A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,56
if Erika could watch him for the night, even though it was during the school week. She eagerly agreed because at this point, she was just happy for the distraction.
Scott whistled. “Whoa. I’ve never seen that many eggs.”
“And you never will again,” Shannon said, laughing.
Jeremy and Scott happily found their seats as they eyed the heaping mountain of scrambled eggs.
Erika wandered to the coffeepot and poured herself the biggest mug she could find.
Shannon came over and whispered, “How are you feeling?”
Erika chuckled. “Pissed off. Ready to do some damage.”
Shannon grimaced. “He called my phone last night.”
“Must have been his last-ditch effort because he stopped calling mine days ago.”
Shannon nodded.
“And good riddance, I say.” Erika took another swig of coffee.
“Feel any better, ma’am?” Jeremy asked, and Erika chuckled.
Old habits were hard to break.
“I’m feeling a lot better, Jeremy. Thanks for asking.”
Jeremy nodded, and everyone ate their eggs and their eggs and their eggs until no one could eat any more.
Each of them still had at least three or so eggs scrambled on the plate, but Erika knew they were all feeling the same way about them.
No more.
“Ready for school?” Erika asked, and both boys pretended to hack and cough and wheeze.
“Nice try, boys. No playing hooky on my watch.”
Groans became the new symphony as both boys got up from the table, grabbed their backpacks, and moved as slow as sloths to the door.
“Being late won’t get you a pass either,” Erika hummed under her breath, which only quickened their steps a fraction more.
By the time Erika pulled up to the school, the buses were already leaving and the line of parents had already slowed to a small drip of cars.
“Okay, you two. No dawdling.” Erika grinned. “Scram.”
Children were still scattered across the campus when Erika heard the startling vroom of an engine behind her. She glanced in the rearview mirror and couldn’t make out who was causing such a commotion.
Scott and Jeremy looped their backpacks over their shoulders and stared at the car behind her with her car doors still open.
“Whoa, Mom. That’s an IROC-Z Camaro.”
The car behind revved the engine again.
“Must be new to Silver Ridge,” she muttered under her breath.
Scott nodded his head. “That’s such a cool car.”
The Camaro vroomed its engine again, and Erika was getting kind of annoyed. There was nowhere for her to go. Cars were stacked up in front of her, and kids were still walking all over. Not to mention, she never left the parking lot until she saw Scott walk into his classroom.
A crowd of kids and teachers started congregating around the Camaro, and Erika rolled her eyes. Whoever this guy was—and surely, he was a male—had a real ego problem.
Another rev of the engine and the crowd grew even larger before the music started blaring.
Erika’s mouth dropped open when she heard Rainbow in the Dark blare out the Camaro’s speaker, and she shook her head.
“No, it couldn’t be,” she whispered to herself.
“Whoa. That’s so rad,” Jeremy said, laughing and pointing.
The music got louder, and the car got quieter just as the crowd gasped and then fell silent.
Erika had no idea what was going on, so she climbed out of her Jeep and spun around to see Slade standing next to his IROC-Z Camaro, grinning as he’d just given us all a great big present by gracing us with his presence.
And then her world went into slow motion.
The passenger side door opened slowly, and out came Miranda Cherry. Her glistening pink hair touched her waist, and her silver crop top and capri pants stuck to her like glue.
All the kids and adults hung their mouths open in disbelief.
“Scott Larson, I’ve meant to have a chat with you,” Miranda said, winking at Slade.
Erika scowled and wondered what Slade was up to as her son walked in a trance to Miranda.
The crowd of kids whispered praise as they watched Miranda give Erika’s son a huge hug. She couldn’t believe Slade did this for her son. She felt Slade’s gaze on her, and she looked over in his direction.
Relief spread through his expression until he saw the coldness in her eyes.
More teachers came out to see what all the ruckus was about as kids and teachers alike handed Miranda all kinds of items to sign. Poor Miranda was dealing with binders, textbooks, backpacks, and Scott was in the center of it all, happily eating up every second.
Erika blinked in disbelief as Slade slowly walked over to her.
She stiffened as he approached, which only made her sad.