I smile. I do that so much more now than I did in the past. Lexi and Dani have a bet going that he’s going to propose to me on the trip. I told them both they were nuts, but it wouldn’t surprise me. Mama made me promise not to rush into it. But I reminded her it has only been four months, and we’re not ready for that kind of commitment.
I have to go to work tomorrow, you know that.
Snuggle Puppy
Quit. We’ll move to Paris and I’ll fuck you on the Eiffel Tower.
They’d throw us out of the country so fast.
Besides, tomorrow I’m showing the class those new toys you got.
The drones, not the other ones
Snuggle Puppy
Fiiiiiine. I miss you. So dies Pongo.
I’m sure you do. I’ll see you tomorrow night, silly man.
I set the phone down just as the classroom door bursts open and Marta comes in like a tornado. Someone I don’t know follows her into the room.
“Class,” Marta announces as she heads for me. “This is Ms. Monroe. She’ll be taking over for Ms. Silva for the afternoon. Renate, grab your phone and everything else you need and come with me.”
I stand there, confused. “What’s going on? Did something happen to Mama?”
She takes me by the arm and in a low voice, “I saw Luis in the office with Miley. They were talking about some pictures and he said something about leaking them. I’m going to hide you in the empty classroom while you call that cute detective guy.”
“Private investigator.”
“Whatever he is.”
“Hang on.” I run to the back of the classroom and into the storage room, opening the second drawer and feeling around above it. Shit. I kept the backup drive of Miley spying on the teachers here, and it’s gone. Only three people have a key to this room because it’s where we keep all the expensive computer equipment.
“Marta, who watched my class last week when I had the doctor’s appointment?”
“Samantha did. I would have, but I had a?—”
“Who’s Samantha?”
She nods to the woman standing at the back of the class as she pushes me out the door. “Samantha Monroe. She’s taken over for Allison in Miley’s office. Allison had a skiing accident and had to take a medical leave of absence, poor thing.”
“Skiing? In April? On our salary?” Marta shrugs and we duck down the hall and into the empty room. My fingers fly across the keys as I text Mills. Chase told me to contact Mills first if I saw Luis again. “There are new warrants out on Luis, and we have a restraining order. Miley knows about that and he let him walk in?”
“I’m not sure. Samantha had a picture of Luis and knew about the?—”
Before she can finish, Principal Miley steps inside, closing the door behind him. He’s doing a terrible job of hiding the smug smile. “Samantha told me I could find you two in here. She’s such a doll. Honestly, she’s much better than Allison in so many ways.”
“Mr. Miley, whatever Luis said—” I start, but I’m cut off.
“Marta, go back to your classroom. I’ll take care of this,” Miley demands.
“Mr. Miley, I?—”
“Now, Marta. Or you’ll be in the same trouble as Ms. Silva.”
What? Why am I in trouble?
He shuts the door behind Marta, and I watch his hand linger over the lock. He doesn’t turn it. Instead, he saunters over to the empty teacher’s desk, leaning on it like he’s about to start a lecture for his class of one. Me.
