“What are you suggesting?” Mr. Tatum said, seeming willing to hear me out.
“It’s the end of school. Isn’t there an event that they could volunteer to work on?”
There was silence as they mulled it over. Mr. Tatum looked at the headmaster. “There is the end-of-term service… but I have something else in mind.”
“Oh?” Mrs. Rogers wore an annoyed expression, as though pissed off he was contemplating my idea.
“Next semester I’ll be hosting the fund-raiser for Armistice Day in November. It’s always a stressful event for me on top of my work… so why don’t I just leave it to these two ladies to organize it for me?”
“But —”
Mr. Tatum held up a hand to cut off Rogers’s coming complaint. “If they screw it up, the suspension still stands.”
I looked over at Maia and Layla. “How does that sound?”
Maia nodded glumly.
Layla glowered at me. “How do you think it sounds?”
“Attitude,” Mr. Bruce warned. “If Mrs. Rogers agrees, then this will be your punishment.”
We all looked at the teacher in question. She glared back at us but eventually nodded.
Logan shook the headmaster’s hand and then the teachers’, thanking them. Maia sidled up to me and clasped my hand. “Always saving the day,” she whispered to me.
I squeezed her hand. “I’d do anything for you.”
She smiled cheekily and then looked pointedly at her dad. “Anything?”
I groaned. “Almost anything.”
We were heading out of the office when Logan caught up with us, Mr. Tatum at his side. The teacher immediately held out a hand to me. “It was nice to meet you.”
Our eyes met and held again, and I felt a little zing of attraction. “You too. Thank you for being so fair.”
“I don’t believe Maia had anything to do with it.”
“Nice, Mr. T.,” Layla snapped at him as she strode past us, eating up the ground with her long legs.
“I guess we’re not friends anymore!” Maia called after her sarcastically.
Logan put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “She was never a very good one anyway, Maia.”
“Um… do you have a minute to talk privately?” Mr. Tatum suddenly asked me.
I could feel Logan’s and Maia’s eyes burning into mine. “Uh… Yeah, sure.” I looked back at them. Maia was glowering. Logan’s expression was carefully blank. “I’ll catch up with you.”
Logan had to budge Maia to get her to move, and as soon as they were out of earshot, I turned to Mr. Tatum, curiosity written all over my face.
He grinned, a boyishly charming smile that I had to admit I liked a lot. He didn’t look a thing like Logan, and I decided I also liked that fact. “Maia’s a good kid. I get the impression she’s been through quite a bit. She talks about you and her dad a lot.”
I smiled softly. “She’s a very special person.”
He nodded. “She thinks the same of you. That’s why I know your name is Grace and you are a freelance book editor.”
I laughed. “What else has she been telling you?”
“Apparently you make good homemade pizza.”
“I do,” I agreed with mock arrogance.
He chuckled. “She said nothing of your modesty, however.” He cleared his throat. “Look, I hope you don’t think this is forward, but I’ve written an historical fiction novel that I’d like to send out on query to a few publishers, and I was wondering if I could hire you to edit it before I do.”
Surprise moved through me at the request. I honestly hadn’t known why he’d asked me to stay back with him, but for some reason that had been the last thing on my mind. “Oh… um… I have a pretty tight schedule at the moment, but why don’t you give me your e-mail address and I can send you some recommendations for other editors?”
He looked disappointed but nodded. “Sure. I understand. Thank you. I’ll give you my number instead.”
I rummaged through my purse for my phone. “Okay. And thank you again for helping me out back there, Mr. Tatum.”
“It’s Patrick,” he corrected with a soft smile that definitely verged on flirtatious. He rattled off his number to me once I had my phone in hand. “Call me so your number will come up on my phone and I’ll know who you are.”
I did as he said.
“You do know that was just a cheap ploy to get your number, right?” He grinned mischievously at me.
My lips parted. “What? Even the ‘I’ve written a book part’?”
“No. That part was true. But if I can’t get to know you while you edit my book, I’d really like to get to know you over a coffee or something.” His smile widened at my surprised expression. “Think about it. Please.” Patrick glanced at his watch and sighed. “I’m taking detention today, so I need to go.” He started walking backward, smiling at me the whole time in a way that left no doubt that he was flirting. After the last few days, it was a very nice feeling to be found attractive. “I’ll await your call, Grace.”
I waved my phone at him and spun around, grinning from cheek to cheek as I strode down the hallway.
It was funny how that giddy feeling completely evaporated as soon as I caught up with Logan and Maia on the Meadows. There was an awkward silence upon my approach, and I knew Maia was desperate to ask me what her history teacher wanted with me.
“Why weren’t you at work?” I said to Logan, diverting the conversation immediately.