Chapter 51

51

ALAINA

T he week felt like a whirlwind. Between teaching my classes, planning lessons, and thinking about Roan, I barely had a moment to breathe. Rafe seemed aware of the shift in dynamics between his father and me but he wasn't making a big deal out of it.

I was careful not to allude to anything though. It wasn't something we needed to discuss around the other students.

With Roan's schedule and mine, it wasn't like there was a chance to spend any time together. My students kept me busy, but my thoughts often drifted to Roan and the future we might have together. I found myself daydreaming a lot. The house and all the glamour that would go along with dating Roan was barely a blip on my radar. The only time I did think about it was when I thought about how different we were. He was a world-traveled man with all the money he could ever want. He didn't have to drive an old car or worry about paying his bills.

Honestly, that part of the equation did give me some pause. I didn't want him to think I was ever taking advantage of him. I imagined there were plenty of women who had done that in his past. I truly loved him for him. I loved Rafe. I couldn't care less about the other stuff. Although I did love his comfortable home, and that private plane had been nice.

Friday had finally arrived, and I found myself looking forward to the evening. Roan had invited me over after Rafe's indoor soccer game. I couldn't wait to see them both. Rafe didn't know I was going to his game. We were going to surprise him.

I was packing up my things when Trudy walked in.

"Hey, Alaina," she greeted, leaning against the doorframe. "Got a minute?"

"Sure, Trudy," I replied, finishing up my packing. "What's up?"

She walked over, a sly smile on her face. "Just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. Everything okay after that chaotic flight back from Florida?"

I sighed, nodding. "Yeah, it was a bit of a mess. I'm really sorry about how everything panned out. I can't believe I overslept." I wasn't about to admit why I overslept or who I was with.

Trudy waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, don't worry about it. I've heard worse travel stories. Besides, everyone made it back in one piece, right?"

"True," I said, smiling. "Actually, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." I took a deep breath, deciding it was the perfect opportunity to come clean about my relationship with Roan. "It's about Roan and me."

Trudy's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Ah, I was wondering when you'd bring that up. You know, Roan came into my office before the Florida trip to talk about the Kyle situation."

"He told me he talked with you about it."

"He was willing to move Rafe out of your classroom if it meant you could keep your job and be with him," she said.

I felt a wave of warmth and gratitude. "He didn't tell me that."

Trudy smiled knowingly. "Well, he cares about you. And don't worry, I'm not worried about the whole situation. In fact, I knew making you two work the cotton candy stall at the fall festival was a good idea."

I laughed, shaking my head. "I suspected."

Trudy's grin widened. "In another life, I was probably a matchmaker."

"Thank you, Trudy," I said, feeling a mix of relief and appreciation. "I'm glad you're okay with this."

"Of course," she said, giving my arm a reassuring pat. "You're a great teacher, Alaina. And Roan and Rafe are lucky to have you in their lives. Just keep doing what you're doing. It's up to you to decide if the situation is difficult. I imagine this thing is going to become very serious. You might not want your future stepson in your class."

I laughed. "That's definitely in the very distant future. And we only have a semester left. I think it will be okay. Rafe is a respectful young man. He has never treated me differently or tried to get special favors knowing his father and I are friends."

"Does he know the two of you are together?"

"No." I smiled. "He knows we're friends. We're keeping things quiet for now."

She nodded. "Okay, if you need any help, just let me know."

"Thanks," I said, feeling a renewed sense of confidence. "I will."

As Trudy left, I finished packing up my things and headed to the gym for Rafe's soccer game. The sound of kids yelling and the thud of the soccer ball echoed through the large space. I spotted Roan in the stands and made my way over to him.

"Hey," I said, sliding into the seat next to him.

"Hey," he replied, his eyes lighting up. "Rafe's been talking about this game all week. He's really excited."

"I heard all about it all week." I laughed.

As the game started, Roan rested his hand on my thigh, a small but intimate gesture that made my heart race. I knew without a doubt that our relationship had moved far beyond the friend zone, yet around Rafe, we acted like we'd never touched in our lives. But here in the stands, we could be a couple.

"Go, Rafe!" I cheered as he made a great pass, feeling the excitement and pride well up inside me.

"He's really gotten good," Roan remarked, his hand giving my thigh a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, he has," I agreed, smiling at the sheer joy on Rafe's face as he played.

"This is the one sport he likes," Roan said. "We tried basketball, peewee football, baseball and even track, but he didn't really click with anything until he found soccer."

"That's great," I said. "It's important for kids to find something they're passionate about."

Roan chuckled softly. "I just thought he'd prefer something less physical. He's always been more in his head, you know? Soccer is tough, so demanding on the body."

"It might be a good balance for him then," I suggested. "A contrast to his usual intellectual pursuits."

Roan nodded thoughtfully. "I think you might be right."

The game flew by in a flurry of cheers and astonishing plays from both teams. Rafe was indeed a natural, demonstrating an agility and understanding of the game that surprised me. He was kind of clumsy in the classroom and so focused on books and puzzles, it was hard to imagine him being so athletic.

When the final whistle blew, it was a tie, but the students didn't seem to mind. They were all smiles and high fives, proud of their teamwork and performance.

As we made our way down to congratulate Rafe and his other teammates, Roan held my hand, but once we were on the ground, he casually dropped it. I wasn't upset about it, but it did hurt a little. It was hard to have a relationship in the shadows. It made me feel like we were doing something wrong. I didn't want to feel that way.

Rafe ran over to us, beaming with excitement. "Ms. C! I didn't know you were coming to my game!"

"I had to see it with all the hype." I laughed.

"Did you see that pass?" he asked, his eyes shining.

"We sure did," Roan said. "You were awesome out there."

"Thanks, Dad!" Rafe said, then turned to me. "Did you like it?"

"I loved it, Rafe," I said, giving him a high-five. "You were amazing."

We made our way to the car, Rafe chattering excitedly about the game. I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm and the way Roan looked at him with such pride.

"Ms. C, are you going to come over for dinner?" he asked.

Roan had technically already invited me, but it was good Rafe was extending the invitation. Roan looked at me and nodded.

"I would love that," I said.

"Can you bring Beau?" he asked.

I laughed. "That's up to your dad."

"Beau is always welcome," Roan said.

"Then I will go pick him up and meet you guys at your house," I said.

Rafe grinned. "Yeah!"

I went back to my place to pick up Beau and his overnight bag, along with my own. I had a feeling I'd be staying over at Roan's tonight, even though he hadn't explicitly asked. It just seemed like the natural progression of things, and Rafe loved having Beau around.

When I got to Roan's house, Beau bounded in, tail wagging furiously like he owned the place. He was clearly used to the house and probably appreciated all the space and, of course, the attention Rafe showered on him. Rafe greeted him with a big hug. Roan gave me a questioning look when he saw Beau's bag.

"Car," I answered softly, knowing he was wondering if I brought my bag.

He winked. "Good."

I felt a warm sense of belonging as we walked into the house.

"Ms. C, can we build Legos?" Rafe asked, his eyes hopeful.

"Of course," I answered. "Let's see what we can create."

While Roan cooked dinner, Rafe and I built an elaborate Minecraft set. "Boy, I don't remember the pieces being this small when I played with Legos," I said, squinting to see some of the tinier ones.

"That's part of the fun. The smaller the pieces, the more you can build!" Rafe exclaimed, his eyes practically dancing with excitement. His enthusiasm was contagious. I found myself laughing along with him.

"I'm going to need glasses," I said. "These are meant for kids, not adults."

"Of course, they are," he said as if it was so obvious.

Roan, who had been checking on us occasionally between his cooking, joined in our laughter from the kitchen. "Seems like you two are having a blast."

"We sure are," I said, a warm surge of happiness spreading through me. "Are you sure I can't help with dinner?"

"Nope, you're our guest and I'm glad it's you straining your eyes instead of me." He laughed.

Rafe and I continued building. Beau patrolled the living room, tail wagging as he watched us play. He found a spot to lie down in front of the fire once again. It was a peaceful domestic scene.

The smell of grilled chicken wafted into the room, making my stomach rumble in anticipation. "Dinner's ready," Roan called out from the kitchen.

"We better go wash up," I said to Rafe.

"Okay, but we've got to finish this later," Rafe pleaded, glancing regretfully at our half-finished Lego creation.

"Definitely," I assured him with a smile. "Let's make sure we pick up any stray pieces, so Beau doesn't get any bright ideas."

Roan laughed from the doorway. "Does he eat Legos?"

I grimaced. "He eats pretty much anything. He's not as bad as he used to be, but there have been a few trips to the vet to make sure he didn't tear up his intestines."

Rafe giggled while we tidied up, Roan watching us with an expression of contentment on his face. I smiled at him, feeling that same warmth.

Once at the dinner table, Roan served up a feast for us. Grilled chicken breast, roasted potatoes and carrots, and a tossed salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing. There was even a bottle of red wine for the two of us.

"Wow, Roan, you've outdone yourself," I complimented him as he filled my glass. "You really can cook."

"The chef made the chicken. I just had to heat it up."

"Well, it still looks and smells good."

The meal was delicious. We talked about Rafe's game, school, and of course, the robot he was working on. It was a simple, perfect evening.

After dinner, Rafe went to bed, exhausted from the day's excitement. After Roan snuck out to grab my bag from the car and hide it up in his room, I helped him clean up the kitchen, feeling content and happy. I loved these quiet evenings. I wanted more of them.

"Alaina," Roan said after we'd finished the dishes, his tone serious. "Can we talk?"

I felt a pang of anxiety, wondering if he changed his mind. "Sure," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "What's on your mind?"

Roan smiled, reaching out to take my hand. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. I just think we need to talk about Rafe."