Page 84 of Beautiful Crazy
“Amazing. I’m enjoying the school, I have an excellent class this year, and the faculty has been more than welcoming. I’m very happy here.”
He smiles, the lines around his eyes creasing. Nick’s probably in his late forties, if I had to guess. He’s been the principal here for quite some time now, and as far as I can tell, he does an incredible job.
“Wonderful. Glad to hear that. How can I help you today, then?”
“Well…” I breathe out a laugh that sounds more like a cough since I’m nervous. “I wanted to be up-front with you about my relationship.”
His brow furrows. “I’m listening.”
My stomach twists, and I have to swallow against the lump forming in my throat. “It’s with Gemma Rylan, sir. Sutton’s mom.”
“I see.” His face is blank; I can’t read it at all.
“They’re my neighbors, and it just… happened, but I want you to know that it doesn’t, in any way, affect the way I run my class. I’m very much able to keep my personal and professional life separate.”
Nick blows out a breath. “Well, I appreciate you coming to me and telling me. While there’s no set-in-stone rules in the handbook about teachers and parents dating, it’s not exactly ideal. In fact, it can sometimes get quite tricky. But you’re not the first parent-teacher relationship, and you won’t be the last. Sometimes in towns as small as ours, it’s unavoidable.”
“I understand, sir. But again, I can assure you, this will not affect how I teach my class.”
He nods, face still unreadable. “Did this relationship start before or after school started?”
“After. We met before school started, of course, but nothing romantic started until after. I would have one hundred percent told you if it was before.”
“I believe you,” he says, and my shoulders relax hearing him say that. “Now, I won’t sugarcoat it. When the parents find out about this, there may be some backlash. I don’t foresee that happening with the class you have now, at least off the top of my head, but I need to tell you just in case. There will more than likely be some stares and whispers.”
Nodding, I murmur, “I understand, sir.”
“Since we’re in the middle of the school year, I’m not eager to move Sutton to another class as long as no issues arise. Do you understand, Mr. Windward?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
“And I trust you to tell me if anything comes up that could potentially cause conflict.”
“You got it, sir.” I nod.
“Well then…” Nick stands, extending his hand to me. “If you’ve got nothing else to discuss with me, congratulations on your new relationship, Everett. Gemma is a wonderful woman. Very loved by the community.”
Beaming at his comment, I shake his hand. “Thank you very much.”
I feel a weight lift off my shoulders as I walk out of the office. That’s done, and now it feels like I can finally allow myself to enjoy all of this out in the open.
Thirty-Five
Gemma
Pulling up outside of my sister’s house, I put the car in park, resting my head on the back of my seat. It’s a bright, sunny morning, which is a complete contrast to the knot in my stomach and the sour taste on the back of my tongue. Turning my head, I take in the white bag on my seat, huffing out a breath as I grab it and exit the vehicle.
Georgia is waiting for me on the porch by the time I get up there, barefoot and with a confused look on her face. “Morning,” she drawls, sounding like she just got up. “Didn’t know you were coming by.”
“I didn’t know I was either until I pulled in here.”
Her eyebrows hike up as she pushes off the banister. “Oh, shit. That doesn’t sound good. Come on, I’ll make us some coffee.”
Sitting in one of the stools at the bar that overlooks Georgia’s kitchen, I set my purse and the bag down on theseat beside me, swiping to unlock my phone when I notice I have a new text. A smile spreads on my face as I take in who it’s from.
Everett: Good morning, mama. ;) I would’ve texted you earlier but I had a donut snafu in the teachers’ lounge this morning before class. I’ll give you a hint: chocolate donuts and my white button-down don’t mesh.
Snorting at the imagery, I thumb out a response.