Page 39 of Heart of a Hero

Mom began dishing up the soup, and Conrad got Lizzie settled at the table. They ate and then, after they both hugged his mom, they headed home.

“Who’s that?” Lizzie asked, and Conrad glanced to where she pointed. A man stood across the street watching their house. Then he continued down the sidewalk. Conrad thought he might have looked familiar, but then Lizzie began asking all kinds of questions about Christmas that pulled his attention. Still, he looked around once they got to the door, but there was no one there as they went inside.

THE FOLLOWING day was so quiet, Conrad could hear the clock on his wall tick. A lot of his coworkers were off, and he spent much of the day making plans and developing a strategy for how he wanted to take things forward in the new year.

The plan was to close the office at three, so a little after two, he did a check that everything was okay and found Mr. Maxwell in his office, speaking on the phone. When the managing partner saw him, he motioned, and Conrad went inside.

“Thank you for letting me know,” Mr. Maxwell said before hanging up the phone. He motioned to a chair, and Conrad sat down.

“What can I do for you?”

“That was Lester Drovers’ ex-wife. She and her daughter were leaving town when Lester showed up at their house. He’d delivered presents for his daughter, and apparently he asked to hug her. She allowed it, and Lester tried to drag his daughter to his car. The police were called, and Lester apparently made threats before leaving Bethany and running off.” He sighed. “She left me with the impression that Lester was threatening to get even with everyone he held responsible for what happened to him. That includes me as well as you.”

Conrad gasped. “He was outside my house last night. I saw someone, and it didn’t click until just now that it was him. I think he was watching my house.”

His phone rang, and he checked the display. It was Forrest. “Take the call,” Mr. Maxwell said. “I just wanted you to know what I was told.”

“Thank you,” he said, answering the phone as he left Mr. Maxwell’s office. “Forrest?”

“There’s a real mess here at the school. The kids are gone, but Lester Drovers showed up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone that I thought was truly crazy before.”

“Was he after his daughter?”

“No. He was after us. He came after me and the principal because we were somehow standing in his way and keeping him from seeing Bethany. The police were here, and he took off, but not before he told everyone that you and I were seeing each other. So now Harlon is all spun up, and the two issues have somehow come together in a shit storm of epic proportions.”

“Okay. I’m on my way.” There was no way in hell he was letting Forrest take the heat on his own. “Just stay calm.” He told Mr. Maxwell that Lester had been causing trouble elsewhere.

“Put out whatever fires you need to. I’ll hold down the fort and will call if I hear anything more.” He shooed Conrad out of the office, and he pulled on his coat and headed out to his car, where he drove as quickly as he dared before pulling into the school.

He knocked on the door, and the principal let him in with a scowl. “We need to talk,” Conrad said before Harlon could lock the door behind him. Conrad found Forrest seated in the office.

“It seems we have quite a situation here,” Harlon said.

Conrad was not going to be chastised like he was a seven-year-old. “How so? Yes, Forrest and I have been seeing each other. I like him, and he likes me. That is none of your business. It’s a private matter.” He leaned over the desk. “As for Lizzie, she isn’t aware of it at all. He and I have kept it quiet for her sake as well as the school.” He turned to Forrest. “I’d like nothing more than to tell everyone that we’re dating, but we haven’t. Neither of us has said a thing.”

“Then how did Lester Drovers know?” Harlon asked.

Conrad wanted that same answer too, but all he did was shrug. “Doesn’t matter. Maybe he saw us together on the few times that we’ve been out together and made a lucky guess.” He was determined not to give an inch where this was concerned.

“Okay. But I still have a conflict.”

“Maybe. But it’s not a big deal. I had already spoken to Lizzie, and I was going to speak to you as well. After Christmas break, Lizzie can move to Mrs. Wood’s class. That will remove the conflict and allow everyone to move forward. And during the break I will explain to Lizzie why the move is being made.”

Harlon groaned. “And what do I tell the parents of the other children when they ask why one of my kindergarten teachers is gay?”

“I suggest you don’t mention it, and if you are asked, then answer is that it’s irrelevant,” Conrad said flatly. “Forrest is an amazing teacher, and I hate to pull Lizzie out of his class. She loved it, and that has nothing to do with the fact that I’m dating him. It has to do with his abilities. If he can instill a love of learning in these kids at this age, then maybe they’ll keep it.”

Harlon put his head in his hands. “I did not get up this morning expecting something like this on the last day of school before Christmas vacation. But I will do anything I can to support you,” Harlon told Forrest. “We work hard to recruit good teachers.”

“Thank you,” Forrest said.

“I will make all the arrangements to change Lizzie’s classroom. You’re right—that will remove most of the conflict. But the parents are going to talk.” And Conrad knew Forrest was going to have to find another room parent, but any conflict with the school should be alleviated.

“Let them,” Forrest said. “I’ve been the subject of talk before. But I won’t back down, and I’ve done nothing to warrant dismissal or even a reprimand. I do my job, I look out for the kids, and I treat everyone with respect. I think I have a right to the same in return.”

“That is true. I just wish you had told me,” Harlon said.

“We didn’t know if things would work out, and the last thing we wanted was for Lizzie to be the one to pay the price for us.” Conrad turned to Forrest. “We figured if we made it to the end of the year, it wouldn’t matter. But it’s gotten more and more difficult. So Mom and I had a talk with Lizzie and let her decide. I didn’t want her to be miserable.”