Page 108 of These Pucking Boys

RYAN: No, keeping our girl satisfied.

I can’t believe he said that. I’m blushing furiously, and some of my students are starting to arrive. Let’s see if I can rescue this conversation from the gutter.

I’m sure I’ll gain a few pounds if you keep it up.

JAKE: You’d still be gorgeous.

RYAN: Does that mean no more tres leches cake? ??

I rest my forehead in my hand. I should have known better. Of course food will always bring sex to the forefront of our minds after the tres leches fiesta.

I’ll never say no to that.

JAKE: Now I want cake.

LACHY: Me too.

I’m distracted, reliving that hot evening, when Louis approaches my desk. “Are you okay, Ms. Summers?”

I lift my face quickly, turning my phone so the screen isn’t visible. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“Oh, okay. I thought you had a headache or something. My mom always has those, especially after she fights with my dad.”

I frown, forgetting my embarrassment. “Does that still happen a lot?”

He nods. “Yeah. He comes by the house often, even though he’s not supposed to. I think he wants to move back. I’m not sure why she won’t let him. I want to be a family again.”

“Oh sweety, I’m sure you do. But sometimes things aren’t as simple as we want them to be.”

He looks down. “I know. That’s what my grandpa says.”

The first bell rings, ending the conversation. Louis slumps his shoulders and returns to his seat. It breaks my heart to see him like that.

My phone vibrates with another incoming message. Oops. I forgot about the boys.

RYAN: Are you still with us, Peaches?

Sorry. A student needed me. Class is about to start. Talk later.

I want to include a heart emoji, but in my hurry to type, I end up sending a cute sticker of a pussy cat saying I love you.

Shit. I spend precious seconds freaking out instead of trying to unsend the message, and then it’s too late. They all read it.

Kill me now.

“Why didn’t you unsend the text?” Katrina asks me after I tell her about the I-love-you sticker fiasco.

“What would be the point? They’d already seen it.” I take a bite of my sandwich even though I’m not hungry.

We’re having lunch in my classroom so we can talk freely about my love life.

“And they haven’t texted you back?”

I grimace. “I was too afraid to check.”

She narrows her eyes, then stretches out her hand. “Hand over the phone. Right now.”

“Ugh. Fine. I’ll check.” A bubble of laughter goes up my throat when I see the messages from them. “They texted me back.”

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