Page 35 of Every Beat of My Heart

“I bet. I’m glad I didn’t have to console my son.”

“He earned a spot on the team. He has some work to do. But I see potential.”

“Thank you for saying that. I was worried.”

Jameson sucked in a breath. “The reason I was calling was because I don’t think it’s a good idea if people knew we were friends before tryouts. The Brians of the world are never going to buy that I didn’t know what school Owen attended.”

“The Brians of the world?” I asked, genuinely confused.

Jameson sighed. “Sorry. Bryce’s dad. He wanted me to assure him that his son was QB one.”

“I assume that means this his son will be the starting quarterback?” I felt breathless for some reason. I think it had to do with the intimacy of the situation. I wore satin lingerie pajamas while laying on my bed with his voice in my ear. I wanted to close my eyes and push my hand under my waist band. Would Jameson hear the hitch in my voice? The change in my breathing pattern?

“You’re catching on.”

I startled a little at his voice. I’d forgotten this was a phone call between former friends, not phone sex. And when had I ever engaged in phone sex? Never. Because I was as boring and straitlaced as Eric claimed.

I flushed at the idea of lusting after a man who was not only younger than me but most likely didn’t think of me sexually.

“Are you still there?” Jameson asked, his voice a little softer.

“I am.” My voice was lower, huskier. I bit my lip, wondering if he knew what I was thinking.

“So you agree we can’t talk to each other like we know each other. We have to keep it professional.”

I straightened, his words sending cold water over my skin. “Of course. Professional. Got it.”

“The principal sent me an email telling me he heard good things about me today.”

I laughed. “You’re a massive improvement from the last younger teacher we had subbing.”

“Why is that?”

“He snooped through the science teacher’s desk, found his nicotine gum—which should have been locked up—and the kids made a huge deal out of it. Within the hour, the entire school was talking about the science teacher doing drugs.”

“Wow.”

“The sub shouldn’t have been snooping in the desk.”

“I only ever go in the top drawer for a pencil. I can never seem to remember one.”

“Why would you? A pencil isn’t exactly a necessity for a firefighter.”

Jameson chuckled again, and I wanted this conversation to go on forever.

“But more than that, he let the kids be on their phones and essentially do whatever they wanted. The neighboring teachers had to step in and discipline the students and the teacher.”

“Ouch. I wouldn’t have wanted to be that guy.”

“He’s been banned from ever subbing at our school again thankfully. There’s no requirement to be a sub. You just need a high school education and be breathing apparently.” Then I rushed to add. “I didn’t mean anything by that. I was just saying sometimes you don’t get teachers as good as you.”

“Nice save,” Jameson teased.

I’d noticed his smile, and even the dimple that appeared when he did. But now that I could only hear him, his voice was a whole other level of attraction. This fantasy of mine was getting out of control. “I heard good things about your teaching style.”

“I want to command respect but also want them to learn and have fun.”

“That’s a tall order.”

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