Page 22 of Sweet Surrender

“Okay,” he said, but only stood there.

After a few awkward seconds, Becca realized that he was waiting for her to sit first, and took her usual spot behind the desk, passing close enough for her to smell what had to be his aftershave.

Maybe a guy who spends so much time outside really does smell like the mountains and a fireplace…

“Thank you again for coming in,” she said clearing her throat, and trying to clear her mind as he sat across from her. “I requested this meeting because I wanted to ask you a question.”

“Go ahead,” he said, looking at her in a pained way.

Of course he’s pained. He’s not a big talker and you’re making a meal out of this.

“Have you ever thought of putting the boys in the same class?” she asked, deciding to get right to the point.

“There’s a school policy against it,” he said, shrugging. “Twins have to be separated.”

“And I agree with that policy, in most cases,” Becca said. She had already planned what she wanted to say, and being disrespectful toward the school and its rules definitely wasn’t part of that. “But just for argument’s sake, what if it wasn’t up to the school?”

“What are you getting at?” he asked, leaning forward.

“I’ve noticed that Cal comes out of his shell when Nick’s around,” she said softly. “It’s wonderful to see his confidence grow in a heartbeat. And I love that he plays with the other children when they’re together.”

“That’s true,” Zane said, his expression warming. “The boys do love to play together.”

He gets it,she thought to herself happily.I’ll just ease him into the good news, then.

“I spoke with Principal Chittenden today,” she burst out. “I asked if they would ever make an exception to the twin rule, and I made my argument as to why I think your boys will be better off together. If you ask to put the boys in the same class, I think she’ll say yes.”

“What?” he asked.

“When I spoke with the principal, she mentioned that Nick struggles with his schoolwork,” Becca said. “I let her know that I think Cal could help him. And that would mean putting them together would helpbothof your boys. I think that’s really the key to her considering your request.”

She sat back and pressed her lips together, waiting for him to tell her how impressed he was.

Zane was perfectly still and silent for a moment—long enough that she started to get a bad feeling.

“So you went to the principal of the elementary school,” he said. “You met with her about my boys, and I wasn’t even informed?”

His voice was low and modulated, but she could sense his fury just beneath the surface, like a shadow in dark water.

“It-it wasn’t a real meeting,” she tried to explain. “I just stopped in during my lunch break?—”

“You’re Cal’s teacher,notNick’s,” he went on, his voice almost a growl now. “And you’ve only been Cal’s teacher for two days. You’re way out of line here, Miss Hawthorne. My boys were doing just fine at this school long before you came along, and I’m not inclined to change anything about their education just because you waltzed in here with some big-city ideas and decided to start breaking all the rules.”

Before she had a chance to even think about a response, he was out of his chair and storming out the door.

Heart pounding, Becca stood, but froze in place.

There was no point running after him. He had clearly made up his mind. And all the joyful energy that had been racing through her veins had been replaced with ice.

I messed up,she thought to herself.I messed up so badly.

Principal Chittenden had tried to warn her. But some lessons you had to learn on your own. The wise, older woman had probably known exactly how this would go. Looking back, Becca realized that was the real reason for the compassion in her eyes.

As her shock slowly receded, it was replaced by hurt. Zane Lawrence didn’t know her well, but how could he think she had anything but the boys’ best interests in mind?

She suddenly wished that she could just crawl into a hole somewhere and disappear—anything to not have to see that look on his face again.

I’m supposed to go to his house tomorrow,she remembered in horror.I’m supposed to visit Lawrence Dairy Farm.

---