jaycee, wait outside while I talk to Ms. Shaw.”

I squirmed under his commanding tone. I’d only known him as easygoing. Today, he’d been almost defeated and sheepish, but now… At the moment, not even Jaycee argued with him.

Jaycee huffed out of her chair and stepped outside. Thanks to the easy-close hinges, the door didn’t slam. How many students would’ve gotten detention just for that otherwise?

Chris lifted his gaze to mine. My heart hammered. “So. Turns out we’ve met.”

“You can understand why I didn’t confirm your suspicions.”

A muscle jumped in his jaw. I’d almost nibbled that muscle the other day. I would’ve nibbled a lot more than that.

He glared out the window. “She’s upset.”

I blinked. I’d been prepared for him to pounce on my deceit, stay upset with me, but he’d moved on to the issues with Jaycee. Understandable, but… Well, I’d thought I’d made a bigger impression. Not that this was the time to dwell on it.

“Understandable.” I wanted so badly to know what had happened between Jaycee’s mother and him. Usually, I preferred not to know. Getting the general impression of what was going on at home was enough to understand the motivation behind the delinquent behavior. Beyond that, my priority was the school.

But I was insatiably curious about Chris.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, leaving his hair ruffled in the front. He didn’t style his hair and it hung longer than the professionals I usually ran across. My teachers were clean-cut and adhered to a dress code. The guys I dated were suit men, with the uptight personalities to match their cinched ties.

Chris was…loose. Not sloppy, but relaxed. Nothing like the guys who’d caught my eye before. But the fire flashing in his gaze when that couple had been haranguing him had caught my attention faster than a speeding bullet. Put all of it together and he was the last guy I expected to be one of my students’ parents.

“She’s… She can’t get kicked out of school.” He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. His jeans hugged his thighs, and damn. I’d felt his body plastered up against me Saturday. His Suicide Squad shirt hugged an impressive chest. And now I was envious of the polyester cotton blend.

He was watching me. Quit lusting, Ms. Shaw. Valaria wouldn’t back down if she was busted. “Yes, well, I laid out what she has to do.”

“I suppose you can’t tell me the name of the boy.”

Grateful he wasn’t trying to force the issue, I shook my head. “I can assure you that I will also be having a discussion with him and his parents.” And the teacher who hadn’t reported Dresden Wentworth. “I can recommend not making him forbidden. That tends to make the other party more appealing.”

Chris nodded. “Her grandparents would— If she got kicked out, they’d never forgive me. And they’d