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MEG
“I’ve split the children into groups of four. I don’t have a group, so I’ll be available to help if you need it.” I hand each parent volunteering for the field trip a folder with their instructions. I pass by Tyler. He’s wearing dark jeans, a light-blue v-neck shirt, and a blue baseball cap turned backward. I didn’t know I was a sucker for a backward baseball hat, but I’m telling you right now, I am. I give him the folder with the nameLord of Darknesson it and keep walking. I see his lips move into a smile before I go.
“We’ll be at the pumpkin patch for four hours. There will be a bin inside the main building that holds our class’s lunch boxes. Feel free to eat lunch with your group whenever you want. We’ll meet back at the bus at 2:30 p.m. The address to the pumpkin patch is in your folder, for those of you who are driving your own cars.”
Tyler halfway raises his hand like he’s one of my students, and I try to ignore the way his tricep protrudes. Regardless of my efforts, I can still confirm that his muscles look good from any angle.
“Do we have to drive our own car? Or can we go on the bus with the kids?”
“It’s a small bus, so I can’t fit every parent. Maybe one or two.”
“Tyler, you can come in my car with me,” Beverly Ulrich says. She’s Noah’s mom—divorced and single as can be. She’s pretty. One of those women that will look hot no matter what age she is or how many babies she’s popped out. She’s working with a completely different gene pool than I am. Her gene pool is more in line with J Lo’s, whereas mine more closely aligns with an Oompa Loompa.
“Dad, come on the bus with us.” Krew tugs on his arm.
Tyler shrugs at Beverly. “I think I’ll go with the kids.” Both hands go to Krew’s shoulders, and he gives him a little squeeze. I forgot how attractive Tyler is when he’s in dad mode.
I need to forget that again.
I smile at him—not my flirty,I’ll-never-forget-your-tricepssmile. I’m retiring that one. Today, I’m all about professional teacher-parent relationships. And this teacher is happy he’s not driving with beautiful Bev.
I force my eyes away and clear my throat. “Okay, let’s line up to load the bus.” The kids form a straight line behind me as the parents funnel out the door—all the parents except for Tyler. No, he’s standing right by me, hands in his pockets, looking so handsome.
By the way the tension is building in my chest, you would think that I’ve never seen a handsome, rugged man before. It’s because of my hot man ban (I just made that name up; we’ll see if it sticks). The second I put my foot down and say I’m not dating brawny, manly men, that’s exactly what I find.
But guess what?
Tyler Dixon and his sturdy arms aren’t just against my man ban, they’re against the rules of my job. And my job always wins. Period.
I lead the class out of the building and catch Jen’s eye as she loads her students onto the bus behind ours. She nods toward Tyler and wags her eyebrows up and down. I give her a warning look. I want to shout, “Ms. Jen Anderson, you know as well as I do that dating a parent is prohibited.” Since I can’t yell that across the parking lot, I try to convey the message with my eyes, but I think it only makes me look like I have an eye twitch.
Tyler weaves into the line of children right behind Krew. “I’ll save you a seat,” he says in a low voice that only I can hear. Then he uses those triceps to climb inside the bus.
My heart stutters.
It’s going to be a long day.
* * *
I manageto ditch Tyler once we get to the pumpkin patch. Yes, Iditchhim. I’m purposefully trying to avoid him and the effect he has on my overall well-being. I walk over to the corn maze and snap a few pictures of some of the groups. I plan to upload them on our class website for parents to see.
A hand swipes over my arms. “Tag. You’re it.” Krew, Zander, and Gibson run out in front of me to the entrance of the maze. Krew stops just before he’s completely hidden by cornstalks and smiles back at me. “I said you’reit, Mrs. Johnson.”
Tyler walks past me, bumping me with his shoulder as he goes. “You heard the boy. You’re it.” He turns around so he’s walking backward.
Sexy backward walking.
That’s what’s happening right now.
“I don’t know if I dare enter the corn maze with the Lord of Darkness,” I say.
I slowly head toward him, giving in way too easily. But I’mit,so…
His eyebrows raise in playfulness. “Are you afraid?”
I’m afraid of what’s happening to my heartbeat right now. I should probably go to the nurse’s station and get checked for a heart attack, but instead I’m following Tyler inside the maze.
I look around at the wall of cornstalks. “We’re never going to be able to find them.”
