Page 56 of Educating Arrogant Mr. Hunter

Wren put her arm around her. “Everyone shows emotion in the ways they know how Jen.” As a kid who had a neglectful father, I liked seeing how Wren didn’t brush off her student’s statement but was able to give her a new perspective.

Jen shrugged her scowl still firmly in place. “If you say so.”

“Okay, friends, it’s 5:00. Time for you to find your rides and head home. Next week we’re going to discuss Lapis Lazuli. Find one fun fact you want to share with the group during our discussion.”

“That stone sounds cool, Ms. Winter,” the girl with the unicorn backpack said.

“It’s a beautiful stone, Willa. I’ve recorded myself reading the two articles and posted it on our online learning group. I also emailed it to your parents for you to listen to. You can choose one or both. It’s up to you.”

Willa’s smile grew wider. “Thanks, Ms. Winter. I’ll ask Mom to check her email on my way home.”

The girls trickled out of the room one by one until the three of us were left.

“Zoey, why don’t you sit at the back table with me?” Wren strode forward and gestured for my daughter to follow her.

Now that the world had stopped glitching and I wasn’t hearing a loud whooshing in my ears, I noticed how beautiful Wren looked today. Her skirt skimmed over her waist and flared out to her lickable calves. My cock jumped to attention and demanded to be set free.Now was not the damn time. I yanked at the sleeves of my suit jacket and quickly pulled it off. Wren still faced the other direction, and Zoey followed her. I folded the coat and held it over my arm to avoid an awkward conversation with either of them.

She sat down and smiled at me. “Aren’t you going to join us?”

I made my way to the seat next to my daughter.

Zoey sat across from her, bent her legs, and pulled them up to her chest. She rested her chin on her knees and wrapped her arms around them. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked in a tiny voice.

“No, Zoey. Not at all,” Wren rushed to reassure her.

“No, princess, we’re meeting to discuss ways to support you at school.”

Zo’s nose wrinkled. “But I’m doing fine. Right, Ms. Winter?”

“You’re an exceptional student. You have a brilliant and curious mind, and I wish more students were like you.”

She beamed at her teacher.

“I asked your father to meet with me because we want to make sure we stay on top of things and work together.”

Her little face drooped the tiniest bit. “Is this about the assignments I missed?”

“That’s part of it. You and I’ve talked about that, and you know you still have the chance to make them up.” Wren responded in a soothing tone.

“I don’t see what the big deal is. I get most of my work done,” she replied, the first hint of a sullen tween emerging. I felt out of my depth. Was she acting like this because she didn’t want to talk about it? Was there something more happening beneath the surface that I missed?

“Why did you miss those assignments, kiddo?” I asked, tempering my voice. She needed to know I wasn’t angry with her. I was worried.

“I don’t know.” The snarky voice that burst out was so un-Zoey-like.

My hands grasped the edge of her chair and turned her to face me. “There’s no wrong answer here. We can’t help if you don’t talk to us.”

Zoey swallowed hard, and her chin wobbled. “I was missing Mommy, and I couldn’t focus.”

Knowing she was alone in her room, sad, without telling me, broke something inside me. “I know. You can talk to me about her anytime you want.”

Zoey nodded, tears running down her cheeks. “Sometimes it’s hard to talk about how much it hurts.”

A shaky exhale shuddered out of me. “We don’t always have to talk.” She looked so small and alone. “Do you want a hug?”

“Yes,” she whispered and jumped into my arms.

Time had no meaning while I hugged my daughter and wiped away her tears. Over her head, tears glimmered in Wren’s eyes. Her hand rubbed over her heart, and I wondered if she realized she was doing it. She reached across the table and pulled a box of tissues closer. We both grabbed handfuls.

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