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CHAPTER30
MEG
The day after Halloween is always a nightmare for teachers. Parents load their kids up with fifty pounds of sugar and then send them to school during their detox. But luckily today is Friday, and I only have to deal with my sugar-hyped students for a few more hours.
Earlier this week my class earned an extra recess for good behavior, and since the kids need to run off some extra energy, I decide to give them their reward. The sun is shining down on me as I walk around the section of the playground that currently isn’t torn up for the remodel.
I feel a tap on my arm. “Mrs. Johnson?” Krew, Zander, and Noah are standing beside me with Tyler not far behind them. Ugh! He looks good in his fitted charcoal shirt and jeans, his hair coming out the sides of his backward hat. I know it’s pretty much the same look every day, but Tyler never ceases to take my breath away. That song really is telling the truth.
Krew steps forward. “Will you come to our baseball tournament tomorrow?”
All four boys look up at me with classic puppy dog eyes.
I already know about the Turkey Trot tournament Krew’s team is in this weekend. Tyler told me about it on the phone a few days ago.
“Please, can you come?” Zander says. “You went to Jane’s piano recital and Ruby’s tumbling class. Can’t you come to our game?”
It’s true. I do try to catch one event from each child during the year. If there are three boys from my class on the Stealers, then I should probably try to go. And it doesn’t hurt that Tyler will be there as the coach.
“Sure. I can come to your game.”
“Yay!” the boys cheer together.
“My dad will tell you where it’s at.”
The boys begin a game of basketball, leaving us alone for a minute.
I smile at Tyler. “Did you just get your son and his friends to ask me out on a date?”
“It worked, didn’t it?” He smirks. “I’ll know in the morning whether or not we’re in the championship. I’ll pick you up.”
“I don’t think—”
He holds his hand up. “Before you say no, I think you should know that Diane won’t be at the baseball game. She has a nail appointment tomorrow. So that might be another reason why you want to come in my car.”
That is good information to have.
“Sounds like a date.”
“Dad, come play basketball with us.”
Tyler turns to the group of boys. “I’ll only play if Miss Johnson plays.”
I shake my head. “You don’t want me to play. I’m not very good at basketball.”
“My dad’s really good.”
Tyler flashes me a self-assured smile.
“Shouldn’t your dad be working?”
“It’s my lunch break.”
“How convenient.”
“Mrs. Johnson, you can be on our team. It’s all of us versus my dad.”
“Okay, why not?”
