Page 71 of Where We Stay

“I’ll kick you out of my classroom, Mr. Ashford.” Blair crosses her arms and turns to face me.

“Mr. Ashford?”

“See?” She narrows her eyes. “Not so fun, is it?”

“I don’t know.” I take a step closer. “I kinda like that too.”

Blair rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling.

“Why are you both smiling?” Aspen asks, pulling us out of the moment.

“No reason,” we say at the same time.

I clap my hands together. “Come on, baby girl. We’re going to Nan and Gramps’ for dinner.”

“Yay!” Aspen races toward the exit.

Before following her, I turn back to Blair. “Thank you.”

Her expression softens. “For what?”

“For Monday. Change isn’t easy for Aspen, and you made her feel safe.”

“She did the hard part,” Blair says. “I just gave Beachy somewhere to sit.”

I hold her gaze for another second before forcing myself to walk away.

“Have a good night, Miss Morgan,” I call over my shoulder.

Blair smiles. “You too, Mr. Ashford.”

Wanting Blair was already complicated.

Now she’s part of Aspen’s world.

Fuck.

* * *

“Daddy met Miss Morgan!” Aspen announces, barreling into my parents’ backyard. “And she said I’m really bright!”

Blair.

Blair is Miss Morgan.

My head is still fucked.

“She also said you like to talk during quiet reading time,” I add, raising my eyebrows.

“We don’t need to tell everyone that part, Daddy,” Aspen says seriously. “Daddy knows Miss Morgan too. He calls her Blair.”

Thanks, kid.

“Wait.” Logan and Rory turn toward me at the same time. “Miss Morgan is Blair?”

“Yep. The one and only.” I look toward the grill. “What’s for dinner, Mom?”

“Nice try,” Mom says. “Who’s Blair?”