Teach Me Like That (LMLT Book 2) (26 page)

The guys call it a day, and I head back over to Lexi’s. When she asked me to lock the door when I headed to work, I thought she’d be home by the time I wrapped up my day. She isn’t.

I head to my condo for a quick shower. I also pack a bag because if I go back to Lexi’s and she’s home, I don’t plan on leaving. If she’s still mad at me, I’ll sleep on the damn porch if I have to. Anything to be close to her.

Even after several more text messages, my phone remains silent. It seems I can’t hold onto this girl for more than a few days at a time. Since I never want to let her go in the first place, I’m seriously struggling right now.

The sun has already set by the time I make it out of my parking garage. Knowing I can’t show up and grovel empty handed, I head to the grocery store. What woman can resist an apology when I have chocolate and wine in my hands? Seems simple enough.

Lexi

Don’t get me wrong; I love some of the stupid things that come out of Kegan’s mouth. He’s honest, playful, and most days, funny. I seriously think he thinks he’s funnier than he actually is. He has to. I know the shit he’s said lately isn’t coming from a mean place, but that doesn’t abate the sting any more.

He knows my history of losing the baby. I’ve even told him I don’t want children. I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not a lie. I can’t imagine going through the loss of another child, so I don’t even want to risk it. For him to just throw shit out there like
marry me
and
ours will be even cuter
cuts deep. Those aren’t jokes. That’s not something you just throw out there to get a laugh.

Thanks, Doll.

That sure as hell isn’t something you play with. He pulled that shit the first time he fucked me against the window. Yes, he fucked me so thoroughly that it didn’t even compute until after he left, but after I had the chance to think about it, his words twisted my gut. I expected that from him the first time. This morning? He made me feel like he cared for me only to ruin it minutes later with that damn mouth of his.

I’m so over it; I can’t even focus on my class the way they deserve. I’ve ignored Kegan’s texts all day. I’m angry, and my feelings are hurt. I don’t want to respond until I have a chance to work through that. My day quickly goes down the drain when I find a note in my box during my conference period to see Amelia DuPont after school.

I only have to worry about what the evil headmistress is going to throw my way for one more class period. Fifty minutes of stomach turning worry. I find myself dragging my feet and speaking longer to parents this afternoon just to put off the inevitable.

I knew she wasn’t done after that little confrontation in the supply closet. I knew she was too vindictive to let it go, but it has been weeks without a word about it. Yes, there have been snide remarks, but the closet was never brought up again.

A trembling hand reaches for the door to the front office. I eye the exit and for a split second think about just walking out and pretending that I never received the note in my box, but I know it’s only putting off whatever is happening today.

The front office is empty and so is Amelia’s office, but I follow a group of voices to the conference room around the corner. A sheen of sweat covers the back of my neck causing my hair to stick to my nape. It makes me feel dirty and in desperate need of a shower.

The back of a man’s head comes into view as I walk closer to the conference room, and my gut twists further. Amelia, noticing me walk up, gives me a concerned look, one of almost pity or disappointment. It’s a contradiction to the sneer that usually covers her face when she sees me.

“Ms. Carter, please have a seat,” she says pointing to a chair on the opposite side of the table. Ms. Carter? This isn’t going to be good at all.

Further entry into the large conference room reveals several others at the long table. I recognize several of them from the school’s website. She has convened the school board for this occasion. My job is gone, and that knowledge is causing the burn of tears behind my eyes. I clear my throat in an attempt to remove the lump that is trying to close it.

A small ounce of gratefulness hits me when I notice that the room is void of a police officer. With any luck, I’ll make it out of here without criminal charges.

I take the seat as directed and do my best to keep my spine straight and professional, when all my body wants to do is fold in on itself. My muscles begin to ache as I fight the urge to vomit.

“You know why you’re here,” Amelia says barely hiding the contempt in her voice. I can hear the edge of derision, but as I look across the table, it seems the board members haven’t picked up on it. Either that, or they feel exactly the same way she does.

I lift my chin and ignore her attempt to rile me. I know it may come off as defiant, but with this show of force I know there’s no way to keep my job, and I’ll be damned if Amelia DuPont is going to make me beg.

“Have it your way,” Amelia says lifting a folder and sliding it in front of me. “We’re here to talk about your extracurricular activities.”

I ignore the folder. I don’t have to open it to know the discipline report for the closet incident and my termination papers are inside.

“Open it,” she urges with a little too much excitement in her voice.

I wring my hands together in my lap trying to calm my nerves before flipping the folder open. One look at the paper on top and I slam the folder shut again. My blood runs cold. I vow off alcohol, all social situations, and as much as I don’t want to, Kegan Cole.

“The board hasn’t seen these yet, Ms. Carter, but I think for them to fully understand why we’re here today it’s imperative that they see.” Amelia reaches out for the folder, and my hand slams on top of it. “That’s fine,” she says with a sugary voice that makes me want to snap her neck. “I’ve made copies for everyone.”

I watch in horror as she hands folders to each one of the board members. Their audible gasps and grunts will live in infamy, echoing in my head for years to come.

The man across from me looks up at me. If knowing what he’s holding in his hands isn’t bad enough, the way his eyes roam my body and the disgusting swipe of his tongue over his bottom lip makes things ten times worse.

“What’s in your mouth?” the only female on the board asks holding up the picture.

Yep. There I am, in all my half-drunk glory, getting nailed by Kegan Cole in the hallway of the club.

“Her underwear,” Amelia informs the group.

The woman drops the picture to the table as if she’s going to somehow get infected with an STD by touching a photograph. The disgusting man across from me grunts again and shifts his weight in his chair. My skin crawls knowing he’s pretty much getting off on this.

Amelia, digging the knife deeper, spreads the other photos out on the table. I fight the urge to look at them. The club picture is enough to get me fired, but my need to know everything she has against me wins out. I look down and see a handful of pictures of Kegan and me together.

In one, we’re at breakfast. The next one is me going into his condo and one of him leaving my house. There’s even one of us in the front yard when he came over to talk about the lies I told about my mother. They’re all pretty innocuous until my eyes land on the one from the arcade. I’m standing at a pinball machine and Kegan’s flush against my back with his arms around me. His fingers are dangerously close to my breasts, and I can remember this exact moment. He was grinding his thick cock against my ass and telling me exactly what he planned to do to me once we were alone.

The picture itself isn’t bad. We’re clothed, but it’s the little boy standing in the background staring at us with his mouth open like he’s just come across internet porn for the first time that makes it bad.
Really bad.

“These are clear violations of Edgewood’s morality clause,” the female board member says. She closes her folder and shoves it away, disgust marking every inch of her over-botoxed face. “You did read your contract before signing it, didn’t you, Ms. Carter.”

I nod. I knew the clause was in there, but it was the furthest thing from my mind when Kegan was slamming into me in the very public club.

“Where was this at?” Creeper asks holding up the club picture.

I look away from him, unable to handle the misplaced desire in his eyes. These people are worried about me working around children? This guy is probably a registered sex offender.

“
SWEAT
,” I answer him with my eyes down at the table. I’m certain he wants to know because he’s hoping he can catch other couples fucking in the hallway.

“That’s over an hour away. She wasn’t even in this community,” he says causing my eyes to snap up to him. Who knew Creeper would come to my defense. The idea of him thinking I owed him something makes my skin crawl, but I’ll take what I can get right now.

“She’s fornicating in a public place, Reginald. It doesn’t matter what town it’s in.” I’m beginning to hate the judgmental bitch sitting across from me.

“Oh come on, Florence. Haven’t you ever lost your mind over a good looking man? Think back fifty years to before you became a prude.” I’m liking Reginald more and more.

Florence gasps and clutches at the pearls around her neck. Clearly, she’s been scandalized by his words.

“I’m only forty-eight you pompous ass,” she hisses. One of the other men at the table chuckles but tries to cover it with a cough. Here I thought she was upset that anyone would consider her the type of person to get dirty in a hallway, when she’s really upset because someone thinks she’s older than she is.
Typical
.

“The man in all of these pictures is Kegan Cole,” Amelia says interrupting the board members’ back and forth. They all turn their heads to Amelia. Clearly, the Cole name is an important one in their circles. “He’s the uncle of two of our students. We have a fraternization clause for a reason.”

This was the main thing I was worried about, Kegan’s relationship to Anastyn and Lennox. There’s no way around this.

I look up to Creeper with an apologetic smirk. He’s the only one who seems like an ally in this room, and for some unknown reason, I’m clinging to that. He winks at me, and suddenly I’m wishing I hadn’t offered up the half smile.

“Kegan Cole is the students’ guardian?” Reginald asks.

“On occasion,” Amelia says with shaken confidence.

Reginald’s eyes turn to me. “Do the students live with Mr. Cole?”

“No, sir,” I manage with a weak voice. “They live with their parents. Mr. Cole was helping out with them recently when their youngest child was sick.”

“You’re splitting hairs with the fraternization accusation, Ms. DuPont. The rule for fraternization clearly states that a teacher shall not engage in outside relationships with guardians of the students. Mr. Cole babysitting for a little bit does not make him their guardian.” No matter how today turns out, Reginald is getting a gift basket for Christmas.

I’m surprised that Mrs. Botox has piped up again, but she and the other members of the board grew quiet once Amelia announced who the man in the pictures was.

“We have some discussing to do,” Reginald says. “You will be on paid administrative leave until a decision is made.”

“It’s clear what the decision is, Mr. Reese,” Amelia says with a hiss. “I don’t see the point in prolonging the inevitable.”

“Ms. DuPont,” Reginald Reese begins, “we appreciate you bringing this to our attention, but the decision in this matter is the board’s, not yours.” He holds up a hand to halt her rebuttal. He turns his eyes back to me. “As the President of the board, I will personally let you know what that decision is by the end of the week.”

Feeling thoroughly dismissed, I stand from my seat, leaving the folder with some of my most intimate moments lying on the desk. They’ve seen it all, so there’s no point in taking my copies. I feel Mr. Reese’s eyes on me every step out of the room, and I can’t help but cringe when I think about what he’s going to do with his copies.

On my drive home, I run through the meeting. Amelia didn’t once bring up the closet incident. In doing so, she ran the risk of me bringing up the fact that she was briefly involved with Kegan. The reminder makes my hackles rise. She planned this all out. She’s been pretty much stalking us for weeks, finding ways to get me fired without having to call her own delinquencies into question.

Sneaky bitch.

Kegan

By the time I make it back over to Lexi’s house, thankfully, she’s there. I grab my packed bag from the passenger seat and lock up my truck.

I’m damn near giddy as I walk up her front steps and knock on the door. Today was a long day, but I’d live every one just like today if it means spending my nights with her. My fingers tingle in anticipation of touching her.

After several long minutes, the door finally pulls open. I expect to see her in a towel or with wet hair due to how long it took her to open the door. Anger hits my chest when I realize her face is the only thing that’s wet. Tear tracks stain her beautiful face.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” I take a step closer to her, but she holds a hand up to prevent me from making contact.

“I need you to go,” she says through her tears.

“No.” I shake my head emphatically. “I’m not leaving you while you’re like this. Tell me what’s wrong so I can fix it.”

“You’re what’s wrong,” she says weakly.

“Me?” Panic nearly crushes me. “I know the whole ‘thanks, doll’ thing was out of line this morning, but I swear it was a joke.”

Her eyes dart to mine. “You think I’m this upset,” she says pointing to her face, “over some misplaced joke?”

“It’s all I have to go on, Lexi. I fucked up, and I know you’re getting tired of hearing me say I’m sorry, but I am. I’m sorry I keep saying shit I shouldn’t.”

I take a step closer; she takes a step back and looks over my shoulder as if she expects someone to be standing there.

“They have pictures of us,” she finally admits.

“They?” I’m so confused.

“Amelia and the school board. They have pictures of you here, me at your place. They have one of us at the arcade.” Her tears continue to fall, and as much as I want to wrap my arms around her in comfort, I respect when a woman says no.