Page 46 of Topping the Jock
“Tough shit.” Quinn sipped his coffee. I caught the slight curving of his mouth, though.
“You look very… nerdy today,” I said, nodding to his clothes. He was wearing a long-sleeved collared shirt tucked into tan pants, and he even had a tie.
“And you look like a meathead jock.” Another sip of coffee.
“Someone’s snippy this morning.”
He peered over at me, his lips twitching. “I’m snippy every morning, and yet, you still insist on pestering me.”
“It’s one of my many talents.”
“Along with your psychic food-reading abilities?” he asked.
“Of course. I’m a real catch, Specks. Best not forget it.”
“Oh, believe me, Montgomery,” he said, sighing. “I couldn’t forget you if I tried.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Hardly.”
“Mornin’, Coach Adams!” Dean called from a few feet away. Then he smiled at Quinn. “Mr. Beck.”
“Hey, Dean,” I said. “Hope you rested this weekend. That was one heck of a game Friday night.”
The kid had a great future ahead of him. I’d even received word that scouts would be coming to the next game to see him play. I’d be lying if I said a tiny part of me wasn’t a bit jealous of Dean. Once upon a time, I’d been in his shoes. Talented, dedicated to the game, and having several schools looking at me.
My dream had been taken from me, but I’d do all I could to make sure his wouldn’t be.
“Yeah, I rested,” Dean responded. “I’m excited for practice today. My dad’s gonna come watch. Is that cool?”
Dean’s dad hadn’t attended any of the games yet this season. Each time before the boys went onto the field for the coin toss before a game, I’d catch Dean searching the stands, only to look away with one of the saddest expressions I’d ever seen.
“Yep. Fine with me.”
“Awesome!” Dean beamed at me before spotting Trent and Gunner and jogging off to pounce on them. Literally. He ran up behind them and jumped on their backs.
That’s when I noticed Quinn staring at me with a puzzled expression.
“What?” I asked.
“You’re just… unexpected.” Quinn’s voice lacked the hard edge he normally used with me. “You’re really good with kids. Given that you used to bully people, I’m surprised. When I first heard you were a teacher, I couldn’t fathom how someone as horrible as you would ever be allowed around students… but you proved me wrong.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Don’t get a big head,” he muttered, reverting back to a hard tone. But his green eyes remained soft.
“You’re the one with a big head,” I whispered, wiggling my eyebrows. “My ass is still aching from Saturday night.”
Pink touched his cheeks. It was the cutest fucking thing ever.
The first bell rang, and students started heading toward the building for class. Quinn used the distraction to slip away from me, and I lost him in the crowd. With our classrooms right next to each other, I’d see him again soon, though.
As he’d mentioned, any other guy would’ve probably been turned off by Quinn’s standoffish attitude and given up on him by now. But I couldn’t. Because no matter how much he tried to convince me otherwise, Quinn wanted me too. He felt the same magnetic connection I did but was conflicted because of how I’d treated him back in high school.
I needed to be patient with him. One day, I’d break through his barriers.
I taught my first class, then went to the teachers’ lounge to make copies of a worksheet my next class would be working on.
