Page 69 of One More Chapter

“I’ll get you back for this when it isn’t your wedding celebration, Russo. Mark my words.”

I edge out of the circle at the same time that it starts to break up. Lucy and Aaron rush to greet guests; Sam and Nathan head out to tend to the beer and rope Ant into helping; and Claire, Juliet, and I get a refill on our cocktails and catch up on school gossip.

“Sorry I kind of stole your co-teacher,” I say to Jules. Earlier this week, Nathan told me that he would be shuffling around some staff to make sure I’m not always left out to dry when Anthony gets pulled for administrative duties. However, it also stole Juliet’s co-teacher from her classroom two days a week.

She waves me off.

“He’s just a helping hand in my classroom anyway. He’s retiring at the end of the year. Maybe the change of scenery will do him some good. How have things been?”

“A little more stable,” I admit. “I guess he’s going to be with me two days a week, and then Ant will be in for two, with Fridays being a little more flexible. I’ll just plan them as e-Work days for now and see what happens. It’s definitely been helpful though.”

“You know that was all Ant’s doing, right?” Lucy returns with both a tray of snacks and news I didn’t want to know. “I was in the office when he stood up to Nathan for you. It was kind of hot.”

There’s a visual I don’t need—Ant standing up to our boss for me, following through on his promises with actions to back them up. Especially if Lucy’s describing it ashot. I still can’t get the image of him telling me heisn’tsorry for what happened in the shower out of my head—or out of the fantasies me and my vibrator have been enjoying this week. I thought living with him would be torture. I guess I just didn’t expect that torture to come in the flavor of staying away from him.

“Wait, why did Nathan even need convincing?” Claire asks. “He was going to leave you hanging? I’m going to have a talk with that man.”

“Leave him alone,” I chuckle. “It’s not his fault. He has been seriously dumped on this year, and with no real AP to help out, he got the worst of it. I’m grateful for the extra set of hands since he stole mine—andfor the fact that I get Ant in my room two less days a week. Seeing him at home is more than enough.”

“I thought you said things were going okay?” Juliet asks.

“They are and they aren’t. Yes, he’s being less of an asshole, but he’s stillthere. In my space, in my every waking moment. It’s a temptation that I don’t need.”

My friends all eye me with a peculiar look, and I instantly regret usingtemptationas my reason to stay far, far away from Anthony Ellis.

“Temptation?” Lucy starts.

“I thought we were avoiding him at all costs?” Juliet says, lifting a brow. “He did you dirty, Pen.”

“Did he do her dirty, or did hedo her dirty?” Claire laughs into the lip of her drink. My eyes narrow.

“Babes, if he’s a temptation, maybe you need to reconsider your living situation. Sam and I have extra room.”

“Us too,” Lucy chimes in. Claire agrees, but for some reason, instead of taking any of them up on their offers, I slump. Just slightly enough that they can tell something is up.

“What if he apologized though? And what if I did too? And what if…”

Fuck. All of my friends are staring at me with wide-eyed intensity. I think the perfect storm of alcohol and shirtless Ant and my raging hormones after that shower have finally driven me mad.

“I need a shot.”

I dismiss myself from the conversation that I can’t continue to be a part of. Taking my aforementioned shot to hide with it in the bathroom, I stare down my reflection in serious contemplation.

Am I seriously thinking about fixing things with Ant? Giving us another shot?

Who am I kidding? Our first one barely got off the ground.

But now, alone with too many swirling thoughts, I think about all of the times I put up the roadblocks by myself. Everytime we’ve crossed paths since, I’ve refused to let him in. Refused to hear him out. We can’t go more than a day without taking one step forward and ten steps back. But how much of that is my fault? And how easy would the road before us be if I actually lifted the barriers and let us try?

I sigh, throwing back the blue colored drink before heading back to the party. My mini-Ant spiral sapped me. Suddenly, all I want is somewhere to put my feet up.

Except there aren’t any open seats anywhere. Apparently, Aaron didn’t bank on needing chairs for every single guest of his or something. Whatever the reason, I find myself lingering toward the back corner of the living room, away from people, upon my return. Leaning against the wall, I scan the room for somewhere to put my butt other than the floor.

“Looking for someone?”

I jump.

“Why do you keep popping up when I least expect you to?”