Page 7 of Rise & Fall

I can feel the embarrassment reach my neck in ripples of heat.

“Thanks for that.” I side eye my little pipsqueak of a sister.

“And it’s okay really. They’re just being kids,” I mention because his daughter didn’t actually offend me.

There we go, calm your nerves, Dakota.

“Sorry, DJ,” the little girl apologizes anyways, her big brown eyes staring up at me, and I smile at her sweetly.

Suddenly the school bell rings and doors of the grade decks start opening with teachers ready to take in their students. I don’t even get to say goodbye to Em before she runs off with her friend through the door of her classroom.

“Sorry about that,” the man speaks to me, now standing on the left side of me as we both watch the girls filter into the school. I feel his eyes blazing down on me, but I focus to keep my gaze straight.

“No worries,” I muster, feeling rather diminutive next to him.

I turn around to head back toward the parking lot and apparently so does he. I notice a few other moms staring in our direction as we walk, seemingly, side by side back to our cars and I feel heat rise in my cheeks at the attention. Why are they staring—no, glaring—at me?

“Hello, Mr. Steele.” A woman with a short blonde bob and a model-type body greets him with a smitten smile as we pass her by.

Steele?

His last name is fucking Steele?

Oh man.

I apprehensively glance up to the man walking next to me, trying not to let him notice my sudden curiosity, and a smile curves on his face as he tilts his head toward the lady. It’s a swoon-worthy smile that reveals small dimples on either side of his cheeks. Cheeks that lead down to his perfectly chiseled jaw and scruffy beard. His dark hair blows lightly in the morning breeze.Fuck, this man is hot.

“DJ?”

Shit.I hadn’t realized that he’d said anything, his voice feathering down on me as we come to a stop at the end of the sidewalk. It’s soft and rough all at the same time, and my knees really like the way it sounds—the shiver that travels down them is the tell.

I stop and look up at him, unintentionally catching his eyes with mine. His chocolate brown irises melt into mine, smooth and dark like a delicate velvet and so very dreamy. I knew there was a reason why I didn’t want to make direct eye contact.

“Sorry, what’d you say?” I’m sheepish in the way I talk to him, and I can’t for the life of me understand why.

“I said I’ll see you around.” He walks toward the other direction, both hands shoved in the front pockets of his jeans. Jeans that hug his ass like a dream, and my God, that man looks heavenly.

Is my mouth watering?

His smile lingers on my soul like an unwanted imprint, almost like when someone accidentally steps into wet cement and no one notices it so it doesn’t get fixed and dries that way.

I pull my keys out of my olive green corduroy jacket and head toward my Jeep. Thankfully, my phone rings in distraction and I’m grateful that my mom is calling me.

“Hey, Mama.”

“Hey, my girl. Do you have time to run to the store for me? I need a few things if that’s okay?” My mom’s voice sounds weak over the phone, and it makes me sad to hear her this way.

“Sure, just text me what you need. How are you feeling today? I didn’t want to wake you this morning.” My mom hasn’t been sleeping very well lately so I’ve been letting her sleep in when she can.

“Better than yesterday, but still not the best. It’s all the medicine and the exhaustion. I’m sorry you had to take Em this morning,” she responds in a low, raspy voice.

“No, Mama. Don’t worry about it. Text me what you need, and I’ll stop by the store before I pick up Em.”

“Do you work today?” she adds in before letting me hang up.

“No, I’m on my off rotation for four days. But I have my doctor’s appointment today.”

“Right.”