I Never Let You Go (I Never 3)

Well, shit. Things just got a little interesting. “You work here?” I look around the halls of the school. Students are slowly beginning to trickle in.

“Yeah, last time I checked, that was my name outside my classroom.” She points to the classroom across the hall from where we are standing where I read “Ms. Lawson” on the nameplate beside the door.

Someone walks out of the main office and forces Lauren to step closer to me. I shove my hands in my pockets to keep

from touching her.

“I had no idea this was your school.”

She shrugs. “I guess we haven’t really had time to catch up, have we?”

I look down at my shoes. “I guess you’re right. How’s the sink, by the way.”

Lauren does the last thing I expect and covers her mouth to hide a giggle. I tilt my head, confused at what brought on the laugh.

“Something funny?”

She holds her hand up. “Sorry, just something that Kate said after you left.” She waves her hand off, not wanting me to press. “But the sink is great. Thank you again.”

“As I said, I’ll always make time for you.”

I follow the trail her eyes take looking me up and down. I smirk internally, not wanting to give it away to her that I caught her checking me out. I see something behind her eyes as she pulls her bottom teeth between her lips. She is clearly rooted in thought. Has she been thinking about that moment just like I have?

“Hi, Miss Lawson,” a small blond boy says as he heads into her classroom. Right, we’re in the middle of her school, of her job, where I am about to meet with the principal to take on a project that might bring me here once a week.

“Well, I better go.” She begins to move toward her classroom, but I’m not ready to let her run away just yet. I reach out and graze my fingers on her arms. Her body once again reacts to my touch as she sucks in a deep breath. I add that to a win in the “Finn Reynolds has a shot” column. Her eyes first look down at where my fingers are wrapped around her bicep. Her breathing evens out as her eyes ever so slowly drag up my body to mine.

“Have a good day, Lauren,” I whisper just soft enough for her to hear.

She swallows thickly.

“Goodbye, Finn.” I can see her walls starting to crumble around me already.

She pulls out of my grasp and walks toward her classroom.

I watch her enter her classroom. Shit, I’m not here to talk with Lauren—this is for me, but I can’t help but think how crazy it is that this is her school. How long has she worked here? Was that why my father chose this school? Did Lauren know about it? I must push all those thoughts to the back of my mind and focus as I enter the office.

I patiently wait in the chairs outside the principal’s office after letting the secretary know of my arrival. Wow, I seriously don’t feel like I was this nervous waiting outside of the principal’s office as a kid. But this is everything for the company, taking my father’s plans to a whole new level.

“Mr. Reynolds.” I look up from my lap. “The principal will now see you,” the young secretary announces from her desk and extends her hand in the direction of the office. I grab my bag and rise. When the door opens, a shorter brunette woman greets me.

“Principal Estep, thank you for meeting with me.”

She extends her hand in mine. “Please, call me Ashley. Why don’t you have a seat.” She extends her hand to the seat across from her desk.

I take a seat and pull out the papers from my folder.

“So, what can I do for you today, Griffin.” Ashley sits back in her chair, folding her hands in her lap.

“Please call me Finn; my father went by Griffin.”

“I am so sorry to hear about your father’s passing. I spoke with him a few times. He had wonderful ideas for this school.”

“Thank you. Actually, that was why I wanted to meet with you today. I’ve recently taken over for him after his passing, and I came across his files for the project he wanted to put together for you. While he had some brilliant ideas, I came up with some new ideas that I think are even better.”

Ashley moves her clasped hands from her lap to her mouth as she rests her elbows on her desk, indicating that she is interested in hearing more. She hasn’t kicked me out yet, so that’s a start.

I hand her copies of the documents and drawings I drew up, and she accepts them before leaning back in her chair.