Ready For It (MacAteer Brothers #2) - M.L. Nystrom Page 0,57
do we have?”
“There’s more than one?”
God, I wish I could slap the confusion off his face! “Yes, there are. Algebra One and Two, Geometry, Statistics, and Calculus are the ones we have at this school. How many kids do we have in each division?”
“I don’t know.”
“Depends on the competition. Some are teams of two, some are four, and some are eight. Which divisions do we currently have teams for?”
“Uh…”
“We have three. Algebra One, Algebra Two, and Calculus. Wanna know why?”
The man’s face got redder and redder, but I barreled on.
“I’m happy to tell you, Mr. Bradshaw. It’s because the other three divisions do not have students with consistently high enough grades. The closest is Alex Askew in Geometry. Wanna know who else is in Geometry? Terrence Pembroke. He has a low C average, did not do well on the preliminary tests, and cannot make the practice sessions because he’s on the cross-country team, the swim team, and his church basketball league.”
“Mr. Pembroke is not on the math team at all?”
“No, he is not.” You pompous, arrogant, ignorant asshole!
“I had not realized—”
“Furthermore,” I interrupted, “I resent your implications and your judgmental attitude toward me and my child. For the last year, you have undermined me as a teacher, accused me of cheating, taken me to task for issues that have nothing to do with my professional life, and now just tried to embarrass the snot out of me for something that is none of your business or concern. I think you’re trying to find an excuse, any excuse, to fire me. One more time, Mr. Bradshaw. One more time, and I’ll sue you personally for defamation and harassment.”
He huffed and puffed as he fidgeted with his glasses. “Now, Miss Miser, there is no need to take it that far.”
“Try me.”
His mouth opened and closed a few times. He glanced around the room at the few other occupants, but no one met his eye. He cleared his throat. “I suppose it’s best if you stay on as the mathletes coach.”
Not a pin dropped as he retreated from the room, but after he left, the place exploded with applause.
“I’ve been wanting to tell that man off for years.”
“Way to go, Mel!”
“Outstanding!”
Bevvie showed a bit more concern. “Damn, Mellie. If that man didn’t have it out for you before, he does now. Watch your back.”
“He best watch his. I finished the online coursework a year ago for education administration. I qualify for his job now, and he should have retired long ago.” I said jokingly, but her face told me my attempt at levity fell flat.
“I mean it. He may be an anachronism, but he’s still got connections and power in this city.”
“We’ll see, Bev. Meanwhile, I’m late for my class. See you tonight?”
“Sure.”
The hammer fell with a crack, driving a nail into place. Owen stood up stiffly from his cramped position, and his back popped and cracked as he stretched. Jodie’s remodeled basement space was almost done. Shelves and racks lined two walls; a counter and workbench ran along another. A changing booth sat in one corner. Jodie said she wanted to paint the space herself but had made some noises about having him do it for her because of her lack of free time. She’d started a business selling athletic leggings online and wanted the remodel for her storage and work area. Jerry called it her she shed, but the woman had more going on than just a hobby. She’d mentioned last time she came through the job site that her online store had tripled sales in the last month and she’d considered quitting her day job.
Jerry’s praises had turned into four more remodels and custom design jobs. Two for kitchens, one for a kids’ playroom, and one for a bathroom. Word of mouth, it seemed, did enough to keep him busy. Connor had backorders for his original handmade furniture, and whenever Owen got a break, he spent a few hours in the woodshop helping his brother. Work and money poured in at a steady pace, making his professional life solid.
Not so much the personal side.
Friends. He couldn’t get the word out of his head and it repeated itself over and over again like a music earworm. Friends. Just friends. Friends only. He’d fallen in love with Melanie Miser, and it killed him to be around her as he didn’t think she felt the same way. He had no idea if she’d even be receptive to more than friendship. Words were his