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Megan chuckled. “Good girl. And you said?”
“No. Work out the rest of the year and then do what seems right.”
“Seriously?” Megan’s hands were back on her hips. “It’d serve the principal right to have Kayla walk out, too.”
“But it would be bad for the students. They’re innocent here.” Mostly. Maybe not whoever started this whole mess. Although, depending on how I looked at it, maybe I was the one who’d started it when I participated in Scott’s crazy scheme. “I’m okay. I’m focusing on the learning center and wedding planning. This is going to be good. You need to let it go, all right?”
Megan sighed. “That’s really what you want?”
I nodded.
“Fine.” She shook her head and started toward the back office. “Maybe you can help me with the bookkeeping now that you have all this free time.”
“I thought you hired that out.” I followed her and dumped my bag on one of the chairs in the office space.
“I did. I do. But you’re cheaper labor.”
“Nope. Accounting isn’t my thing. It’s a specialized skill that does not magically appear just because someone likes math. I can try and look, but you’re better off leaving it to the professionals.”
“Spoilsport.” She dropped into the chair behind the desk, pouting for a moment before straightening and booting the computer.
I enjoyed watching her. She was a pretty good deal for a little sister. We had our moments, but overall, I was grateful Mom and Dad had rescued her from the cabbage patch. And it was absolutely some sort of garden delivery, because thirty or not, I preferred not to think of my parents as having kids the more traditional way.
“What are you staring at, weirdo?”
I snorted. “You. Weirdo. I was thinking you’re pretty cool for a little sister.”
“Yeah, well, you’re not bad for a stinky older brother.” She sighed and leaned forward, propping her chin on her fists. “You really don’t think Kayla minds me keeping the townhouse?”
“Really don’t. She said as much this morning. Stop worrying and give me an assignment. I happen to be excellent at shelving books.”
Megan chuckled. “We did a lot of it on Friday, but check the stockroom. If there’s a box, it needs shelving. Don’t feel like you have to stick around all day.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, I might.” Megan grinned and shooed me away.
I left my bag in her office and went to the stockroom. There were several book boxes waiting, so I grabbed one and headed back out into the shelves. I might not know exactly what life was going to look like going forward, but at least I had people who loved me to make it go more smoothly.
31
KAYLA
The bell rang and I let out a big sigh.
My students whooped and hurried for the door.
I couldn’t blame them. School was, officially, over for the year.
I watched as the last student escaped—I knew they definitely classified it that way—and started down the rows of computers making sure they were all shut down properly. It wouldn’t do to leave the lab a mess.
I still had a few teacher work days this week. There were final grades to submit and faculty meetings to attend. And then I, too, would be free.
I’d been praying about what to do a lot. So had Austin. I warmed through, thinking of the time we’d spent together holding hands, praying about the future—our future. It was a good thing there were only two more weeks to our wedding.
I couldn’t wait.
I got the feeling Austin couldn’t, either.
