Michael frowned. “My mama is the one who bought him for me.”
Jenna was going to have a long talk with Barbie Biggs. Why on earth would she willingly get a predator for her kindergarten son? As if sensing her thoughts, the snake hissed.
A chill of terror raced up her spine.
“O-okay, honey. Well, let’s get Drake back in his cage.”
Cage. The thing was four pieces of plastic and nowhere near the thickness Jenna deemed necessary to house a fanged reptile.
“He’s real nice, Miss Justice.”
“I’m sure he is, Michael, but let’s just get him back in his little house there, okay? Drake looks a bit tired.”
Michael swung his arm around and peered at the snake’s face. Jenna’s heart beat out of her
chest.
“You’re right. He does look tired.” With a shrug, Michael put the snake back in his container and sealed it.
Oh, thank heavens.
Setting the trash can down, Jenna ran shaky hands over her skirt, hoping to smooth away some of her terror.
“Oh-kay, who’s up next? Alex?”
“Yes!” Alex McCade jumped up and ran toward the classroom door. “I gotta get it from the hallway.”
“It’s not a snake, is it?” Jenna rushed out.
“No. It’s waaaaay cooler!”
God help me.
Jenna took a seat behind her desk at the back of the room. She fumbled through the first drawer, searching for her cell. That thing would stay in her grip until show-and-tell was over. Nine-one-one was on speed dial, and kindergartners were surprising creatures.
“This is my show-and-tell!” Alex announced to the room just as Jenna dug her phone from the back of the drawer. “My Uncle Colt!”
Jenna’s head snapped up. Her stare landed on the smiling five-year-old and his grinning uncle standing at the front of the room.
And she thought a snake was bad.
Jenna opened her mouth to say something, but Alex began his proud explanation.
“Colt McCade, a legend. A hero. A…what was it?” He looked up at his uncle and Colt leaned down to whisper in his ear. “Oh yeah! A god among men.”
Jenna rolled her eyes and tried to hide her grin. Had the man no shame? Judging by the smug smile plastered to his face, she guessed not.
Colt threaded his thumbs through his belt loops. That black leather belt lined his hips so perfectly, Jenna had to concentrate on not staring. His blue tee matched his eyes, which were burning a hole right through her from beneath the Stetson he wore. The only time she’d seen him trade his typical baseball cap for a cowboy hat was when she saw him on TV riding. Whatever he put on his head was irrelevant because, good Lord, the man was edible.
Even worse, he knew it.
“My uncle can ride a bucking bull for eight hundred seconds!” Alex gushed, and the whole class oooohhhhed and awwwhed.
Jenna shoved her glasses up on her nose and pursed her lips. Colt just smiled at her and tipped his hat.
Alex tugged on his shirt. Colt bent down and this time Alex whispered something in his ear. Colt winked at his nephew as he rose once more to his full six-foot-plus height.
He flexed his muscles like a body builder and the class gasped as Alex said, “My uncle Colt is so strong.” He tapped his little fingers on Colt’s biceps to emphasize his point. “No bull can buck him off. He’s sooo awesome that the bull is actually scared of him!”