Page 6 of The Rival Kiss

Harry comes closer. “You have to, or you’ll never get anywhere. Stop running from failure.” He spreads his arms wide. “Embrace the screw-up.”

I raise a brow, unable to resist an opening like that. “Are you referring to the concept, or yourself?”

He grins, arms still spread. “Though she be but little, she is fierce.”

If that man quotes Shakespeare one more time, this English teacher might just spontaneously combust.

Harry lowers his arms. “I know I’m going to mess up this trade academy, and the thought makes me want to throw up. Every argument you made? I ask myself those exact same questions.”

I wait for the “but.” It doesn’t come. Harry lapses into silence, brows knit. Uh-oh. Has he taken my criticisms too seriously? I bite my lip, tasting the remnants of whiteboard spray mixed with my coconut lip balm. I’d expressed my doubts so forcefully because I always assume that Harry acts without proper thought. But this pensive side of him is new to me. What should I do with it?

I need a strong peppermint tea and a roaring fire to sit beside so I can think back through our years of interactions. With what I’ve experienced of Harry tonight, would those encounters look different? Maybe.

But right now, I need that cocky twinkle back in his eyes.

“I think you’ll screw up the school too—”

He deflates before I can finish the sentence. A weird ache shoots through my heart. My opinion matters to him?

“But I also know that your superpower is swimming against the current. The fears that stop the rest of us never seem to hold you back. So don’t start now.” I shrug. “And maybe this sleepy old town could use a shake-up. It might be the best thing that ever happened to us.”

A slow smile spreads across his face, and I find myself returning it.

Harry picks up my laptop and holds it out to me. “What are you going to do?”

I take the computer from him, the metal warm against my fingers. “I—I guess it would be good for me to try.” There’s so much I want to do at this school, with these kids. Harry’s right—the current system is failing too many of them. He has the vision to start a new system. But I have the endurance to work on improving this one.

Harry extends a hand to me. “I look forward to stealing your students, Vice Principal Hastings.”

I grin. Gripping his hand, I push aside the way my heart riots and shake as firmly as I can. “I can’t wait to see you try.”