It was a very hearty sis-boom-rah kind of speech that had me smiling through the end of it. The nuns certainly took the cheery approach to most things. So different from the stern ones I remembered as a child in church.
These women were colorful and sweet. The iron will still showed through, but maybe the lack of full habits helped.
We convened on the elementary side of the labyrinth-like school. The once small rooms had been expanded thanks to various upgrades to the school property. The original small school was still the heart of the entire campus and home to the administrative offices.
We were moving up in the world though. This year, we all got iPads to use instead of computers.
Most of the curriculum was housed on a forum-style set up. The older students even got their homework through it and turned it in the same way. So many things had changed since I’d even been in college.
I sat at the back of the room while the rest of the teachers mingled. Most of them had known each other for years. Since I’d come in so late during the previous school year, I’d only had time to get to know a few of them in passing.
My phone buzzed in my sweater pocket.
Do you want to meet me at the Spinning Wheel tonight? Maybe we can figure out Sage’s shower a little & I can not feel like a walking milkbag for an hour or so?
I grinned down at the text from Ally. She certainly had a way with words. I quickly texted back an affirmative and caught Jenny’s eye. She waved me over, but another notification popped up.
One from Principal Gentry.
I frowned and opened it. There wasn’t much to it beyond asking for a meeting tomorrow. I took a look around the room and noticed a few other teachers getting the same buzz.
The twist in my stomach settled.
Maybe it was just a regular meeting at the beginning of the year. Like a check-in.
Probably was.
“Kelsey, come on over here and meet Lois.”
I jammed my phone back into my pocket and rose with a smile. Time to mingle. My least favorite thing to do. Kids were easy, a huge group of women…
Meh.
I put my game face on and straightened my shoulders. This was a piece of cake.
Three hours later,
I wished I’d said no to Ally about going to the Spinning Wheel. I sighed as I dropped into the front seat of my car.
I cranked the air conditioning since it was still a healthy eighty-three degrees according to my phone. The resulting buzzing hum of hot air didn’t help my situation. I snapped my phone onto the dash holder and flung my sweater into the backseat.
But I had a cute dress on and still most of my mascara on my lashes. I flipped down the visor to check out the status of said makeup. Okay, so some of it was under my eyes too, but I would not be defeated.
I was going out with one of my new friends. And an icy cold margarita sounded like a plan.
I settled into my car and headed toward the town proper. Part of me wondered if I should park in front of my building and walk down to the bar, but I’d been on my feet all day and the cute strappy shoes had looked adorable when I put them on this morning.
Now?
Yeah, they were the devil.
But they made my legs look amazing. And if I was really in trouble, I had sneakers in my trunk. I could totally do this.
I parked in front of the bar and did a quick pass of pressed powder so I didn’t look like a sweaty twelve-year-old with a face full of freckles. One fortifying swipe of mascara for each eye helped pull the rest of the look together. I downed a half bottle of water and unclipped my hair.
From kindergarten teacher to single woman—easy peasy. Maybe I’d even get my flirt on a little. I was rusty as hell based on my absolute weirdo status Saturday night.
Then again, I’d still gotten laid, so there was that. But most men weren’t all that discerning. And Dare had seemed to enjoy himself. At least I was pretty sure he had. He was a quiet one. Except when he whispered that sultry darlin’ that had liquified every corner of my girl parts. I could have orgasmed just from him saying that in my ear.