4. Kat

Chapter 4

I spend the weekend much the same way I always do: lesson planning and relaxing. I also go to the store and grab groceries for the week. Overall, it’s normal, and by Monday, I’ve all but forgotten about Barbara’s weird behavior… until I get to the school.

Trevor is nowhere in sight, and I dare think it’s going to be a good day. It’s not until about twenty minutes before my class starts—when I go to the teacher's lounge to make copies for the day—that I realize something strange is going on.

Barbara and a few of the teachers are getting coffee or just hanging out before the day starts. Where they normally greet me or at least smile, today, Barbara looks me up and down before her face twists up in a scowl.

It’s uncomfortable, but I make my copies and head out. Nobody says a word.

It’s like that all week. The only one who keeps talking to me is Trevor, but even he’s around less. It’s strange but not unwelcome, especially because I have no idea what happened to cause the shift.

Nathaniel’s been picking Addison up every day since our first meeting. She no longer has an issue and is more than happy to see her father every day, which leads me to believe that Rose was, in fact, the issue.

He’s always the last to pick up, but he explained he has to come from the office to get her and often hits traffic. It’s not a big deal, and knowing that, Addison and I make the most of our time together, closing up the classroom for the day or playing games like I spy or rock, paper, scissors.

The week is smooth until Friday.

A note from the office earlier in the day let me know Nathaniel would be running late. Waiting for him was pretty normal, and he’d never sent a note before, so I assumed that meant he would be later than usual. Instead of having Addison get ready with the rest of the kids, I gave her a coloring sheet to do and explained that her daddy would be a little late. She didn’t seem to mind and was more than happy to color him a picture.

I get the other kids off with their parents and head back into the room to wait with Addison, only for Trevor to come waltzing in about five minutes later.

“Hey, Red, a few of us are going out for drinks tonight. Figured I’d see if you wanted to come with us,” he says loudly, without so much as giving me a moment to respond to his greeting.

I dart my eyes to Addison, but she doesn't even look up at him, and I sigh in relief.

Teachers are people, obviously, but I don’t love the idea of my students hearing things like that.

“Oh, shit, sorry. Didn’t realize you still had one,” he says, having the decency to look sheepish, not that it matters as he swears.

“Ooooh, you said a bad word!” Addison sing-songs because, of course, she wouldn’t miss that.

I glare at him, and he rubs the back of his neck, looking from her to me before muttering an apology, and she goes back to her coloring.

Trevor walks up to my desk, unable to take a hint. I abandon my lesson planning to stand, not enjoying the feeling of him looming over me.

“So what do you say?” he asks, leaning into my personal space and looking more hopeful than he has a right to.

This isn’t the first time he’s invited me out, and I turn him down every time. I’d hoped he would stop asking eventually, but that would seem to be too much to ask.

“Sorry, Trevor, I don’t really enjoy the bar scene,” I tell him, packing up my stuff to try and appear busy. I don’t know when Nathaniel will be here, and I had hoped to use this time to be productive, but it seems that’s no longer an option.

“Oh, come on, Kat, you never go out with us,” he whines, and I feel my patience begin to slip. I’m not usually an angry person, but he’s getting on my last nerve right now.

“I don’t know why you would want me to go, anyway. It seems most of the staff doesn’t even like me,” I snap, realizing too late how that sounds. Not only do I sound like a bitch, but I sound like I care what they think, when really I don’t.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I try again.

“I’m going to pass. I have some things to do this weekend. Maybe next time,” I tell him, even though I know it’s a damn lie.

I wouldn’t go out with him if he were the last guy in New York. Something about him reminds me so much of Carter, and while it might not be fair to him, that makes him a hard no in my book.

Bracing his hands on top of my desk, he leans in even closer, and it takes everything in me not to take a step back. As uncomfortable as I might be with him this close, this is my classroom, and I won’t give him that power over me.

“Don’t be like that. They like you just fine. They're just jealous,” he says with a laugh, shaking his head. “Ignore them. They will see nothing happening with you and Mr. Money Bags and get over it, eventually.”

“Who?” I ask stupidly, not following what he’s saying.

“Me,” a deep voice says from the doorway, and Trevor bolts upright, spinning around and coming face to face with Nathaniel.

“Oh, um, I’m sorry, Mr. Lawson, sir. I was just trying to explain why Kat was having issues with the other staff. I didn’t mean anything by it,” he stammers, sounding shaken, and I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips.

Serves him right for being a gossip, but also, it’s nice to see him on this side of it. He so often makes me uncomfortable.

I peek around Trevor’s back to get a glimpse of Nathaniel, and I can see why Trevor’s about two seconds from shitting himself.

If I thought he looked unapproachable before, it's worse now. His cold blue eyes narrow as he looks Trevor over like something he might peel from the bottom of his shoe.

He’s not even looking at me, and I still feel the chill.

“Daddy!” Addison’s shout pulls his gaze from Trevor, who lets out a sigh of relief, sagging against my desk.

Nathaniel takes a step into the classroom, crouching down to scoop Addison up in his arms as she runs at him full force, and he flings her up into the air. It’s the same way she greets him every day at pickup, and it’s so damn cute I could seriously melt.

Who knew I had a thing for good fathers?

Oh, nope—bad, Kat! I will not develop a crush on one of my students' parents, especially not when I don't know if he’s single.

At the thought, my eyes dart down to his hand, and while I don’t see a ring, that doesn’t mean anything. For all I know, he could be one of those guys who doesn’t wear it.

Besides, we’re not looking for a man, I remind myself.

“Hello, Katherine, sorry for the delay. One of my meetings ran over. It always does with that particular client,” he says, looking up at me, and I thank god he didn’t look a second sooner. He’s intimidating enough without knowing I’m damn near checking him out.

“It’s no problem,” I say, looking around to realize the one thing that had been an issue is gone.

Huh, I hadn’t even seen him go. He must have been in a hurry.

“He snuck out a moment ago. Sorry if I interrupted.” Nathaniel informs me, taking my curiosity as interest in him.

I bark a laugh before quickly covering my mouth. That was rude.

“Oh, no, not at all. Thank you actually, he’s been trying to get me to go out with him and, well, the rest of the staff. The bar isn’t really my scene, and the staff doesn’t seem so fond of me currently. Not to mention, I’d rather repaint my apartment with a child’s paintbrush and watch the paint dry than go out with him.”

I snap my mouth shut to stop my word vomit, but the damage is done. I feel the heat as it blooms on my cheeks, and embarrassment settles in with everything I just shared.

Wonderful Kat, very professional.

He stands watching me for a moment, and I can’t stop myself from fidgeting under his heavy gaze, wringing my hands together in front of me.

I expect him to be annoyed or maybe repulsed by my oversharing, but instead, a smile splits his lips. It’s not a real smile, more like a smirk, but holy hell, if I thought he was good-looking before… Now, he’s stunning.

Shit.

He chuckles, and the sound rolls over me, his deep voice making it sound like a rumble.

“Happy to be of service, then. I guess it worked out for the best. I don’t think that guy will give you much trouble anymore.”

He lets Addison down so that she can collect her things. Usually, I would go and help her, but right now, I’m stuck, standing as still as a statue, still reeling from the embarrassment that is my damn mouth.

“Unfortunately, I can’t say the staff will like you anymore. I probably owe you an apology for that,” he says, and his smile disappears, replaced by a scowl.

“Why would you need to apologize for that? It has nothing to do with you,” I tell him, because how could it?

“You know, at first, I thought you were simply being nice or pretending. When I picked Addison up and you said you needed to check her card. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had tried that.” He pauses for a moment as Addison runs over and hugs me before making her way back to him and grabbing his hand.

She’s in her own little world, humming a tune and hardly paying us any attention.

“Walk with us?” he asks, nodding to the door. I nod in response, turning back to grab my purse from my desk.

I lock up my classroom, and the second I turn around, Addison grabs my hand in one of her little ones, the other holding her father’s. She laughs and swings her feet off the ground, and I can’t help but smile as I watch her.

“Like I said, I might owe you an apology. Not only for them not liking you, but also for not believing you. It wasn’t until I saw how Barbara acted that I started to believe you. Not to mention you haven’t acted any different all week. Add that to the fact that you call me Nathaniel instead of Mr. Lawson, like everyone else. Plus, your reaction to the way Trevor all but ran from me, and I realized maybe you weren’t pretending after all.”

He says a lot, and it takes a second for me to wrap my mind around it all, but the thing that sticks out the most is the fact that he knows Trevor, and he knows him by name.

My confusion must be clear because he goes on to explain.

“I make a habit of knowing the people who will be around my daughter,” he says, and that makes sense, but this is also a huge school.

Is he telling me he knows everyone here?

“Regardless of how ridiculous the nickname might be, he’s not wrong. I have a lot of money. It’s part of owning the biggest company in New York, but with that also comes the attitude from your coworkers.”

I don’t say anything because, once again, I’m lost.

What does his financial status have to do with my coworkers and how they like me? That sounds like a crazy reason not to like someone. What, because I teach his daughter?

“What does your having money have to do with me, though?” I ask, unable to connect the dots.

We make it to the front of the school, where his limo waits. He chuckles but doesn’t answer as Addison drops our hands to run to the driver, who’s making his way around the car.

“We’re on our way to dinner. Would you like to join us?” he asks, and I’m kind of taken by surprise.

“Yes! Please, Ms Kat! It’s Oli’s birthday!” she shouts, all but jumping from the driver's arms to run back to us.

“Oh, um. I’m sorry, I can’t tonight, honey,” I tell her, feeling guilty as hell the second the words leave my mouth and her lips pull down in a frown. It’s not that I’m opposed to dinner exactly, but I don’t really want to intrude on family time. Not to mention, I’m sure wherever they’re going, I’m severely underdressed. “Maybe next time,” I tell her, trying to make her feel better, but it does nothing, and she continues to stare up at me with her puppy dog eyes.

“Addison, don’t make her feel bad. It was very last minute, and you know what Oli says about that look.” Nathaniel scolds her halfheartedly, and a smile turns her lips.

“That my puppy eyes are a lethal weapon,” she says with a chuckle, and I laugh as well.

He’s right.

“Have a good night, Ms. Kat,” Nathaniel says as Addison hugs me. I’d never thought my name could sound sexy, but I was wrong.

“You as well. Enjoy dinner.” With a wave, I head off toward the subway station as they get into the limo and drive away.

It’s not until I’m seated on the subway that I realize he never answered my question.