Page 72 of Achievement Unlocked

Most of the rest of the room gave me their shocked expressions.

“Hi. I’m Megan. We’ve all worked together for at least the school year, so I shouldn’t have to introduce myself, but in case you don’t know me…”Godthis was terrifying. I was going to be sick. It was also exhilarating. “I was supposed to marry Easton Cocker, whose grandparents own this incredible organization. It seems most of you know I didn’t.”

The murmuring started again, somewhere behind me.

“Hey,” I barked. “I’m not done. Yes, he and I split up, and yes it was because I found him with his dick in another woman—that’s not a euphemism—and yes, Betsy has asked me to stay on. I was here before I knew Easton, I very much believe in what we do here, and a cheating asshole isn’t going to push me out of the work I love, regardless of who he’s related to. Now that we have that out of the way, any questions?”

Blank expressions met me.

“Good. Welcome back from spring break everyone.” I hopped from the chair. I’d survived. Shouting at a school’s worth of teachers hadn’t killed me.

A few people looked disgusted or embarrassed as they turned away—either at my language or because they blamed me regardless of the situation. I didn’t know, and I was going to tell myself I didn’t care until it became true.

A few walked up to me and offered both their sympathy and congratulations.

For the most part, everyone went back to work.

Mornings for me were administrative; my classes weren’t until this afternoon. I wasn’t as focused as normal, because lunchtime meant seeing Nigel again.

And Landon. I shouldn’t be so excited about that, but his name, his face in my mind, brought a smile. A different kind of smile than thinking of Nigel, but it still made me happy.

My phone rang as I was getting ready to meet them, and Nigel apologized that they were running behind.

I was bummed that I wouldn’t get to see them for lunch, but I also felt a thread of hope for Landon that he was part of this, helping, and I knew what Nigel’s job meant to him.

Easton would get furious if work or anything kept me longer than he wanted, though he never hesitated to pull theI’m working latecard with me.

Nigel respected my job as much as I did his. It was odd but comforting to know that, and it was easy to tell him to do what he needed.

I ended up working through lunch too, and heading into class in the afternoon. The teaching went great, and at the end of the day, I was happy I’d survived my first day back. I sent all the kids on their way, to their parents or the activities where they’d stay until their parents could pick them up tonight, and I set to straightening my classroom.

At a knock behind me, my heart leaped. Were the guys done with work early?

I whirled to find Easton in the doorway, and any nausea I felt this morning was minuscule compared to the bile that rushed up my throat now. “Leave,” I said softly.

A few kids passed behind him in the hallway, and he stepped into the room. “Just hear me out, Maggie.”

“Don’t call me that.” I’d always hated the nickname, and I’d spent years correcting him. He’d stop for a while, but it would come back again without warning.

Another sign he didn’t give a fuck what I wanted. “I’m sorry.” He almost sounded like he meant it. “About the name. About everything. I made a huge mistake, and I’ve missed you. I’m broken without you.”

He didn’t look broken, but I bet if I left him alone with Nigel or Landon…

I shouldn’t think that way. I wanted to scream at him to get out, or give him a loud, forceful lecture like in the breakroom this morning, but there were still students roaming the halls and they didn’t deserve to be subjected to that. This was supposed to be a safe place for them.

“You’re fine without me. I don’t want to talk to you. Get out of my classroom.” I wouldn’t yell, but I would stand my ground.

Easton took a step closer. “Mag— Megan, please. I don’t understand why you’re so upset.”

“You were fu— screwing the wedding planner. On our wedding day.”

“And you were screwing Nigel. Most of the time we were dating.”

What? “No. I wasn’t.”

Shock radiated from Easton. “You weren’t?” How long had he practiced that bullshit disbelief in front of a mirror?

“Why the hell would I be sleeping with someone else while you and I were in a committed relationship?” Of course, Nigel and I were with Landon two nights ago, and Nigel had been with other people while he was married, but that was all agreed on beforehand. It was all consensual.

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