“That’s what I’m doing,” I said. “Or at least trying to. So, yeah. Toby and I will meet you on the golf course.”
“That sounds great.”
Ted and I walked around the site for a few minutes so that I could really get a good look at things. I’d always been fascinated by construction sites. There was just something about an empty space in the world and then after some hard work this beautiful structure now existed and people were going to be going into that building for living, or working, or conducting business. It was something that had grabbed me since I was just five years old. My mother’s father was a contractor and had taken me under his wing in lieu of my absent father. I spent every spare moment I had working with my grandfather and learning as much as I could about construction.
I’d been in college when I first became interested in the real estate aspect of it all.
I thanked Ted and hopped in my car. I’d actually been dreading going to the site, mostly because I was worried there might be an issue that I’d have to deal with and it might interfere with my time with Toby. But luckily Ted had come through and everything was turning out beautifully.
I drove through the traffic of San Diego. It was busy this time of the day, but as I got closer to my building, the traffic began to thin to a comfortable pace.
I parked my car at my building and then walked the few blocks to the school. My mind was mostly focused on seeing my son again and the excitement of finding out how his day was. But I was also thinking about Libby and wondering just how much I could actually bring myself to say to her today.
I almost laughed at myself about it. I knew I was considered good looking. I kept myself in great shape and I’d been a lifelong athlete. Plus, I was very successful, which brought its own set of challenges in weeding out women who were primarily interested in me because of my money and status. I hated that there were people like that out there, but that was the nature of the beast.
Libby was not like that, though. I could sense that she was a genuinely sweet person who just loved what she did. Her heart was in helping kids and running her own school the way she wanted to. There were no red flags about her intentions, not that she’d shown any intentions towards me.
When I arrived at the school, I went inside to pick up Toby as I usually did. It was easier and it gave me the opportunity to at least attempt to speak with Libby.
Toby was in the back of the classroom helping Libby put away toys and crayons. He looked so happy, as he usually did when working with Libby. Toby was just one of those kids that despite growing up without a mother, always had a wonderful smile on his face. I was glad that Toby didn’t remember Gina, sometimes. It was just easier, but it made me feel guilty that he felt that way. Gina was a great mother who loved Toby very much.
Libby looked up as I entered the room. My breath stopped and I instantly began to sweat. She was so breathtaking.
The moment I was in her presence the nerves began to overtake me and I found myself struggling with taking normal, relaxed breaths.
But today I was determined to say something interesting.
This was going to be a challenge…
CHAPTER 2
Libby
I looked backwards after hearing the scuffling of feet on the linoleum floor. I’d been working with Toby Savage on putting away the toys after dismissing the children for the day. And I was so ready for the day to be over.
A pounding headache had been relentless all day long, I hadn’t slept well the night before, and it seemed that half the class today had eaten a bowl full of pure sugar this morning for breakfast. This was all on top of the other many stresses in my life. I loved what I did, working with children, but I really felt by the end of that day that I needed to just take off for three months and not tell anyone where I was going. That was a fantasy I’d been resorting to in my mind several times a day lately, at times really getting lost in the daydream. But then my real life always came pulling me back.
I just wanted a break.
“Daddy!” Toby squealed.
He dropped the last toy in the box and ran to hug his father. Mason Savage was a big deal. I’d known that his son was in my class when I took over from Mrs. Hudsaker. Everyone knew Mason quite well. In fact, he was one of the more fairly prominent businessmen in the country. But the day that he first dropped Toby off at school was the first time I’d actually seen him in person. I could remember it vividly. I suddenly found myself inside of some weird waking dream. I could hardly breathe. There was the Mason Savage in the flesh.