Bad Girlfriend (First & Last #4) (27 page)

Ford nodded at me before sitting back down.  The room was completely silent until Graham called on Thomas to speak.

“Superintendant Cole?” Graham prompted.

Thomas cleared his throat and adjusted his tie around his thick neck.  I knew he wasn’t comfortable
being put on the spot like this, and it meant a lot that he was willing to stand up for me.

“I’ve known Adam for many years, and in all that time I have never doubted his professionalism or capacity to lead.  To have accomplished what he has at his young age is impressive.  I feel
strongly that it would be a mistake to lose him.  Thank you.”

Thomas kept it short and sweet and away from anything personal, for which I was gra
teful.  Graham thanked them all and closed his notebook.

“Now we will hear from three people who are proponents of asking for Mr.
Branigan’s resignation.  Mrs. Larkin, you may go first.”

I noticed as she stood that she was seated next to Mrs. Morris, who would no doubt give some distorted version of the truth as well.  Graham patted my back, probably having sensed that I was
teetering on the edge.

As Mrs. Larkin recounted her horrific experience of encountering me “nearly naked” on my doorstep, I could feel my self contro
l slipping.

“My ten year old son was with me,” she said.  “We have strict controls in our house over what our children can view on the internet and TV.  I never thought the threat of indecency would come from our very own principal, someone who is supposed to protect our children.  I was shocked and appalled to say the least.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“Keep it together,” Graham hissed at me.

My hands clenched into fists under the table, so tightly my knuckles were white.

Mrs. Larkin continued, “I understand that we live in a world where not everyone adheres to the ideals of waiting until marriage to engage in intimate activities.  In a committed loving relationship, some people feel it is alright.  While I don’t personally condone it, I can turn a blind eye in those situations.”  She met my eyes and then glanced over at Brooke before saying the words that ma
de my blood boil.  “However, given Mr. Branigan’s choice of…partner…I seriously doubt his statement that he is in a monogamous committed relationship.”

She did not just go there.

Graham lowered his head and shook it, wisely guessing that I couldn’t just sit back passively after that comment.

I didn’t need to look back at Brooke to know that the low blow would upset her.

Slamming my hands on the table, I shoved my chair back as I stood up.  Casting a quick hard glance at Mrs. Larkin, I turned to look each member of the School Board in the eyes as I spoke.

In a low clear voice, I said with deadly calm, “You no longer need to ask for my resignation. 
Because I’m giving it freely.”  Backing up two steps, I buttoned my jacket.  “I quit.”

There was a collective gasp in the room.

“I have absolutely no desire to work for people who tolerate such blatant disrespect.  This beautiful woman,” I said, gesturing toward Brooke, “is a better person a million times over than any of you.  She would never speak badly about anyone, and she is the sweetest, most caring person I have ever had the privilege of knowing.  That she would even give me the time of day makes me feel like the luckiest man on the planet.  And I love her.  Which is why I can no longer tolerate this ridiculous circus you have disguised as a hearing on morality and decency.”

Knowing I had better stop talking before I resorted to expletives, I stalked over to Brooke, who looked absolutely humiliated and devastated.  There were tears dripp
ing down her cheeks as she stared intently down at her hands, which were clasped tightly in her lap.  Her teeth dug into her bottom lip in a failed attempt to keep it from trembling.

Taking her hands and pulling her up, I murmured, “Come on, let’s get out of here.”  I all but dragged her behind me toward the door.

In the back row sat Louise, watching me with her eagle eyes, her mouth pressed into a thin line.  I would have thought she would have been happier to watch my public demise.  I shoved open the door, and before it shut behind us I heard the room erupt as everyone started talking at once.

Aware that
we only had a few minutes before people started leaving the room, I led us down the hall and around the corner.  When we were out of view of the doors, I turned around and took Brooke’s face in my hands.  The sadness radiating from her eyes made me confident I had done the right thing.

“I’m so sorry,” she stuttered, on the verge of breaking down completely.

I crushed her against me, hugging her so tightly I wasn’t sure she could still breathe.  Then I pushed her back so I could look into her green eyes.

“You have absolutely nothing to be sorry about.  I’m the one who is sorry.  I’m sorry I put you in this position.  I’m sorry that people like that exist.  I’m sorry you’re crying because of me.”

I embraced her again and smoothed my hands up and down her back, over and over until her tears slowed.  Brooke made that little hiccup sound that happens when you cry too hard and wiped under her eyes.

I heard people talking and assumed the meeting was over, but I wasn’t ready to take Brooke out of our quiet hiding place just yet.  Leaning
back against the wall, I rested my chin on the top of her head, loving the way she fit perfectly against me.  If no one ever hired me as a principal again, I would never regret giving it all up for her.  This was what you should live for.  Finding that one person who fits you perfectly, no matter the cost.

Chapter Twenty Nine

Brooke

What I wanted to do
more than anything was stay here tucked away in the dark corner, in Adam’s arms, until everyone else had left the building.  Then I wanted to pack up and leave this town with him in the middle of the night.  But that’s not what he deserved from me.  After standing up in front of half the town and declaring his love for me and basically telling everyone to fuck off if they didn’t like it, he deserved for me to be strong too.

So with great effort, I pushed away from the warm comfort of Adam’s chest.  I reached up and removed the pins that held my hair in place, letting it
tumble over my shoulders as I shook my head.  The black cardigan I wore over the sleeveless dress came off, followed by the pearl necklace I had borrowed from Gram.  From my purse I pulled out my hot pink lip gloss and smeared it on.

Adam crossed his arms over his chest and watched me with a look of amusement and admiration.  That was a look I would never get tired of.

“There.  That’s better,” I said giving my hair an extra fluff.

“Definitely,” Adam said, offering me his arm.  “Are you ready to prove them all wrong
?”

“Yes.”

Graham saw us first from where he stood talking with Ford and Poppy when we rounded the corner.  Just behind them were Grady and Lindsay and Josh and Leah.  The rest of the hallway was filled with everyone else that had been inside the conference room.

“Why isn’t everyone lea
ving?” Adam asked when we approached Graham.

He shrugged his shoulders.  “Some old lady from the back row stood up after you left and asked to speak privately with the Board.”

I looked questioningly up at Adam.  He shrugged, looking just as bewildered.

“I’m sorry it turned out this way,” Graham said, and despite his slick coat of lawyer slime he did actually look upset.

“I’m not,” Adam said.  “I may have lost my job tonight, but I have something so much better.”

He wrapped his arm around my waist and squeezed his hand on my hip.  I would never be able to thank God enough for bringing this man into my life.

Our friends joined the group and we tried to decide whether to stay to see what was going on or leave.

“I say we get the fuck out of here,” Adam said.  “Let’s hit the pub.  Drinks are on me.”

Graham laughed.  “No, drinks are on me.  As of five minutes ago, you are unemployed, remember?”

Adam chuckled. 
“All right.  I won’t argue with that logic.”

We had just turned to walk away when the door to the conference room opened and Louise walked out.

“Mr. Branigan.”  Her sharp voice echoed down the hall and stopped all conversation.

Adam grimaced as he turned around.
  I really hoped she wasn’t going to pour salt in his wounds with what she was going to say.

“The Board would like to you see you and Miss Mills before you go.  Your attorney may accompany you.”

Good God, what now?

Graham immediately shifted back into attorney mode and ushered us back into the conference room. 
There was a noticeable difference in the room and not just because it was nearly empty now.  Thomas wore a satisfied smile on his face, and the rest of the Board was looking everywhere but at us.

“
Please have a seat,” Thomas said.

Adam shifted on his feet.  “
With all due respect, we’ll stand.”

“Very well.
  I realize you have already tendered your resignation, but the Board has reconsidered their original position and would very much like you to stay on as principal of the elementary school…with a 10% increase in salary.  And we would like to formally apologize to Miss Mills for any distress she has experienced during this unfortunate situation.”

Thomas smiled at Adam while the rest of the Board looked anything but happy.

“Uh…I don’t get it.  What changed?” Adam asked, tightening his hold around my waist.

Thomas glanced at Louise who stood behind us, and said, “We had some rather…compelling testimony from Louise on your behalf.”

I turned to look at Louise with a stunned smile, which she returned.  Adam looked completely dumbfounded as he turned to face her as well.

“Louise?”

As quick as it came, the smile disappeared and she was back to her normal cool aloofness.  “Mr. Branigan, it’s a good offer.  I suggest you take it.”

The neurons seemed to have stopped firing, so I pulled Adam to the side and took his face in my hands.

“Adam?”

“What…what should I do?”

“You should take your job back.  What better way to piss off Mrs. Larkin?”

A smile slowly spread across his face.  “I like how you think.”

Turning back to Thomas, Adam grinned as he said, “You’ve got yourself a deal, Thomas.”  Then he picked me up around the waist and spun us in a circle.  I giggled when he set me down.

Then he strode over and did the same thing to Louise.  The look of shock on her face was priceless.

“I could kiss you right now, Louise.”

Louise smoothed down her dress.  “Please don’t.  The twirling was quite enough.”

“What did you say to them?” I asked her, dying to know what could have changed their minds so completely.

Louise snapped her chin up.  “I simply reminded them that having worked for the school district for fifty years, I know them all very well.  The walls are thin and people talk.  Everyone’s got dirt, and I know all of theirs.”

“See you tomorrow morning, Mr. Branigan,” she said as she turned on her heel and walked out the door.

“I think I’m in love,” Graham muttered.

“Wow. I so did not see that coming,” Adam mused as we left the conference room.

Our friends were waiting anxiously outside the door, and we filled them in on what happened.

“Drinks are back on you,” Graham said, slapping Adam hard on the back.

As we passed Mrs. Larkin in the hall, Adam said, “I’ll see you at the next PTO meeting, Mrs. Larkin.”

Now that was priceless.

The pub was packed when we arrived.  Monday Night Football was a big draw.  Ford wasn’t working, but he went behind the bar to fix our drinks himself.  Poppy and I stalked the people in the large corner booth, and the second they got up to leave we slid in.  Ford dropped off the first round of drinks and then went to deliver our food orders to the kitchen.

Adam picked up his beer and held it high.  “A toast.  To the woman I love.  To the woman who showed me what’s really important in life.  To Louise.”

I raised my eyebrows at him.

“Just kidding.  To Brooke.  May this be the first of many toasts I give in your honor.”

We all
clinked our glasses together and drank.

“The next toast should be at your wedding,” Leah said, looking pointedly at Adam.

I rolled my eyes, sure that was an attempt by Leah to make Adam uncomfortable.  He just smiled and leaned back against the booth, draping his arms around my shoulder and winking at me.  Huh.  He didn’t look uncomfortable at all.

The next two hours passed in a blur of food, drinks and good company.  I was content to settle into the crook of Adam’s arm and enjoy the time with our friends.  For the first time in forever, I felt like I was truly happy.