Page 2 of Declan's Hope

But she hadn’t waded from the weeds yet. Toby’s loud, “Look Ms. Black,” had her stopping short, before groaning at her student’s long, squeaky underarm fart. She didn’t turn to see the principal’s reaction.

“Oh, god. I’m definitely getting fired,” she muttered as she quickstepped back toward the school’s entrance.

It didn’t take long to get to her room, straighten up the individual desks and chairs, put away a few supplies that had been left out, and save Mikey’s colorful artwork he’d left behind depicting a farting unicorn. She laughed and slid it into her planning folder. It would look great on her refrigerator. She gave the room a final once-over and nodded in satisfaction before plopping into the chair at her desk and putting her head down on her crossed arms.

“I need a nap.”

She closed her eyes, let out sigh, and allowed herself to bask in the quiet. But after catching herself making a slight, snuffling snore, she peeked up at the clock above the door and frowned. How had she lost fifteen minutes?

She let out a long yawn and sat back in her seat. Haven and Destiny had plans to take her out for the evening to celebrate Hope finishing her first week of teaching. She chuckled to herself as she stretched. They were gonna love the fart story.

But not if she didn’t get her hiney in gear.

She hauled her 20-pound purse—no joke—from her desk drawer and dug out her phone. They needed to know she’d finished for the day. She grimaced at the screen.

“Thirteen texts.” They’d started about the time the dismissal bell had rung.

HAVEN: HOPE, DID YOU SURVIVE YOUR FIRST WEEK?

DESTINY: OF COURSE SHE DID.

DESTINY: AT LEAST I HOPE SHE DID.

HAVEN: HOPE HOPES. FUNNY.

DESTINY: WHAT?

HAVEN: NOTHING.

DESTINY: RU THERE?

HAVEN: I’M HERE.

DESTINY: NO HOPE!

HAVEN: THAT’S FUNNY TOO. NO HOPE. LOL.

DESTINY: WHAT HAS CAL DONE TO YOU?

HAVEN: MMM… EVERYTHING…

DESTINY: SMDH

Hope laughed and added in a reply.

HOPE: I’M HERE. I SURVIVED. I DON’T WANT TO KNOW WHAT “EVERYTHING” MEANS. WHERE’S MY RAINBOW MARGARITA?

HAVEN: MEET US @ EPA @ 5.

The EPA, or Elite Protection Agency.

Hope had no desire to go to Mr. Sheppard’s business located on the outskirts of Williamsburg, Virginia.

Hemight be there, and she didn’t like him—the insufferably rude, bossy, overbearing, know-it-all, and all-around irritating Declan Carter. He’d become a real pain in her butt. And as much as she wanted nothing to do with him, he just seemed to keep popping up when she least expected him.

Just like when she’d brought Tim by Haven’s and Cal’s a couple of weeks before. Haven had wanted to meet him, so they’d swung by after going out on their second date. Tim taught fourth grade at her school. She’d been charmed when he’d shyly asked her out after they’d gotten to know each other during a mid-summer program for new, incoming teachers. So, of course, she’d said, yes. How often would she find a funny, nice looking—in that academic sorta way—guy taller than her by at least an inch—a definite plus—who seemed to have more than just a passing interest in her.

But then he had shown up at Haven and Cal’s unannounced.

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