Page 106 of Stay Toxic

“He’s at his office right now,” he said. “I found out he has an appointment today around three for a client of his who thinks he’s about to be fired. He wants his lawyer there when it happens. Once he’s out of there, I’ll take care of it.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” I said.

He laughed. “Oh, I won’t.”

After we hung up, I looked at Lev, who looked rather smug at my reaction.

“I want cameras in her classroom by the end of the day, and I want access to all cameras in that school by noon,” I said. “Ivan can take care of the cameras in the school. You can get me access.”

“Will do.” He stood up, and I swung around to get to my computer. “Shasha?”

“Yes,” I answered, looking up.

“I like her.”

My lips twitched. “She’s going to be my wife.”

“I know.” He started out of the room but stopped and looked at me over his shoulder. “One day, I want that.”

“You’ll have it, Lev. All you have to do is step out of your comfort zone.”

One day, each of us burned a CD for the last time and didn’t know.

—Brecken’s secret thoughts

BRECKEN

My ex-fiancé, my ex-best friend, and Gabriel sat across the table from me.

To make matters worse, there was the superintendent on one side of me, the principal and the dean of students on the other, and about five people lined up behind us that were higher-ups in some way.

This was starting out fantastic.

Not only was I missing my lunch period for whatever the hell this was, but I was also having to deal with three of my least favorite people in the world.

“All right, now that all of us are here…”

I ignored the way the superintendent sounded snippy about me arriving ‘late’ even though I was coming straight from my class and missing my lunch period and sent out the text I’d beensending to Shasha before I’d been informed that I had a meeting I needed to attend.

A mandatory, no-getting-out-of-it meeting.

I pulled out my lunch and laid it out on the table in front of me.

I took a bite of my peanut butter and jelly sandwich made on gluten-free and dairy-free bread.

Jesus, I was totally going to make Polina the best woman at my wedding…

The superintendent frowned at me as my phone vibrated in my lap, and I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “I’m starving, Mr. Pondant. This is my lunch period, and I’m already one of three who takes their lunches this late.”

He dismissed me and looked at the principal. “Do you want to explain about the meeting?”

“Yes.” He stood up. “It’s come to our attention that all students are having a hard time in your classes. All of them feel uncomfortable.”

My brows rose. “Are you talking about my students?”

“No.” He held up his hands. “No, not you. Them.” He jerked his chin at Rupert and Jolessa. “You are here to let us know if you’ve felt uncomfortable having them here.”

I snorted. “You literally have them on either side of my room. Of course, I’m uncomfortable having the man I was supposed to marry on one side of my room and the woman that used to be my best friend and cheated with my ex-fiancé on the other.”

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