Page 40 of Sweet Poison

His daughter hated my guts, but there was something sincere and inviting about him and I warmed to him. He was definitely a guy I could go out and have a few drinks with.

Chapter 24

Montana

“What?” The girls' jaws all dropped open. It would have been funny if I wasn’t so churned up inside. We were sitting on the picnic bench in the garden for lunch. The kids were scattered around in groups having the sandwiches they had prepared themselves.

“What-,” Kelly started, sounding absolutely confused. “His daughter is here? Right now? He’s a parent here? Like an actual parent?”

I nodded morosely, and I slipped a potato chip into my mouth.

“Oh my God. So he’s the guy who was doing all the renovation work on Duck’s Pond,” Natalie deduced.

“So is he like a stalker?” Pearl asked. “I mean, you have to consider that he is giving stalker vibes if he’s suddenly so close to you.”

“He’s not a stalker,” I groaned. “He just brought his daughter here.”

“Now that you mention it, is she even really his daughter?” Pearl asked. “Maybe she’s a paid actor in all of this, and he really just came after you.”

“I really think he came here because of you,” Pearl said in a hushed voice.

“Stop it, you guys. Him being here has absolutely nothing to do with me. Dad said he’d already enrolled his daughter here last term, but he couldn’t get here before that.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe in coincidences. This is fate,” Pearl declared.

I gave her a dry look.

“Going to the Chapel and we’re gonna get married,” Kelly sang and the others snickered.

“I’m leaving,” I said exasperated by their antics, but they pulled me back down.

“Stop being so serious,” Natalie scolded. “But let us get serious about this though. I mean, now that he’s here and his daughter is in our school, how do you plan to navigate this potentially explosive situation? Are you going to use your Aikido technique?”

Another bout of laughter followed.

“No,” I said with a long-suffering sigh, “I’m not bringing any drama into school and definitely not my classroom with his kid’s welfare at stake. We’re going to keep it all very professional. Strictly teacher and parent relationship.”

“Look,” Kelly said. “We’re all adults here. Trust me, everything can be navigated easily when clear boundaries are set.”

“That’s what I’m saying,” I said.

But she shook her head. “No, we’re not saying the same thing. Your boundaries mean ‘don’t go there’, mine is a bit more porous. ‘Go there outside work hours, in your free time’. You’re just behaving this way because you’re pissed that he didn’t call. But think about it. Life is short. Why deprive yourself of clean good fun? Why not keep it going with him? I certainly would. You say it was the best night of your life so why blow out the flame when it’s still burning so bright, why not let it die out naturally when all the wax is gone? At that time, you can both mutually agree to revert back to a strictly professional relationship as teacher and parent?”

“Wow,” I looked at her. “Are these kinds of sticky personal matters usually this easy for you?”

“Yeah,” she replied, and I had to smile.

“I agree with Kelly,” Pearl said. “For me, I say don’t cross your heart when there’s no reason. I mean, how many things happen the way we want them to? Maybe this could still develop into something special. You shouldn’t walk away so fast because it didn’t fit what you expected?”

I was so confused. “So, what are you saying I should do, go after him?”

“No,” Pearl replied. “What I’m saying is that if he’s coming after you, then let him and embrace that scenario until it comes to an end.”

“That, I must admit, is solid advice,” Natalie put in. “You’re brave with everything else. Why chicken out on this matter?”

“By the way, Dad has invited him to dinner tonight,” I said glumly.

“Way to go, Mr. Moore,” Kelly approved with a chuckle.

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