Page 105 of Forgotten Deeds

He whimpers.

“Eight, but that’s counting the thyroid. I’m not sure if a thyroid is considered an organ.” I make a mental note to ask Nicky the next time I see her.

“Please, I swear I’ll help you get your guy,” he begs.

“One more chance,” I tell him, balancing on one leg as I wipe my left shoe on his shirt, followed by my right. I stroll behind him, cutting him loose. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Walking out, I grab my bag from the trunk, changing into sandals before sticking the now ruined shoes and socks into a trash bag. Everything back in the trunk, I drive over to my gym and shower quickly before driving to school.

I take a seat on the bench, and Lily approaches, surprised to see me. “I thought you knew I was picking up Iris,” she tells me with a raised eyebrow.

Before I can answer, Lily’s buzzed inside; she returns a few minutes later with Iris holding her evil eye charm. Opening my arms, she comes running over to me with a big smile. I pick her up and toss her in the air before placing her on her feet. “Rainbow goddess. How about me, you, and your beautiful mama go to the park and get ice cream?”

“Yes!” She jumps up and down.

“Follow me there?” I ask Lily, who’s much less enthused, but nods. I’ll take it.

“Hey, Lily.” Becca and her daughter walk out. I’m sure the woman’s about to say something obnoxious, so I catch her line of sight and quietly snap my teeth.

“Uh, we need to go. See you later,” she says, hurrying her daughter along.

Lily side-eyes me, but doesn’t say anything.

We arrive at the park, and I walk over to the ice cream truck while Iris makes a beeline to the playground. “Iris, wait! Let me hold your lucky charm while you play,” Lily calls, and Iris runs back to her mom and hands it over, before taking off again.

Returning a few minutes later with the ice cream, I give Lily her pistachio cone. She smiles brightly, and I’ll never get tired of that sight. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Iris,” I call, and she makes a mad dash to me.

“Thank you,” she chirps, taking her chocolate cone and getting to work, as the ice cream’s already starting to melt.

Lily holds out her cone to offer me a lick, and as I go in for one, she smashes it in my face. Iris squeals, and Lily giggles as she backs away from me.

“You’re going to pay for that, wifey,” I tell her playfully, using the bottom of my shirt to wipe off my face.

“No!” Lily bemoans, placing a hand on her head, but she laughs.

Iris runs out of steam, and I take the rest of her cone and toss it in the trash. Now good and sugared up, she hurries to the playground. “Wait, we need to wipe your sticky hands!” Lily calls after her.

“Nah, just gives her better grip on the ladder,” I assure Lily.

Iris waves at us at the top of the slide, and we wave back as she wizzes down. She sprints back to the ladder to do it again.

Lily finishes her cone and turns to me. “Those times Iris and I ran into you here at the park, was it a coincidence, or were you following me?”

“Following you,” I answer honestly.

She looks at me thoughtfully. “Professor Miller’s accident. You were gone for a while at the party, and then—”

“I shoved the asshole down the stairs.” I go ahead and come clean. “Heard him threaten you in his office, and that does not, nor will it ever fly with me for someone to treat you like that.”

“And Becca’s mom?”

“Threatened her husband, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat, because no one is going to mess with Iris.”

I expect her to run away after those admissions, but she surprises me by grabbing my stained shirt and pulling me close. Standing on her tiptoes, she presses her sweet lips to mine. “I’m ready to step down from my ivory tower,” she tells me quietly.

“For good,” I demand. “If you give yourself to me, there’s no going back this time.” What’s left of my hardened heart couldn’t survive it.

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