Page 122 of Here and Now
Ainsley is smiling so big her cheeks look like they’re going to crack. “So it’s official?”
“It’s official,” I say, smacking Miles in the stomach.
She rushes forward, pulling me into a hug. “I’m so happy. He’s a great guy.”
“I know, I’m happy too.”
And terrified, but I keep that part to myself.
twenty-four
Mile
“You hired Violet?” Everett says as he enters my office. “To be a teacher here?”
I’m going to kill Mrs. Hendrix for letting him in.
“Hello, Everett. Please, sit down, inform me of your complaint. It’s not like I haven’t had sixteen phone calls this week from parents and teachers. I’ve been dying to hear one from someone who has nothing to do with this school.”
He huffs and then sits. “You didn’t tell me.”
“I didn’t have to.”
“She’s Violet. You know ... about us.”
“I know, but she asked me not to say anything, and I really wasn’t sure what to say. Her situation is unique, and I figured you’d find out. Besides, it was like ... forever ago. You’ve clearly moved on and so has she.”
We all know that’s not entirely true. Maybe Violet has moved on, but I’m not so sure about my friend here.
He laughs once. “Do you know how I found out she’s back?”
“I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
“Damn right I will. I was in Prose & Perk, just giving Hazel my normal daily dose of shit, and then the door chimes. I think, oh, Ainsley is here, she usually comes in now to write or do research. Only it wasn’t Ainsley.”
I cut in. “It was someone else?” I askdramatically.
He flips me off. “It was Violet. All grown up and absolutely fucking breathtaking.”
No matter what Everett says, she’s the girl that no other woman measures up to.
“I honestly didn’t think to tell you.”
“You should’ve.”
I shrug. “Maybe, but she asked me not to, and I was respecting her wishes.”
He runs his hand through his hair. “She’s married. Or was. I knew that, I mean, we all knew since it was so fucking public.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Seriously, you are supposed to be up on all the things because you’re around the kids all the time, and you didn’t put that together?”
“I don’t follow celebrity gossip,” I explain. I usually hear the major things, and I honestly never cared enough to look it up.
“You know about music.”
“Well, I dare you to work in a high school and not know about the world’s most famous pop star. So did you guys talk?” I ask.
