Page 66 of Christmas with the Baby Daddy

“Miss, I can escort them so you don’t have to leave your classroom.”

She turned, sighing at the sight of me. It seemed like she was so stressed, she’d smile weakly like that at the sight of any adult coming near and taking over. “Zachary? Yes, that’s you. I heard that you were filling in for Mr. Benson. Oh, thank you. Please, if you don’t mind…”

I tipped my chin for Brent and George to follow me. Not for a second did I take my glare off Brent. He sulked, mumbling under his breath as we walked to Cole’s office.

“Bast—”

“Don’t,” I warned. With that one-word order, I dared him to say it again.

“He is. George doesn’t have a daddy. He’s gonna look like a loser at our family presentation day. His tree is so empty, and it means nobody loves him.” He sneered at him. “Not even his daddy wanted him.” He laughed, trill and mean.

I stopped right in front of the entrance to the front office. Stooping and crouching until I was at eye level with the kid, I tried to keep a good hold on my temper. “Hey, Brent. Who isyourdaddy?”

His smug expression fell. From gleeful hatred to a stunned humiliation, he stared up at me wordlessly.

I raised my brows, daring him to answer me. Unless Reagan ever claimed someone was his father, he didn’t know who his daddy was.

“I…”

“Think about that before you try to bother him again,” I scolded before I stood up and opened the door. “Ms. Ameena?”

A stand-in receptionist, not Sara, sat at the desk. “She’s off today.”

“Aha. Then can you please show this young man to Principal Ameena’s office?”

“Sure, sure.” The older woman stood. “Young man?” She tilted her head to the side. “I thought George Myer was expected to report to the principal too.”

I stepped forward, blocking George from her sight. “Nope. Ms. Erin said just Brent.”

She nodded, narrowing her eyes at Brent as he trudged inside.

Maybe it was a low blow to remind Brent that he was also fatherless, but if that was what it took to knock him off his bullying pedestal and give him a taste of Karma, fine. I’d go to hell for it and not care with George relaxing and smiling.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back.”

He fell into step beside me as we moved away from the front office door as it closed. “How come you lied? Lying is bad.”

I shrugged. “Hey, even the good guys lie sometimes. If it’s for a greater good, then oh, well.”

“That sounds complicated.”

“Oh, it is.” I patted his back. “Go on back to your class, kiddo. And just know that I bet your dad would love you very much.”

He nodded soberly. “I would love him too. Almost as much as I love Mama, I think.”

“She loves you too, George. I can tell.”

With a stronger smile, he waved and turned to hurry back to his classroom.

I got a text from another number from the school line, indicating that I was needed to tidy up a messy area near the doors that led out to where recess lines formed. After I finished with that, I headed back down the hall until someone stopped me again.

“Zach?” Click-clacking heels followed the shout. “Zach.”

I turned, finding Reagan storming up to me. For the first time since I’d flown home, she wasn’t giving me a sugary smile or a seductive smirk. She glowered, furious and intent on telling me why.

“I just left from Cole’s office, and my son told me?—”

I cut her off, scowling right back down at her as she got into my face. “That another boy was loveless because he didn’t have a father.”

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