Page 155 of Can't Text This

“However, there are a few precautions we would like to take.”

And it’s back.

He waves his hand toward the couch behind me. “You had a wonderful idea—care to share it again, Mr. Cross?”

Mr. Cross…Robbie!

I whirl around, and there he sits. It’s Robbie, not Brandon like I thought.

He gives me that lopsided grin I love so much. “Hey, Monts.”

“Hey, Monts—that’s the best you can come up with?” I smile back at him.

Robbie shrugs. “We have company.”

Our company clears his throat, and we both try not to laugh.

“As you were saying, Mr. Cross,” he prompts with obvious humor in his voice.

“Right. I suggested that, since it’s still the beginning of the year, we move Xavie to another class.”

“Another class? I-I don’t want him to miss his friends, Robbie. That’s tough on a kid.”

“I know it is, but hear me out…what if we moved him to second grade? Last year, Holly and I were approached by Principal Gladden himself about pushing him up a grade. We didn’t talk about it again, but he called this morning to see if we’d thought about it more before the school year progressed much further. Figured we’d use the opportunity to chat.” Robbie sits forward on the couch. “Xavie’s smart. He’s gifted, and he’s already in two enrichment classes. Why not move him up?”

I mull over what he’s saying.

Xavierissmart, probably the brightest kid in my class. There’s no reason he shouldn’t be in second grade, and if he’s going to move up, he should do so at the beginning of the year.

“What does Xavier think?” I ask him.

“He’s open to it. He said he’d miss his friends and his teacher”—Robbie grins—“but I think he’ll adjust rather quickly. Besides, he’s smitten with the idea of being ‘just like Uncle Zach’ and skipping a grade.”

“You never told me Zach was a bookworm.”

“Oh, did I leave that out?” he teases.

“I think this is a great start,” Gladden interjects. “Miss Andrews, if you don’t mind, we can continue discussing this tomorrow if you feel we need to. I’d like to speak with Mr. Cross more before I head home for the day.”

“I, um, no…sir. I don’t have anything else I’d like to discuss.”

“Great.” He stands, moving around his desk to the other side. He takes my hand in his, shaking it. “Breathe, Montana. It’s good for your soul. We’ll get this figured out. You did nothing wrong.”

I want to throw my arms around his neck and squeeze the life out of him, but that would besoinappropriate.

Instead, I return his handshake. “Thank you so much, Principal Gladden.”

“Of course. Oh, and that other issue of yours? We’ll get it taken care of.”

I look at him, puzzled.

“Your coworker’s antics will not be tolerated, and they’re real rich coming from him considering all the drama he caused last year after cheating on his fiancée with another teacher.”

My mouth drops open, then I snap it closed at once, surprised by this information but trying to remain professional.

“That is an…interesting development in the story I heard.”

“I’ll speak with him,” he promises again. “You have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”