Page 30 of The Love Syllabus

Kerry’s expression remains composed, unmoved by my compliment. “Well, Mr. Grimes, Iama teacher. It’s what I do.” She replies, her demeanor still.

“But you did more than teach; you were attentive. You made Ari feel like a nine-year-old girl, which isn’t easy given her disability,” I admit, my voice softening since I rarely discuss my daughters’ struggles. “It made them feel good, not to be pitied or stared at. Seeing them for who they are came naturally to you. They appreciated that.Iappreciated that.”

A warm smile spreads across her face. “Well, you’ve done a great job raising them. They’re pretty amazing. Ari is so thoughtful and sweet. And Syd? She’s a firecracker. They have so much personality. Surely, they didn’t get that from you.” She teases, looking up at me with a challenging smile.

“You think you’re funny, huh?” I playfully scoff. “For your information, I was voted ‘most wittiest’ in high school.”

“Were you voted the biggest liar, too? ‘Cause there’s no way you made anyone laugh, Mr. Grey Beard.”

She laughs, and I can’t help but join in.

“See, now you’re distracting me. I had a whole speech prepared,” I say, dramatically clearing my throat. “Ms. Kind, I want to apologize for my brash, immature behavior. My actions weren’t a true reflection of my heart. And I’d be so honored and eternally grateful if you’d accept the job opportunity to teach my children. You’re funny, intelligent, creative, you’re excited about what you do; you areexactlywho they need in their lives. And...” I nervously rub the back of my neck, “I need you to come home with me, home to your new place of residence as my in-house educator.”

Her eyes widen with surprise followed by a moment of silence until she suddenly bursts into laughter. “Hold on, what? First of all, “in-house educator?” Did you just randomly come up with that title?”

I pause, slightly embarrassed. “I did. But that’s not the point! Look,” I gently squeeze her hand. “I was a fool for not hiring you on the spot. A damn fool. And I won’t go home empty-handed. So, will you accept the offer?”

She sighs, her expression teasing as she contemplates, making me wait in suspense. “And you want me to move in today? Will I at least have my own space?How far away would my room be from the girls? You don’t have secret cameras planted around the house, do you? Who am I kidding, I’ve known you for a few days and can already tell you’re a control freak. Of course, you have cameras everywhere!” She hysterically rolls her eyes.

“Correction, I only have cameras in the kitchen, classroom, great room, and perimeter of the house. But why does that matter?”

“Because I don’t need you stalking me, especially when I’m wearing next to nothing.” She nonchalantly quips.

“Okay,” I nod, licking my lips, a little flustered. “So, you like to be naked. Noted.” The words slip out before I can stop them.

“Mr. Grimes!” She gasps and playfully hits my arm.

“My bad,” I rush to apologize. “Really, Kerry, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I respect your privacy, and as your employer, our relationship will be strictly professional. Nothing more. As a matter of fact, I’ll be at my office for most of the day. Therefore, you’ll barely see me. So, do we have a deal? $150,000 salary for one year?”

I extend my hand, hoping she’ll accept my apology, my offer, and my intent to make things right.

Kerry pauses, eyeing my hand before looking up to meet my gaze. Then finally, with a soft sigh, she places her hand in mine. “Okay, we have a deal.” A smile widens across her face accompanied by a squeal. “Oh, my goodness, I’m a teacher again!”

In a burst of spontaneous joy, she wraps me in a hug. Surprised, I hug back, feeling an unexpected surge of heat between us that goes beyond excitement. Fuck, why does she always smell so good! Our hug lingers longer than it should, and as we finally pull apart, our eyes lock, silently questioning if we really want to let go.

I clear my throat a bit awkwardly. “You need help packing anything?”

Kerry raises an eyebrow, a mischievous sparkle in her eye. “You wanna see my bedroom, huh?” She teases.

“Uh, no! That’s not what I meant.” I stammer.

Kerry laughs. “I’m just kidding, Mr. Grimes. Lighten up!”

I attempt to regain my composure, shifting slightly to appear more at ease. “Alright, you got me there. But you should lighten up, too. Call me Vic.”

She nods. “Very well then, Vic. I’ll pack a few days’ worth of clothes and gather all my instructional material. Make yourself comfy on my ‘airy’ couch.” She giggles while walking away.

As I settle uneasily on the couch, the sound of keys jingling at the front door interrupts my scattered thoughts. The door abruptly swings open, and a middle-aged couple bursts in. The woman lets out a small yelp while the man loudly yells, “Grace, go grab my gun!”

I shoot up from the couch, my heart pounding as I rush to diffuse the situation. “No, please, there’s no need for that. My name is Victor Grimes. I’m—” I start, but the woman cuts me off with a gasp.

“Our daughter’s boyfriend!” She exclaims.

I mentally kick myself, having forgotten the little white lie Kerry and I concocted.

“Oh yeah...her boyfriend. That’s me,” I say, my voice faltering slightly in the awkward silence that follows. I attempt a recovery, adding a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, I’m extremely nervous. I haven’tmet the parentsin a long time anddefinitelynever like this.”

The man, sturdy and imposing, extends a hand that’s as firm as his gaze. “Well, ain’t that right. I admit I didn’t appreciate hearing about you before I met you. We don’t get down like that down here, rich boy. My name is James Kind. It’s nice to meet you, Son.”

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