Page 23 of The Write Place

My hands fall a little helplessly at my sides. “I’m all sweaty.” And I’m starting to feel even hotter under his scrutiny.

“Yeah. I hear that happens when you go for a run.” And just like that, the playful tone is back. He takes a step toward me. A magnet, this man.

“Right. Well.” I stare at some trees over his shoulder to avoid looking directly at him. “I’m going to…”

“Why don’t you stay? Sit with me for a minute?” He jams his hands into his pockets, and I see he’s wearing the same expensive jeans he had on the night we met. He also has on a white shirt and a gray grandpa cardigan that makes his eyes look like steel. He would own a cardigan, I think. He looks exactly as I would envision a writer in this moment. I catch myself softening a little at this image of him and decide it’s probably best to draw the line here.

“Oh, no. I don’t want to interrupt. Besides, I need a shower.” I motion to my sweaty face. Disappointment flashes in his eyes, and he swallows hard. When did this get so awkward? Are we completely incompatible outside of school and text messages?

“Of course.” He steps back. “Tomorrow, then.”

“Tomorrow,” I nod. He walks back to his bench, and I put my headphones back in. “Oh, tomorrow morning we have a department meeting.”

He turns back toward me. “Department meeting?”

“Yeah, the students have a late start, and we have meetings in the morning. It happens a few times a semester. We meet first thing in the library.”

“Is that something I should attend?” He sounds a little like he would rather be excused from this particular meeting, and after the fangirling at Tony’s, I can’t blame him.

“They’re either full of drama or supremely boring. There’s no telling which way they’ll go, but people will leave you alone this time. Ken will make sure of that. But if you wanted to see what teaching is like, then the meetings are part of it. It’s up to you.”

“You’ll be there?”

“I have to be there.”

His shoulders relax a little. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” He goes to sit back on his bench, but before I can start running again, he flashes me a smile and a wave. I smile and wave back and then I’m off, but I make sure I run with excellent form until I reach the boundary of the park, just in case he’s watching.

Chapter 10

On Monday morning, I bypass my room and go directly to the library. The hallway is mostly empty, and I can hear voices coming from the open library door. Daniel is lingering just outside the door, holding two cups of coffee and wearing yet another suit and tie. I, on the other hand, am wearing an LPHS sweatshirt and jeans because no teacher dresses up for a morning of meetings. He hands me one of the cups, and our fingers touch as I take it from him. I have to pretend that all of my consciousness doesn’t zero in on that contact.

“Thanks,” I say quietly, and he smiles. “Shall we?”

He motions with a slight flourish. “Ladies first.” This is probably less chivalry and more trepidation, but when I enter, every single person in that room falls into silence. Daniel tenses ever so slightly behind me. I see Jenny and Ben, who have saved two seats for us, and I take a deep breath before strolling toward her with what I hope is nonchalance. A few people start talking quietly again.

“Is this going to be drama or boring?” Daniel leans toward me to murmur once we’re seated.

“My money’s on drama,” I whisper back, and he gives me a look as if this were also his assessment. Then, he gives a nod to Jenny.

“Hello, Jenny.”

“Evans,” she says, curtly. I raise my eyebrow at her, wondering where “Danny Boy” went, but she only lifts a shoulder in a shrug.

“Daniel, have you met Ben?” I ask, doing my best to be polite. Ben leans over Jenny to extend a hand, and I can tell he moves a little closer to her than he needs to. The corner of Jenny’s mouth ticks up a little.

“Hi, Mr. Evans. I’m Ben. It’s really nice to meet you.”

Daniel shakes Ben’s hand. “Please, it’s Daniel. You must teach English as well?” Ben nods.

“We were all hired the same year,” I explain. Daniel nods slowly as if he understands why that’s significant, but he’s clearly pretending. “The first few years of teaching are pretty brutal, so you tend to find some people in the same boat to commiserate with and stay pretty close,” I clarify. Daniel’s expression changes to genuine understanding.

Introductions finished, Jenny takes the opportunity to lean over Daniel a little to talk to me. “I haven’t heard a ton, but I’m gathering there are a few people who are not happy about Mr. Writer over here.”

“You mean me?” Daniel asks, but we ignore him. Ben stifles a laugh.

“What do you mean?” I ask quietly, frowning. Daniel leans a little awkwardly back in his seat to give us room to talk in front of him.

“Well, this is the first I’m hearing about it, probably because we are friends and they wouldn’t complain to me, but they’re either mad he’s here in general, or mad because he was placed with you, specifically.”