Page 82 of The Friend Game

Call me old-fashioned, but you’ll never convince me that getting rescued isn’t an incredibly appealing occurrence. Not that he’s necessarily rescuing me. I do have a speech of my own, after all. But still, the striding to the front of the room looking all competent and capable and, you know–hot…well, he’s definitely giving off some rescue vibes that I very much like.

“Thank you, Rochelle, ” Luke says to the woman as he accepts the microphone from her hand. “First off, I think it would benefit us all to start this meeting off with a word of prayer. If you’d all please fold your hands and join me as we come before our Heavenly Father.” Around the room people shift in their seats, dutifully adopting a posture of prayer as Luke speaks. “Father God, thank you for the Grace Canyon community. What a privilege it is for us to not only gather in your name, but to have this place where we can strive to educate young children about you, instilling in them the awesome truth that they are loved by the King. I ask that tonight you would keep our focus on that goal. That anything that doesn’t involve furthering your kingdom would be set aside. Clear our minds that we might fill them with you. Amen.”

The prayer comes to a close, and I let out a long exhale as I echo his Amen with the rest of the room. His words are a poignant reminder that this meeting is not about vindicating myself in front of Lexie. I want to keep teaching because I love these kids. Lexie may have a personal vendetta against me, but my job is not to retaliate, it’s to stand firm in what I think God has called me to. And right now that’s teaching here at Grace Canyon.

“Now,” Luke lifts his head and looks around the room, “before Principal Novak speaks I just wanted to get up here and state for everyone in the room to hear, that I stand behind the permanent hiring of Hannah Garza. I know the board has some concerns not only about her lack of certification but about the fact that she didn’t tell everyone that she wasn’t certified.”

“You mean she lied,” another board member says loudly. “You can’t just spin that truth away.” I swear I can hear Jill’s internal monologue rejecting that statement.Spinning isn’t lying, it’s making the truth seem more attractive.

“Fair enough,” Luke replies, unrattled. “She did lie, but she also came forward with the truth. That shows great strength of character. Owning up to our mistakes is never easy.”

“Amen!” Etta calls from the back.

“Furthermore,” Luke goes on, “there are many private schools across the state that don’t have the same requirements of their educators. Not only does that suggest that our own rules could perhaps benefit from being relaxed on this point— at the very least on a case-by-case basis—but also that Miss Garza could easily go to one of those other schools and try to get hired there. Instead, owing to her affection for Grace Canyon, she’s willing topayto get certified so that she can stay on staff here.”

“More like owing to her affection for you!” someone shouts from the back. I don’t know who said it, but titters erupt around the room and an endearing blush rises to Luke’s cheeks. For the first time he looks unsure. His gaze darts to mine. His apologetic expression suggests that he thinks he’s let me down for getting our relationship outed. Which is just ridiculous. I give him a big smile so he knows just how much I appreciate him going to bat for me. Then I mouth with a conciliatory shrug, “They’re not wrong.” His posture relaxes as he grins back at me. He turns back to the room.

“Well, yes, I hope that’s part of it too,” he says with a chuckle, earning himself a round of cheering and hooting that Brooke most definitely started.

I laugh helplessly in my chair, a warm, fuzzy feeling filling me.

“Now maybe I should turn the floor over to Principal Novak before I start literally singing the praises of the woman in question–we all know my voice is questionable at best.” Everybody laughs as George stands and heads up to his son.

“Hold on a minute, Principal Novak–I’m here,” Lexie’s authoritative voice cuts the laughter off, and all around the room heads swivel to the door. At first I’m actually relieved to see her. After all, I was expecting her to be here. Not having her here was almost more nerve-wracking. Now themeeting can go on as planned. No unwelcome surprises.

But then a man walks in behind her and my stomach freefalls to the floor.

Marshall.

Chapter 33

“SO SORRY I’M late,” Lexie goes on, looking smugly around the room until she finds me. Her eyebrows pop up almost imperceptibly and her smirk deepens. “I got caught up dealing with a little snafu over at The Chapman. You know,” she’s staring straight at me as she speaks, “the prestigious art gallery that Hannah here managed to get some of our kids’ artwork into? Odd how she managed to do that with so little clout of her own in the art world.” She cocks her head as if pondering this.

Cold dread drenches my body as I transfer my attention to Marshall. Is she suggesting what I think she’s suggesting? Did Marshall get the kids that invitation? No. No.No!My head starts shaking back and forth like it’s the bob of a pendulum.

“Oh wait,” Lexie lets out a fake laugh, “she didn’t. Her boyfriend did.”

Everyone looks at Luke. Except for me, of course. My gaze stays fixed on Lexie like abystander unable to look away from the car wreck in front of them.

“Sorry, not that boyfriend,” Lexie corrects. “Although, congratulations to the two of you,” she says, lifting a hand to Luke, then moving it over to me. “Such a lovely speech you gave on Hannah’s behalf, Pastor. It almost makes me sad that I have to be the one to spoil things between you. By the way, have you met Marshall Donovan?” She angles her body toward Marshall and he steps forward. “Hannah’s married boyfriend?”

“Woah,” Marshall speaks for the first time, “I’m not married,” he says.

“Oh, right. I apologize,” Lexie says hastily. “Youwereengaged to be married. To your long-time, live-in girlfriend but then you met Hannah.” She clucks her tongue in disapproval. “And she had you rethinking that choice.”

I’m frozen in my seat. I should stand up and refute all of these claims she’s making. Tell everyone that it wasn’t like that. I didn’t know he was engaged! But I can’t move. Some part of me is reminding me that Lexie isn’t completely lying. Unwittingly or not, I did play the part of the other woman. And I deserve this penance.

“Oh get off your high horse!” Jill is up off her feet and storming toward Marshall and Lexie, Brooke not far behind her. “And you,” she jabs the air in the direction of Marshall, “how dare you evenset foot anywhere near my sister, you, you,” Jill scrambles for the right word, seeming to remember that she is inside a Christian school, “butthead,” she finishes.

“Funny,” Lexie interjects with a laugh, “that’s the same word your daughter used when she told me all about Marshall, Jill.” She mimics a child’s speech as she adds, “My Aunt Hannah has a butthead boyfriend.”

Ellie. Horror chokes me. I thought she’d outed my relationship with Luke to Lexie, but she’d done far worse by telling her about Marshall.

“Didn’t take much digging on my part to find out the rest,” Lexie goes on. “What a disaster your last art show was, Hannah.” She shakes her head with another clucking sound.

“Yeah, thanks to him!” Jill cries, looking more flustered than I’ve ever seen her. The news that her daughter outed me has clearly shaken her. I wish I could tell her that I don’t blame Ellie. She’s only a child, after all. But I can’t seem to make any words come out of my mouth.

“I’d like to wipe that smirk right off your face,” Brooke announces.

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