Page 27 of The Do-Over Girl

KALI

By the end of the school day on Monday, I still haven’t managed to talk with Nash about Friday night’s phone sex through our connecting wall. In fact, I still get a rush, followed closely by a cringe, every time I think about it, even for a second. It’s not that I’m chicken to talk to him because we need to clear the air and set things straight. It’s more like I have no idea what to say.

Do I tell him I’m horrified and regret our behavior, and that I insist we should never do it again? Or…since that’s not exactly the whole truth, do I tell him let’s do that every night because it was so scorching hot, and I don’t remember the last time I had a sizzling encounter like that—I mean, the kind of encounter I’m almost ashamed to admit I had.

Which is why I haven’t mentioned it to Nikki, let alone asked her advice on what to do. I have a feeling I know what she’d say. She’s a romantic at heart and always thought I should have given Nash another chance. But then she doesn’t know that when I called and left a message after I left for NYU, he never returned my call.

Shuffling my pile of papers from today’s in-class writing exercise needlessly for the hundredth time, I glance through my classroom door across the hall. Most of the kids have left so I have a clear view, but I don’t see Nash.

Instead, Mia appears in the door with a few of the girls from the cheering squad and a few guys, including Dylan.

“Hey Miss Austin, I have a new cheer I want to try for the next game. Can we practice it today?”

“Sure.” I give her a big encouraging smile. I’m pleased she’s done so well fitting in, making friends, and leading the squad. The girls on the squad are all good kids, no petty or mean elitist attitudes here. Maybe because of the threat of closure of the school, the students all seem to have a remarkable sense of camaraderie at APA.

I grab my bag and head for the door. “I have a short meeting, so you’ll have to start practice without me, Mia. You can show everyone your new cheer and be in charge until I get there.”

“Cool.” She turns to her friend who was on the squad last year and was miffed that I didn’t name her captain. “Sondra can help me. I think of her as my co-captain anyway,” Mia says.

“That’s a great idea. Why don’t we make that official?” I smile at Sondra and wish I had done that sooner, but I wasn’t sure about her maturity.

“I’ll think about it,” she says and then breaks into giggles.

“You girls are too much,” one of the guys says. Dylan elbows him.

“Don’t you have practice, Dylan?” I say, then look past him to see Nash heading our way. And of course, there goes that nervous fluttering in my belly like I’ve swallowed a herd of butterflies. And my heart—well, it feels like I have a herd of stampeding cows in there—or bulls—or, well, some kind of big-ass pounding animals.

He saunters across the hall, staring at me with that special look he reserves for just before he’s going to kiss me—or that was his signature I want to rock your world look back then. I’d recognize it anywhere any time, even if a million years went by. The hooded eyes, the intention behind them, the confident, determined attitude oozing from every pore, the hunger in the set of his mouth, and the tick in his tense jaw.

My heart gallops harder, and I heat up until I’m molten down to my panties. Shit. I try not to clench my thighs. The small group of girls all turn to look at him. Sondra fans her face, mouthing something about Nash being so hot, and I understand her sentiment—though I wish she were more discreet because Nash is a teacher and twice her age.

“Yes, he does have practice, Miss Austin.” Nash keeps his eyes on mine as he speaks, using his porn star voice that has me nailed to the spot and practically dripping down my thighs.

“Are you two dating or what?” Sondra asks, looking between us. “I can feel the—"

“Why would you ask that?” I interrupt and try for a casual laugh, evading the question and flicking a useless glare at Nash who doesn’t bother turning down the sizzle in his stare as he watches me closely. Shit, I feel a blush creeping up.

I clear my throat. “You ladies should get to practice now. I’ll be over later.”

Dylan reaches out a hand and snags Mia, pulling her in for a quick kiss then letting her go like a yo-yo. Part of me thinks it’s adorable and nostalgic, but the other part of me shrieks in warning for Mia to hold onto herself long enough to figure out who she is before she gets involved with the likes of Dylan. They’ve turned into a couple so quickly it’s alarming. He has a strong and extremely confident personality, the kind a girl could get lost in.

Dylan smirks in Nash’s direction. Nash has finally let up on his sizzle. He’s probably no more pleased than I am about Sondra’s dating question.

“Get your ass over to the practice rink, Zappola. I’ll be along in half an hour. Coach Rink will be there for now.”

Dylan takes off down the hall toward a back door leading to the practice rink, and his two friends follow.

Nash turns his attention back to me. I still have no idea what to say to him now after that night, and he probably thinks I’ve been avoiding him.

“Have a good restful weekend?” he asks.

I blow out a breath. “Fine. You?”

“Better than usual, though I’ve been having this dream—”

“Stop it—I mean, not now,” I say in a hushed voice like we’re in church as I pull my classroom door closed. “We’re at work. You heard the kids. They’re already getting ideas about us. We can’t—" I stop because he’s snickering.

He walks alongside me toward Nikki’s office for our meeting as I gather my wits and tamp down my vamp.