Page 23 of Beneficial Misfortune

God, he’s so strange.

Chapter 8

The last day is a half-day, and it flies by as the kids tell me all about their summer vacation plans. Most of them are going on extravagant vacations or camps that make my childhood sound like a bore, and I really get to see the money-class divide. This school is prestigious, and most of New York's top businessmen and women opt to have their children attend regardless of cost or travel time.

The kids are cleaning out their cubbies and packing up all of their projects and supplies to take home, and I can't help but feel sad. Come September, there will be all new faces, and while I’m excited, I know I’ll miss them.

“I don’t want a new teacher,” Addison says with a huff, running over to throw her arms around me and squeezing me tight.

The rest of the students have been picked up, but Nathaniel texted me this morning to tell me he would be a few minutes late today.

“I know, Addy, but you're so smart, and your brain needs room to grow. You’ll learn lots of new things and make new friends.And I’ll still be here. You can come see me any time,” I tell her, soothing her hair back and trying to offer her comfort.

We stay like that for a moment before I hear her tiny sniffles and realize she’s crying.

“Oh, Addison. Hey, honey, look at me,” I tell her and wait for her to do so. It takes her a second, but finally, she does, her blue eyes swimming with tears that threaten to make me cry, too. I pull back slowly and have a seat on the ground, pulling her down onto my lap.

“I’m not going anywhere, okay? I’ll be here, and next year, if your dad’s late, you can still come down and sit with me.” It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her I’ll be her nanny, that even if I’m not her teacher, we’ll be together all the time outside of school. But I refuse to get her hopes up, and I want to check a few things over with Nathaniel first before I say for sure.

“You promise?” She asks, her voice small and shaky from her crying.

“I promise,” I say without hesitation before an idea comes to me. “Here, let's make a real good promise, okay?”

She pulls back, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand as she sniffles. I hold up my hand, offering her my pinkie. She stares at it for a second before looking up at me in question.

I chuckle, realizing she must not know what I’m doing. I probably look crazy to her. “Stick out your pinkie finger.” She does it without question, and I link our pinkies together with a smile.

“I pinkie promise I’m not going anywhere,” I tell her, squeezing her pinkie with mine. “A pinkie promise is a promise you can’t break,” I explain.

Slowly, a smile pulls to her lips as my words sink in and she lets out a squeal before flinging herself at me with enough force that we fall to the ground, laughing.

“A pinkie promise, huh? That’s pretty serious.”

Nathaniel’s voice startles me, and I whip my head toward him to find him leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed, a smile on his face as he watches us.

“Daddy!” Addison scrambles to get up, tripping over her feet a few times before she makes it to him. She’s talking a mile a minute as she tells him all about our promise and how she’s going to learn new things and make new friends next year.

He smiles and nods as she continues jumping around, full of excitement. If you told me she’d been crying just minutes ago, I would think you were lying, but I saw it for myself. Nathaniel glances at me as I pull myself up off the floor, feeling silly, but his eyes are warm, and despite how silly I might feel, I don’t think he’s judging me.

“Did you still want to get ice cream to celebrate your last day, Princess?” Nathaniel asks her once she’s finished her dramatic recap, and she squeals, finally flinging herself into his arms for a hug.

“Can we take Ms. Kat with us?” She pulls back to look up at him with big, pleading eyes. “Please, it’s her birthday!” She adds before he even has a chance to answer.

“Her birthday, huh? Well, that does sound like it deserves some ice cream then. But that’s up to Ms. Kat, honey, not me.”

She instantly begins to wiggle, and he lets her down. Honestly, it’s a wonder he doesn’t drop her, but I guess he’s probably used to it. The second her feet touch the ground, she runs back to me, folding her little hands and sticking out her lip in the most adorable pout.

“Will you please come out to get ice cream with us, Ms. Kat?” she pleads, and oh my, how does anyone say no to that face?

I glance up at Nathaniel for help, but he shrugs, and I know better. I’ve seen the way she has him wrapped around her finger. Looking back down at Addison and her wide eyes, I cave.

“Well, it is rather hot out today. Some ice cream might be just what I need.”

She lets out a cry of excitement, grabbing my hand and all but dragging me to the door to join her father. With a laugh, I gently pry myself from her grip and collect my things before we head out.

Vincent nods in greeting as we walk down the stairs. “Mr. Lawson, Ms. Kat.”

I smile and follow Addison into the limo as Nathaniel stops to talk to him. It only takes a moment before he climbs in behind me, and this time, I’ve made sure to make room. Maybe too much room, judging by the way he eyes the gap between us, but doesn’t say a word.

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