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“Really?” Meg bites back her smile, and it’s the cutest thing I’ve seen in a long time. In fact, I’m surprised by the twisty feeling in my stomach right now.
I choke on a rough laugh, shaking my head. “Kids. Why do they always say the things that we don’t want them to?”
“Tyler!” Diane chides. “Krew needs to be doing his homework and turning it in. I don’t need to remind you that the American Education Academy is a premier school. Krew can’t just slide by because he’s my grandson. If Kristen were here, she’d be taking his homework seriously.”
If Kristen were here, I wouldn’t be noticing Miss Johnson’s cute smile. A pang of guilt tugs on my heart.
“Principal Carter?” A voice over the PA system chimes into Meg’s classroom.
Saved by the bell. Zack Morris would be so proud.
Diane’s chin turns up to the ceiling. “Yes?”
“The McBrides are here and would like to see you.”
“Thanks, Ms. Dunway. I’ll be right there.” She stands and pushes in her chair. “I need to go. The McBrides have given a lot of money to the school.” She looks back at me as she exits the room. “Come say goodbye before you head home.”
I nod as I watch her leave.
Meg glances at the clock above the whiteboard. “It’s time for my next appointment. It was so nice to meet you, Mr. Dixon,” she says as she stands.
“Tyler,” Krew reminds her as he bounces out of his chair, and I make a mental note that I’m going to buy the kid an ice cream cone on our way home. Then I remember that he told her that I smell Kristen’s pillow and that I think homework is stupid. So maybe no ice cream.
She walks toward the door, and I scramble to my feet.
“Hey,” I say, catching up to her. “I want to apologize again for the other night.”
Her face reddens. “No,Ineed to apologize. You had every right to push me away. I didn’t know…” She looks down at Krew and shakes her head. “Anyway, I was just trying to make my boyfriend jealous and—”
“What happened the other night?” Krew asks, pulling on my arm, but I’m still stuck on her use of the term “boyfriend.”
“I thought you said he was yourex-boyfriend.”
“Dad, what happened the other night?” Krew tugs on my arm again. I ignore him, because I’m waiting for her to clarify.
Meg looks at Krew instead of answering me.
“Dad!” he says, pulling me again.
She scratches her ear as she lowers her voice. “Are you going to answer him?”
“Are you going to answer me?”
“I don’t think that it’s any of your business.”
“Normally, I would agree, but you made it my business the other night when you tried to ki—”
“Okay!” She puts her hand up to stop me. “He’s my ex-boyfriend. It’s a very recent thing.”
“Who’s Mrs. Johnson’s boyfriend?” Krew asks.
When you’re a parent, you can’t buy a moment of privacy.
“No one.” I rub my brow. “No one is her boyfriend.” I look down at Krew. What am I even thinking, having a conversation like this in front of him? “Come on, bud. We better let your teacher move on to her next appointment.” I walk toward the door. “So I guess I’ll be seeing a lot of you this year, then?”
Would I? How many meetings are needed to discuss a seven-year-old’s grades?
“I don’t know that you’ll be seeinga lotof me, but Krew will.”
