Page 6 of Thinking It Over

Jasper’s smile was a dangerous, gorgeous thing. And it looked like I’d be getting the chance to see it again tomorrow.

THREE

JASPER

“You sure you’re okay?”

I flicked my gaze at Jenna and exhaled loudly. It was the second cup I’d dropped. An overtoasted croissant and a mixed-up order pretty much summed up my morning.

“I know it’s your last shift, honey, but you’re on the road to rival Scott’s diabolical efforts when he worked here.”

“You heard about that, huh?”

An amused nod followed as she recalled her brother’s work efforts.

Giving myself a mental talking to was in order. “I’m sorry,” I said. The truth was on the tip of my tongue, but sharing it aloud would only make me sound ridiculous. I hadn’t even told Ian last night about the possibility of meseeing Austin—which he’d insisted I called him when he’d shown me around the school yesterday afternoon. I’d only managed a quick chat with Ian last night, as I’d wanted to get ahead with planning and start looking through my students’ profiles.

“Spill.” Jenna walked me into the kitchen, standing so she faced the counter to keep one eye on what was going on. A grimace crossed my face, and the heat across my cheeks had me wincing.

Her gaze softened. “Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to, but maybe it’ll help you behave less like”—she waved her hand in my general direction—“this.”

I snorted. I supposed it couldn’t hurt. Plus, she wasn’t as bad as Davis when it came to trying to help “guide” me. He could be pushy at times, though I was sure he’d deny it.

“Urgh.” I deflated, thoroughly humiliated by my schoolboy crush, which then made me feel a bit squeamish that I’d used “schoolboy” for a comparison.

It was official. I was freaking out.

“Austin, the principal from the school I’m starting at on Monday, said he’d stop by today.”

She nodded, her brows dipping, and indicated I should go on.

“Well, it’s just—” I rolled my eyes at myself and shook my head as I peered up at the ceiling. I wasnotthisguy. I’d worked so hard since I’d left to go to college to live exactly as I wished, crush on who I wished, and embrace said infatuations when I could. But my reaction—heck, who was I kidding—myattractionto Austin had me spiraling.

Inappropriate much!I scolded myself.

Hell, he was hot. But it didn’t stop there. I could have simply continued admiring from afar, slotted him into a few of my spank-bank fantasies, and all would be well and as it should be.

But, nope, he was kind and welcoming and had made such an effort to make me feel comfortable that his physical attraction had been overshadowed with him being a genuinely nice guy.

“Oh my God.” Jenna’s eyes widened when she seemed to read between the not too subtle lines of my internal breakdown. “Just how sexy is this principal?”

I could have written a sonnet about just how incredibly handsome Austin was. But I was a reader and most definitely not a writer.

“Wow, he’s that hot that he’s made you speechless!” Teasing filled her words. Just as I was about to respond, her eyes flicked toward the café’s front, and she said, “Speaking of….”

I angled to follow her line of sight. It was him. Austin.

There was no way a sonnet could do this guy justice.

I hadn’t realized Jenna had returned her focus to me until she gripped my forearm.

“Please tell me that’s him.”

On autopilot, I nodded.

“You know,” she dropped her voice as she spoke, “if corporal punishment was still a thing in schools—”

“Jenna.” I cut her off, laughter carrying my word.

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