He bends his neck a notch. “Fine,” he says. “Even though I qualify to get your number from you, according to the rules, I’ll resist the hardest urge of my life.”
Licking the edge of my bottom lip, I laugh. “I’m sure you will.”
It’s a new game. Who can hold out the longest?
I glance at the bulge near his zipper. I’m not someone whose mind is constantly in the gutter, but I do wonder, does he feel what I feel? “How long can you last?” I ask.
He swallows, and his eyes dart to the top of my dress before he blinks and pretends he wasn’t just looking at my breasts.
His thin lips move into a quick smile. “All year. You?”
I nod. “My entire life.”
“Well, then. I’ve met my match.”
“How about we up the stakes a little?”
“What did you have in mind?”
Defeated, Dr. Berman throws his hands in the air and shuts the door to his office. “You know where to find me if you want a job.”
I almost forgot he was there.
“If I break, I’ll walk Ragamuffin three times a week as punishment,” I say.
He grins, nodding along. “Oh, punishment and a date. Nice.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“All right. If I break, I’ll take care of Rowdy,” he says.
I shake my head. “No way. If you break, you have to give me Ragamuffin.”
His expression drops. “My daughter’s dog? You’re cruel.”
I shrug. “Don’t ask me for my number,” I say. “Be a good father.”
There’s a part of me that enjoys this. Flirting and acting loose. That’s not what I’m used to doing. Growing up, I was reserved. I stuck my head in books, and I kept away from boys. In a way, I preferred the fantasy over the reality. But all of that is starting to change. Ever since I swore off men, I’ve really enjoyed my time in the real world.
Well, except for the part where he stole my dog. But what is our fighting really about?
His pupils dart left and right as his brain figures out the easiest way to lose.
I’m trying to figure out the same thing, but it’s not working.
The school bell interrupts his thoughts. “C’mon, Sammy-Pie.”
“Dad,” Sammy says, pulling back her hand. “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here with Ms. Greenwald.”
He cocks a brow. “You’d rather stay here than play Animal Crossing?”
Assuming that game is a rare treat, it’s not surprising to see her look of hesitance. Most kids don’t want to go to every class, but if I have any say, they’ll end up really enjoying this year. That’s my goal, anyway.
“I like Miss Greenwald more. Rowdy will protect me from mean boys,” she says.
That must be why Mr. Bling came to pick his daughter up from school early. Although this is my first full-time position, I’ve been working around kids for a few years now. They’re pretty easy to figure out if you just listen.
My attention is on Sammy. “Are boys picking on you?”
She looks down. “A little.”
Now, her father is looking at me like I might be able to help. “Not anymore, okay? I’m going to keep an eye out,” I say.
She nods, but I can tell she feels anxiety about the whole thing.
“Well, she’s very nice, but daddy has a lot of meetings he had to reschedule to make this work, and this is the only time he could pick you up,” he says.
“I’ll walk home,” she says.
His eyes dart open. “Fat chance, kiddo.”
I walk over and take her hand. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll take her home.”
His face comes undone. “Really?”
“Yeah,” I say. “We’re friends, right?”
“Y-Yeah,” he stammers. “Sure.”
Kneeling down to her level, I whisper, “Why don’t you go to lunch, while I finish up with your dad? I’ll meet you on the playground.”
Her face lights up with energy. “Yes! We can swing, Ali.”
“That sounds so fun,” I tell her.
When she’s gone, I turn on my adult voice. “If someone’s messing with her, it’s no joke.”
Marc scratches the back of his head, eyes angled toward Sammy’s last known position. “She’s had a pretty hard year. Her teacher quit today, too. For both our sakes, I’m trying not to worry.”
I don’t want to pry. In this day and age, parenting is next to impossible. There’s so much information coming at us, it can be really hard to know how to act in every situation. I know we’ve got our little feud, but some things demand more attention.
Some people need an extra hand. Why not me?
“I’m taking over for Ms. Hamel. I’m going to put the word out to the other teachers,” I say. “Even if it’s nothing, it’s good to keep an eye on her.”
“You’d do that for her?” he asks.
“Of course,” I say. “She’s just a young girl. And she’s so cute with Ragamuffin.”
He chuckles, and magically, it feels like we’re drifting toward one another. His eyes are nearly shimmering. “You should’ve seen her playing with that dog yesterday,” he says. “Cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
It only stings a teeny-tiny bit. “So precious,” I say.
It’s in this moment that I realize he’s hurting. Not all the time. The scars are probably thin compared to the rest of us. But he’s still human. The more I see, the more I feel like we could understand each other. There’s still a hell of a disconnect.
He glances at the door, balancing on the side of his boot. “I should probably go. These meetings take forever sometimes” he says.
“Go do your meetings,” I tell him.
Hesitant to move toward the exits, his body tenses, wound up like a rubber band. “And you’re sure you’re good to take her to my house?” he asks, knowing full well what the answer is.
“She’s in good hands,” I say.
“Thanks Ali,” he says. “I owe you one.”
What game can we play next?
Marc
When I leave Sammy’s school, I’m less than a gallon from an empty gas tank and thirty-three text messages deep into my day. My top management leader, Sandra, is frantic. I’m stuck in traffic. None of us are
