Slow No Wake - By Dakota Madison Page 0,64

feeling he was going to fire me on the spot.

“But I also remember what it was like to be in my 20s and negotiating dating relationships.”

When I looked back up at Tom, his face had grown a bit more compassionate. “I’m sorry,” I blurted. I didn’t want to cry in front of my boss, but I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. “I know I shouldn’t have gotten involved with a co-worker. I understand if you want to let me go. I just hope you’ll consider keeping my sister as a volunteer. She seems to enjoy it, and it gives her a sense of pride that I haven’t seen before.”

Tom rose from his desk, walked around to where I was seated and took the chair next to me. “That’s not what I’m saying, Lexie. I don’t want to fire you. I’d like for you to stay. I also hope Daniel will stay. I just don’t want any further incidents like what happened to Mr. LaRoche. As much as he may have deserved it—and I’m not condoning violence, or saying that Daniel did it—we cannot tolerate that type of behavior in our employees, even if the incident did take place off of work property. As much as I may disagree with some of Mr. LaRoche’s personal choices, no one deserves to be beaten like that, especially a teacher.”

I nodded in agreement. I didn’t want to tell my boss that for a variety of complex reasons, Eddie allowed himself to be beaten. I was just happy that I still had a job and my boss didn’t seem too concerned about my dating relationship with Daniel.

Tom rose. “Well, I know your caseload is filling up and you’re very busy, so I’d better let you get back to work.”

“Thank you, Tom,” I said as I rose and headed for the door.

“Daniel’s a good guy,” Tom said right before I exited. “I think you made the right choice.”

***

At lunchtime, I got a text from Daniel: Meet me at my car at noon.

Okay, I texted back and did as I was told.

“Get in,” Daniel said when I arrived. I hopped into the passenger seat without question, even though I was a little curious what he was up to. He got into the driver’s seat and we took off down the road a few blocks. He pulled into a quiet residential cul-de-sac and parked.

“What are we doing here?” I asked, half to him and half wondering aloud.

“I don’t want to lose the bet,” he answered as he leaned over and kissed me. “We’re technically not at work, so I can put my hands all over you, which I couldn’t wait to do, by the way.” He leaned in and gave me another kiss.

“This really isn’t fair,” I said when we took a breath. “I think you should buy me that Italian dinner.”

He kissed that sensitive place on my neck and it immediately sent shivers through me. “Maybe we should come up with a new bet,” he whispered in my ear before he sucked on my earlobe.

“And what’s that?” I managed to squeak out right before I shivered again.

“How about the next one to go in for a kiss buys the dinner?”

“Okay,” I said as I tilted my head and tried to read into his eyes.

He grinned. “What?”

“Is this a trick?”

He shook his head as he leaned in and gave me another kiss. “But you just lost the bet,” I said when we broke.

He grinned. “I know. It was worth it.”

“I have a feeling you wanted to lose the bet.”

“And what would give you that idea?” he asked as he leaned in for another kiss.

***

A few days later, I was returning from a walk on the beach when I saw Eddie putting boxes in the back of a pick-up truck.

“You’re moving out?” I asked. I couldn’t hide the surprise in my voice. “Daniel didn’t tell me.”

Eddie’s face was healing fairly well but he still had the remains of a cut over his right eye and one on his lips.

“Yeah, it was kind of quick thing. Ricky’s roommate knocked his girlfriend up, so he moved out to live with his baby mama and Ricky asked me if I wanted to move in.”

“That sounds like a Jerry Springer episode,” I said.

Eddie gave me his dimpled smile. I could feel my heart skip a few tiny beats.

“You know you got the better man,” Eddie said.

“I know,” I replied.

“He loves you to the moon and back. Don’t ever break