“OK, class, let’s go!” I said, and I moved away as hastily as I could, trying to brush past Jesse, but I wasn’t quite fast enough.
He reached out for me, his hand brushing by my lower back, a jolt as I felt the contact of his thigh against my hip.
“This isn’t over, Josie.”
“Yes, it is,” I said through my teeth, and I smiled extra big at Karel.
“Thankyou!” I said. “You’ve made this day a huge hit for the kids. And my principals,” I added.
“It was no problem,” he said smoothly as I heard Jesse grunt unhappily behind me.
As I herded the kids out the door, Karel touched my elbow briefly.
“Can I have your number?” he asked. “You’re stunning.”
I didn’t even hesitate.
I gave it to him loud and proud and then I left before waiting to see what my ex had to say about that.
Chapter Four
Ayear ago, I had moved out of the apartment Jesse and I shared and back home with my parents, who lived in an old, historic (by which I meanttumbledown) neighborhood in a crooked little brick house.
They had helped me move out on a day I knew Jesse was going to be gone, and now most of my shit was stuffed in the backyard shed until I found another place.
My dad was a big, rumpled plumber in his 50s named Roger. He was absolutely great at plumbing and absolutely awful at managing his plumbing business. Despite being a grumpy bastard, the tiniest sob story would move him almost to tears, and he’d be giving away $5000 worth of plumbing for free.
My mom Diane had silvery blonde hair and twinkling hazel eyes, and was a phenomenal lunch lady. She adored Dad, almost as much as she loved our huge, disreputable St. Bernard named Watson, who had way more hair than brains.
I loved my family and tried not to think of living at home as a step backwards.
This was just until I could pay off some loans and save for the first and last month’s rent at a new place.
My little brother Mike was a husky 22-year-old part-time sandwich maker at Subway and part-time jail overnight visitor when he’d do something like get drunk and pee on the mayor’s car. He was a full-time dumbass.
I was shaken by what had happened at the Heat stadium, but after getting home, I changed into comfy leggings and a T-shirt and tried to distract myself.
He was stillblocked. And good riddance to him.
My mom and I were in the kitchen making lasagna when we heard the doorbell ring. Mike had just been in the kitchen making himself an enormous pre-dinner sandwich with two solid inches worth of roast beef, so Mom yelled out to him to get the door.
He groaned dramatically but went.
Our house was small enough so that I could see the front entrance from the kitchen, and I guessed it was probably some door-to-door salesman. But I knew something was fuckingupwhen my brother’s sandwich was thrown down on the side table so violently that the whole thing shook.
“Bro, I fucking said it wason sight! Let’s gooooo!”
There was another violent rattle as Mike charged out the front door.
“What is that boy up to now?” Mom said.
Dad twitched the curtains aside, but he suddenly hoisted himself up from his easy chair with an,
“I’ll be god-dammed!”
I whirled around as I saw him adjust his suspenders and charge out the door too, his wild gray hair sticking up all over his head and his bushy beard bristling with anger.
Fuck
