Page 45 of Undone

I rounded the corner and almost bumped into a woman hurrying past, her arms full of folders. She had a controlled mayhem about her. Her dark, shoulder-length hair was pulled back into a practical ponytail, with a few stray wisps escaping. She looked up, assessed me, and then quickly adjusted into a polite smile.

“Sorry about that,” I said, stepping back to give her space.

“No problem,” she replied, her voice clipped but not unfriendly. “You’re the new first-grade teacher, right? I’m Miss Lane—Lana Lane. Fourth grade.”

“Noah—Miss Reid,” I said, trying to keep my tone light and professional. “I just moved here from Seattle.”

She let out a short, amused laugh. “Big city girl, huh?” She raised a brow with a hint of playful curiosity. “Well, welcome. Sorry I’m a bit scattered. Getting ready for a new school year always feels like a sprint, you know?”

“No worries at all,” I replied.

She studied me for a moment, hesitating. “You’re Dotty James’s friend, right? I heard a rumor.”

“Yeah, she finally convinced me to make the move,” I chuckled, feeling a bit self-conscious. “You know her?”

“Not well,” she said, her tone relaxing into something casual. “I dated her brother forever ago.”

My curiosity piqued. “Oh, which one?” I asked.

“Colt. Ages ago, though,” she added, her lips curling into a faint smile.

Interesting.

“They are solid people,” she continued.

“They’re a great family,” I said. “They’ve made me feel really welcome here.”

“Well, since you’re new here, a lot of the teachers get together once a month on Fridays at Outlaw’s, if you ever want to join.”

“Okay,” I replied. “I’ll think about it.”

She smiled. “I need to get back to my classroom, but it was nice to meet you, Noah.”

“You too,” I said, nodding. She gave me a brief but genuine smile before walking past.

As she walked away, I felt more settled. I turned the key in the lock and stepped into my new classroom, ready to make it my own. The blank walls and empty desks awaited my touch, and for the first time since entering the building, I was hopeful for the future.

SIXTEEN

Noah - August

CONTROL - HALSEY

Sitting at my kitchen table,the house was quiet, broken only by Walker’s soft snores at my feet. I’d done everything I could to keep myself in check this morning, knowing it was just the calm before the storm.

Colt and Dorian were in the living room, keeping their distance but close enough that I could sense them—especially Dorian. He was impossible to ignore, no matter how much I wanted to avoid the man and the feelings he brought out in me.

The sound of footsteps broke through the stillness, and Dorian appeared in the doorway.

“You ready?”

I didn’t answer immediately, just stared at the cup of tea sitting in front of me.

I wasn’t, not really—not to be questioned again and to relive it all.

I gripped the edge of the table, trying to steady myself, my fingers pressing into the wood.

Dorian sat down in the seat next to me. His knee brushed mine, sending a ripple of awareness at his proximity, making my head spin.

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