Page 37 of Bad Teacher

“Surprised to see you. What brings you here?”

“Violet.”

She smiled. “I’d never have guessed. Have a seat.”

“I can’t. I’m too rattled to sit.”

She leaned against a shelf stacked with books. “Okay.”

“I came because I’ve seen you more than her other friends,” he said, jamming his hand in his jeans. “I need your advice. She says she’s not interested in marriage or commitment right now, but today I called the school to talk about picking Marcelle up early, and the principal happened to pick up the phone.”

“All right.”

“He told me that two days ago, she asked for resignation from her job because someone found out about our affair. I know how much she loved that job,” he said, deciding that the principal probably told me this to create a rift between them. What other reason would he have?

“That’s not the real story. The sleazeball principal was going to kick your daughter out of school, and she said she’d rather quit. He was using the affair as an excuse.”

Theo’s fingers curled into a fist. Anger knotted inside him. He’d kept Marcelle in that school because he didn’t want to continue the cycle of starting and leaving a school, and also because that was the last place in the next few towns where she could learn French. But now, he’d have to talk to his daughter and explain supporting an institution ran by a heartless idiot wasn’t worth it. He’d have to find a new school for her, yet again. “The bastard.”

“Yeah.”

He popped his knuckles, pacing in circles. “Wait. So she did it for Marcelle?”

Lara nodded.

She loves me. His heart hammered foolishly. Whether she knew it or not or would admit to it or not, she loved him. Why else would she have done what she did? Why else would she sacrifice her job while pregnant? “Tell me how to get her back.”

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