AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sophia scampers back to her desk, leaving me smirking at her retreating back. I swear, my class this year is one of my favorites. There are times when teaching is incredibly difficult. It can take so much out of me physically and emotionally. But the rest of the time, I find it more rewarding than any other career I could ever imagine doing.
The school bell rings, telling the class it’s time to get their stuff together to go home. A teacher stops by to grab my kids going to the bus, and I take the rest of my students off to their parents for pickup.
When I get back to my classroom, Cody’s waiting for me with a bright smile on his face. His clothes are disheveled, as usual, indicating a fun day at school.
“Mom!” He bounces up on his toes. “Bennett and I raced at recess today, and I won!”
“Did you wrestle in the grass today, as well?” I eye the green stain on his jeans.
He rolls his eyes as he follows me into my room. “Can we have pizza tonight for dinner?”
I quickly run through the ingredients we need in my head. “Pepperoni okay?”
“Perfect.” He plops down in my desk chair and begins to spin. “How was your day?”
“Wonderful, but exhausting. Are you ready to go home?”
“Yep!”
“Then hop to it. We’ve got a pizza to make.”
I swipe my thumb across the paper card from my flowers. Nolan’s phone number glares back at me in his tempting script. The man is charming. And mouthwatering. And so goddamn delicious he could be served at a Michelin-star restaurant.
The house is silent, Cody having gone to sleep an hour ago. Maybe it’s too late to call Nolan.
“Oh, don’t be a bitch, Katie Leigh. You want to talk to him, so just call him.” With a breath of determination, I type Nolan’s number into my phone and press call.
It rings a few times before his deep voice comes through the line. “This is Nolan.”
“Thank you for my flowers.”
I can practically hear the smile when he says, “You’re very welcome. Did you have a good day?”
“I did. The kids were overly excited, so we didn’t do much in the way of learning, but it was nice to be back.”
“That’s good. I bet you’re the favorite teacher in the grade.”
I scoot down on my couch so I’m lying flat. “There are some great teachers at my school.”
“Sure, but that’s not what I said. You’re the teacher every student wants, aren’t you?”
I don’t know how he knows this, but he’s not entirely wrong. I am one of the more requested teachers of the third grade. “I’m not confirming anything.”
“Mm-hmm. That’s confirmation enough, little dove. What are you doing?”
“Lying on my couch. My body is exhausted, but my brain is buzzing with all the things I need to do to get ready for this semester. What are you doing?”
“I’m in bed. It is after ten o’clock now.”
Well, that just put an image in my head that I didn’t need. “Yes, I guess it is.”
“Whatcha thinkin’ about over there, Miss Cole?” Nolan’s teasing tone makes me smile.
“A lady should never say those things aloud, Mr. Ellis. You should know better.”
“Hmmm. Maybe you could show me then, instead.”
“I might be inclined. You’re forgetting a very important part, though.”
