Page 41 of Teacher of the Year

“Princess!” I wonder how long it will be until she’ll be too big to leap into his strong arms.

With Illona’s arms around her father, Olan looks at me and asks, “What time are you thinking?”

We’d already agreed I’d come over to his place as Cindy has the weekend off, and he wasn’t keen on leaving his five-year-old alone for the evening.

“I’m totally flexible.”

“If you want to share a meal with Illona and me, you could come at six? If you would prefer to wait until she goes to bed, maybe eight-ish? I totally get if you want a night off from children.”

While thoughtful of him, more time with both him and Illona sounds way better than going home, eating a frozen meal, and waiting until eight to leave my place. I’d probably pass out on the sofa, drool spooling on my chin, and miss the entire evening.

“Well, I’m always hungry, so how about six? What can I bring?” My stomach’s already rumbling.

“Just yourself,” he says with a wink. Damnit. Apparently, friends wink now.

Illona pulls herself back. She’s still in her father’s arms.

“Mr. Block is coming over for dinner?”

“Is that all right?” Olan asks.

She nods and smiles with such zeal my heart gives a little flutter as I take them both in, and if I had ovaries, they’d be exploding right now. Boom.

“Okay, I’ll see you both soon,” I say.

* * *

As I walk to Olan’s, the cold February air bites my lungs, but I enjoy the jolt of energy it provides. My view morphs as crowded apartments and small homes with nearly impossible street parking transform into single-family homes with yards, driveways, and garages increasing in size the closer I get to the coastline. Even though Jill uncovered why Olan uprooted his and Illona’s worlds and relocated, I’m still clueless about what happened with his ex-wife. Clearly, Olan’s more than comfortable financially, but we haven’t spoken about money because nothing kills the mood faster than talking about finances. But now, as friends, maybe I’ll learn more about him. He’s upstairs. I’m downstairs. But if it doesn’t bother him, I’m not going to worry about it.

Opening the door, Olan wears a red and tan flannel (how very New England of you, sir) and dark green joggers. The combo makes him resemble a lumberjack, and I’m not upset about it. He gazes at me and lets out a little laugh. This man clearly finds me hilarious, and although it’s harmless, having him always examine me and snicker puts my self-confidence on edge.

“What did I do now, John Henry?”

He chuckles again and says, “You didn’t do anything. Come inside, it’s freezing. Why didn’t you drive?”

“I prefer to walk whenever possible. It’s the only exercise I get besides teaching, which, let’s be real, is the ultimate cardio. Plus, the last time I was here, I needed a ride home, and look how that turned out.”

We haven’t established if we’re pretending the kissing never happened or if we’re even allowed to talk about it, so I’m unsure if that was out of line. Olan’s eyes dart down, and I think I might have embarrassed him.

“Did I make you blush?”

He looks up, takes my hand, and places the back of it against his cheek. Heat radiates from his skin, instantly warming my hand and sending my belly into a tumble.

“You might not always see it, but yes, I blush.”

“Now, who’s being adorable?” I say because playfully teasing him makes my heart happy.

He takes my coat and hangs it up in a hallway closet. Illona comes charging down the hallway, barrels into my leg, and her arms encircle my waist, much as she does at school.

“Hey you,” I gush. It truly feels wonderful to spend time with her outside of school and know our closeness translates. For this friendship between Olan and me to work, Illona must be a part of it. I sneak a glance at Olan’s face. He lights up watching Illona and me, and Lord, his fatherly joy ignites something inside me.

“Marvin’s going to prepare pizza with us,” Olan says.

At this, in one motion, Illona breaks free from my waist, grabs my hand, and pulls me toward the elaborate kitchen.

“Just boss me around,” I tease.

“Don’t worry, we will.” Olan nudges Illona, and she giggles in agreement.

---