It was set up right off the front entrance to the building. When you entered the large building, the front office was located next to a glass wall. My office was on the other end of the wall where I could see everything.
“I would say I did, too…but I’d be lying. Tests on the computer are much more straight forward, and way easier to grade.” She paused.
“True,” I admitted. “I can see why you would say that.”
She held out her palm for the keys, and I handed them to her, allowing her to open the office door mainly because I wasn’t sure I could get close enough without standing up. She hated watching me try to stand up because she was afraid that I was going to fall and reinjure myself.
I was very selective allowing her to see what she wanted to see. When she wasn’t around, I used the crutches and the wheelchair a hell of a lot less.
Though, technically, I wasn’t supposed to be on my feet just yet without crutches.
What she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.
“Here you go,” she said, pushing the door open.
I grinned at all the Get Well Soon cards that were lining the walls, and shook my head at the bouquet of Get Well teddy bears on the desk that said ‘Love, Schultz.’
“He needs his ass whooped,” I muttered.
Camryn’s laughter echoed behind her as she walked away. “Have a good day, baby.”
***
Overall, it was a very good day. So good, in fact, that I was glad that I’d been forced to come.
And the stupid scooter almost made me more approachable, because kids that I’d never talked to before—that never wanted to talk to me—made their way over to say hi and shoot the shit when they had time.
I didn’t have to break up any fights. I didn’t have to reprimand anyone.
Honestly, it was the best day I’d had at the high school since I’d started.
I knew that it wouldn’t last, that it was bound to get worse, but for now the kids were being good.
They were also happy to have me back and took the time to tell me that.
It was a humbling experience, and I knew that I’d stay at this exact position as long as the Chief allowed me to.
I loved it at the high school.
The hours weren’t half bad, either.
“You ready, Freddy?”
I looked up to find Camryn standing in my doorway, a small smile on her face.
“Yep,” I gestured for Dooley to get up, which he did.
He made his way over to Camryn and pushed his nose into her hand.
She took the hint and ran her hand over his head, causing Dooley to close his eyes in bliss.
“He loves you almost as much as I do,” I informed her.
Camryn shot me a bemused look.
“I love how you just toss all that out so easily now,” she murmured. “Come on. I have one more place we’re going to stop before it’s time for rehab.”
I had a feeling that I didn’t want to go where she was going to take me, but I’d stalled for time for too long.
She was right.
It was time for me to go back to the gym.
It was when we were making our way to the parking lot that I saw the sleek new silver SUV with Carver standing next to it.
“Get a new car?” I asked as we rolled past.
“Yep.” His eyes skittered around nervously. “Have a good day.”
When he got in and pulled away moments later, I looked at Camryn with a grin. “I think he doesn’t like me.”
“He’s Carver.” She shrugged. “He actually wrecked that little car of his. He had a nasty bruise on his face from hitting the steering wheel. Then he got this Suburban that was such a huge contradiction to his previous car that everyone and their brother commented on it. You don’t remember him getting all that shit from Raleigh and Ezra?”
I shook my head. “No.”
She shrugged. “He had the Suburban for like two days before that was gone, too. I imagine that it was due to the fact that he didn’t want to get any more shit any longer.”
“Was the Suburban a rental?”
She shrugged. “I think it was actually his at one point…though he told me that it wasn’t in his name just yet. Said he’d bought it at an estate sale, and that was why he didn’t feel comfortable driving it much.”
I frowned as I rolled to my vehicle, and kept frowning all the way to the gym that she thought she was secretly taking me to but wasn’t, all the while thinking about the SUV that we all knew he wouldn’t drive.Chapter 21I’m on two diets now. I wasn’t getting enough food on one.
-Camryn’s secret thoughts
Camryn
“Baby?”
I rolled over and blinked open my eyes, ears straining as I tried to figure out what had just woken me.