Earlier that afternoon, I’d gotten a message from Mr. Humphries, asking if I could come to the school tomorrow morning at eleven and meet with him. I was glad it was a light day and I could do my schoolwork from home, so I replied and said yes.
The bell jingled, and I looked up, smiling when I saw it was Ronan. He was alone tonight, and he waited by his booth until I came over and accepted his kiss.
“How’s Evan?”
“Fine. I’m not sure if it bothers me more that it happened or that he has just accepted it,” I admitted. “But his teacher Mr. Humphries asked to see me tomorrow, so I’m hoping he can help in some fashion. He has always been good to Evan.”
He nodded slowly. “Excellent.”
“Hungry?” I inquired with a grin.
He flashed me a grin. “As if you had to ask. Hit me with the special.”
“Coming right up.”
Ronan drove me home but didn’t come in. I knew he didn’t want to make a habit of sleeping over with the kids around, although I was certain neither would be surprised nor object to finding him there. He kissed me long and hard at the front door, telling me he would see me tomorrow. He held me tight, pressing a lingering kiss to my head. “Everything is going to be fine, Beth.”
“Doesn’t feel like it,” I admitted, upset I couldn’t make this better for Evan.
He drew back, touching the end of my nose playfully. “You know, Nan always says it’ll be fine in the end. If it’s not, then it’s not over yet.”
Then he bounded down the stairs and waited until I went inside. I had a feeling he was up to something, but what, I had no idea.
I supposed I would find out soon.
But nothing prepared me for what he had up his sleeve.
* * *
I weaved my way through the busy halls of the school, heading for Mr. Humphries’s room, where he’d asked me to meet him. I recognized many of the kids, who seemed to be headed in the opposite direction, and I was puzzled. They were in Evan’s grade, most of them in his class. I paused at his door, making sure my dress was smooth. I caught sight of myself in the glass window and I wished my hair could be controlled, but I had long given up on that happening. I lifted my hand, knocked, and walked in, surprised to see Evan sitting there. And Ronan. My breath caught as he stood. Dressed in a navy suit, a richly patterned tie, and his shoes glossy under the lights, he looked every inch the rich businessman he was. How I had thought him a trainer or construction worker seemed ludicrous now.
“Ronan?” I asked, confused.
Mr. Humphries stepped forward and shook my hand. “Thanks for meeting me here. I wanted to say hello before the presentation.”
“Presentation,” I repeated.
He nodded. “In the gym. We have a special guest meeting with us today.”
It clicked. Ronan was the special guest. He was going to talk to the school, proving that Evan hadn’t been lying.
“I thought we’d walk down together,” Mr. Humphries added.
“Um, sure.”
Ronan smiled at me with a wink, remaining uncharacteristically silent. He held open the door, waiting until Evan and his teacher walked through. He caught my elbow and bent close to my ear. “See, it wasn’t finished yet.”
I turned and pressed my lips to his. “I love you.”
His smile was wide. “I know.”
We were the last into the gym. Ronan squeezed my arm and followed Mr. Humphries to the stage. He spoke for a moment about the class he was teaching and how excited he had been when a member of the very company they were discussing reached out and offered to come in and talk to the school about their company and what it stood for. He introduced Ronan, who stepped up to the microphone amid the applause in the room. He waved, confident and sure of himself.
“Thanks to Mr. Humphries for allowing me here today. More importantly, I’d like to bring a friend of mine up here with me. He inspires me every day to be a better man. He’s smart, funny, and we have a blast building Lego together. Evan Jones, come on up here, bud.”
All eyes were on Evan as he made his way to the front. I saw the kids turning to one another in disbelief, one small group seemingly especially animated, their heads bent together as they talked to one another. Paige suddenly appeared by my side.
“Did you know?” I asked, my eyes on Evan.
“Liam told me this morning. I hurried over—like I would miss this.” She clasped my arm. “You have no idea,” she breathed out.
Ronan high-fived Evan and turned back to the microphone. “Now, I’m just an architect. I draw the buildings for ABC, and I have a hand in a lot of the BAM work these days. But I think you should hear about the companies and the projects from the men who oversee it all. So, without further ado, kids, I give you—BAM and ABC.”