Page 13 of The Parent Pick-Up
He’s a bright beacon in a dark alley.
My belly tightens, and a flicker of heat sparks in my chest.
Owen.
He’s a sight for sore eyes. Dressed in professional clothes, with his hair smoothly styled and a neutral smile on his face, he radiates calm amid chaos.
Owen is very close to the man I pictured myself marrying when I’d been fifteen years old. Back then, I thought I would live a traditional life of marriage and kids. But everything changed when my parents discovered my talent. I’d been pushed into the spotlight, and the whirlwind of stardom had swallowed me whole.
The spotlight had quickly become a trap. Then, Olivia happened, and everything spiraled out of control.
Olivia spots Owen and breaks free of my grasp to hurl herself forward. I try to grab her hand again, but she’s lost in the sea of students and parents. Bracing myself for Owen’s reaction, I pray he is kind to her and doesn’t mind the full body hug she presses on him.
I watch his smile light up his eyes, and my entire body relaxes.
“Hey!” He pats her small back, ruffling the fringe on her T-shirt. “You made it.”
“We still don’t know where we’re going,” Olivia says, staring up at him like he’s her knight in shining armor.
Owen sees me, and his eyes widen. “Was there a glitter explosion?”
“We were working on Olivia’s first assignment.” I pluck at my button-down, regretting that I hadn’t changed my clothes. “Have you ever heard of a teacher giving projects before school even starts?”
Owen winks at me. “These teachers are worse than corporate CEOs.”
My body reacts to that wink like I’ve been plugged into an electric socket. Blood heating, knees weakening, I slide back to that moment before his phone rang and interrupted our almost kiss.
“Do you know where Mr. Taylor’s room is?” Olivia asks. “We’ve been looking for hours.”
I cringe with embarrassment. “Actually, it’s only been about fifteen minutes.”
Owen nods, and I know he’s used to children and how they exaggerate. My shoulders relax a little more. Just being around him makes me feel more stable.
“You’re in luck,” he says, gesturing toward the room behind him. “This is Mr. Taylor’s room right here.”
“Oh!” Olivia bounces in her sequined sneakers.
Owen points his thumb at his chest. “In fact, I happen to be Mr. Taylor.”
I pause blankly, my brain trying to reboot. “You’re Olivia’s teacher?”
He holds out a hand. “Owen Taylor.”
Shaking his hand, I try to think of something witty. “Huh.”
“Go ahead and have a look around,” he says to Olivia. “Your desk is on the second row.”
Olivia rushes into the classroom, her unicorn headband bobbing.
I can feel Owen watching me as I watch her. My cheeks heat, and my heart races.
“You didn’t know?” he asks.
“No idea.” I tear my gaze from my daughter and glare at him. “You could have told me.”
“I didn’t know. We had a teacher leave unexpectedly, and everything shifted.” He leads me into the classroom, turning around to look at me. “Are you okay with me being Olivia’s teacher?”
After a moment, I smile, letting him off the hook. “Are you kidding? It’s great. Olivia already knows you.”
