Chapter 9

9

ALAINA

I t was a crisp Saturday morning, but not too cold. I took Beau for a walk to my favorite park in Chicago. He trotted along beside me, his pace as leisurely as ever. I didn't push him. We had nowhere to be and could take all the time we wanted to. When we reached a sunny patch of grass, Beau flopped down, letting me know it was time for a break.

"This seems like a nice spot," I said with a laugh.

I pulled the small blanket from my bag and spread it out alongside him. Then I sat down with the new book I was anxious to read. It was an exciting mystery that I had bought two weeks ago but I hadn't had the time to actually dig into it.

But instead of reading, I closed my eyes for a minute, appreciating the warmth of the sun and the peaceful atmosphere. "I can see why you do this," I said to Beau. "This is really relaxing. Humans should take more naps in the grass under a warm sun."

Beau let out a contented sigh in response, his eyes fluttering closed. I chuckled and ruffled his fur before opening the book. Yet even as I began to lose myself in the intriguing world of suspense and secrets, my mind kept drifting back to the events of the past week.

The excitement from the parent-teacher meeting and the incident with Rafe's mashed finger still lingered. Rafe was such a sweet boy, quiet and observant. And there was Roan—cold and standoffish at first glance but undeniably caring beneath that gruff exterior. He was a puzzle that I found myself drawn to solve.

I was so curious about the wedding ring. He said he wasn't married—that had to make him a widower, right? Rafe never spoke about his mother. Maybe she died when he was young. That made me sad. It made me want to take care of Rafe even more. I understood what it was like not to have a mother.

The fall festival was coming up this week. The massive event would shut down a whole block downtown. Several charter schools, including ours, were participating. I was excited but also a bit nervous about how everything would come together. This was my first year being involved.

I could admit I was looking forward to getting to spend some time with Roan off the clock, so to speak. I really enjoyed getting to watch him with Rafe. It was endearing.

I was deep into my book when a soccer ball whizzed past my head, scaring the hell out of me. Someone shouted an apology, and before I could react, a shadow zoomed past me. Looking up, I saw Roan approaching, holding the soccer ball.

That can't be right. I'm seeing his face everywhere now.

I squinted at him, shielding my face from the sun. But no, it was him. He looked surprisingly casual in a T-shirt and jogging pants, his hair slightly ruffled, a stark contrast to the polished businessman I was used to seeing.

"Hey," he said, slightly out of breath. "Sorry about that. Rafe gets a little carried away. Did we hit you?"

"No." I shook my head. "Went right past me."

"Good."He almost smiled at me. "It's a surprise to see you here."

Before I could muster a response, Rafe sprinted into view, his face lighting up when he saw me. "Ms. C!" he exclaimed. "You have a dog!"

Beau, ever the attention seeker, wagged his tail as Rafe knelt down to pet him. The sight of Rafe so happy made me smile.

"This is Beau," I said. "He's a very old man."

"How old is he?" Rafe asked as he rubbed Beau's belly.

"Fifteen," I answered.

Roan and I exchanged a glance. We both knew what it meant for a dog to be fifteen. Everyone that asked about his age always gave me the same look. It was a cross between a grimace and pity.

"He's older than me," Rafe said.

I smiled. "Yes he is."

There was a bit of an awkward moment that Rafe seemed completely oblivious to. He talked to Beau, rubbing his belly and ears and giving him his full attention. This was outside the bounds of the usual parent-teacher dynamic.

I didn't know if Roan felt it, but I certainly did. There was something weird between us. Or maybe it was just me. I was attracted to him. I had no illusions he would be attracted to me, but it did feel like there was something. Or it was all in my head. I did love to read and tended to have a bit of a wild imagination.

"He's a sweet dog," Roan said, nodding at Beau.

"Thanks," I replied. "He's been with me for years. He loves attention, as you can see."

I nudged Beau gently with my foot, which earned me a half-hearted wag of his tail. He didn't seem to want to move from his spot on the grass, not when he was being lavished with such affection.

Roan chuckled. "Well, can't blame him for that," he said. Then he knelt next to Rafe and reached out a hand to ruffle Beau's fur. I watched, fascinated, as the stern expression on his face softened somewhat, making him look years younger and far more relaxed than I'd ever seen him.

He glanced my way. Our eyes met. For a moment neither of us spoke. The only sounds were Rafe's enthusiastic chatter and Beau's occasional contented grunt.

"What are you guys doing today?" I asked in an attempt to try and break up the silence.

"We were playing soccer," Rafe answered.

"Do you play soccer?" I asked him.

"Yes. Sometimes."

"That's fun," I said, trying to think of what else to say.

Rafe, still petting Beau, looked up eagerly. "Ms. C, do you want to go to lunch with us? Please?"

Roan and I exchanged another look. Was this appropriate? We both hesitated, but Rafe's enthusiasm was hard to resist. "Come on, Ms. C. Beau can come too! We can go to that one place with the other dogs!"

"I don't want to interfere with your day," I said, smiling. "I think you and your dad are spending the day together."

"We spend every day together," Roan said with a small laugh. "There's a cafe across the street. They allow dogs in the patio area."

"Alright," I said. "I would like that."

Roan stood up and reached down to help me up. I felt the sizzle the moment our hands connected. I stood up and dusted off my jeans. "Thank you."

I quickly folded up my blanket and stuffed it into my bag along with my book.

"Can I hold his leash?" Rafe asked.

"Sure. He walks pretty slow."

Rafe beamed and took Beau's leash. Roan and I walked side by side, both of us wondering if this was a good idea. It was a beautiful day, and despite my initial reservations, I was glad to be out enjoying it. Rafe was very attentive to Beau's needs. He was constantly asking if Beau needed to rest or if we were walking too fast.

"Do you have a dog?" I asked Roan quietly.

He shook his head. "No. Never thought about it. In New York, we lived in a penthouse. I didn't have the time for a dog, and I didn't think it was the nice thing to do."

"I know what you mean." I sighed. "Thankfully, Beau has had his fill of open pastures. He doesn't mind a daily walk but would prefer to lounge in his bed or stare out the window."

Roan chuckled softly. "Sounds like the good life," he commented.

We were quiet again for a while, just walking and occasionally casting glances at each other. The silence was comfortable, surprisingly so, given my prior anxieties about the situation.

The café was busy when we got there, but luckily, there was a free table in the pet-friendly patio area. The waitress brought us menus and a bowl of water for Beau, who sat daintily next to Rafe looking absolutely content.

While Roan and I were looking through the menu, Rafe turned to me excitedly. "Ms. C," he began, a spark in his eyes. "Dad says we can get a dog if I show him that I can take care of one."

I glanced at Roan, surprised. He shrugged with a hint of a smile on his face. "He's been asking for one for months. Now that we have the space and a small yard, it's not impossible. But I'm not sure I'm totally ready."

"It's a big responsibility," I told Rafe.

"I know."

Roan watched with a small smile. I couldn't help but notice how relaxed he looked in this setting. We quickly ordered our meals.

"So, tell me about Beau," Roan said, turning his attention to me.

I smiled, happy to talk about my old friend. "I got Beau from my parents when he was just a pup. He's been my companion ever since. He's getting old now, but he still has his moments of energy."

Roan nodded. "He seems like a good dog. Rafe really likes him."

"Yeah, Beau's great with kids. Always has been. I think it's because he's so gentle and patient, very nonthreatening.

Roan studied Beau for a moment before saying, "I think that's what we need. A dog that's good with kids, patient."

"Golden retrievers are amazing family dogs," I said. "A little hairy, but if you can get over wearing dog hair, it's not so bad. A dog could be a great companion for Rafe too. And it could teach him some responsibility."

He chuckled softly. "It sounds like we're getting a dog whether I'm ready or not, especially after this."

I giggled. "Sorry, I can't part with him. I've been trying to find an apartment in the downtown area, but there aren't a lot of places that want my dog in residence. The ones that do want an arm and a leg for rent. It's so expensive."

Roan nodded thoughtfully. "I live in the Golden Coast neighborhood. There are a few places for rent there."

I laughed, shaking my head. "How much money do you think I make, Roan? The Golden Coast is way out of my budget. I can't afford downtown. I couldn't even afford a closet in that neighborhood."

He smiled, a rare sight that made him look younger. "Fair enough. It's a nice area, though."

The conversation flowed easily, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was complicated between us. There was an obvious tension, an undercurrent that I couldn't quite place. Was it just the parent-teacher dynamic, or was there something more? Was I reading into this thing? He was just being nice. He was glad I was his son's teacher—that was it.

As we ate our lunch, Rafe chatted happily about his favorite parts of school and how excited he was for the fall festival. It was heartwarming to see him so animated. I could tell that Roan was pleased as well. He moved here to give his son a better life and it was working.

We finished our lunch, and it was time for us to part ways.

"Thanks for joining us, Alaina." Roan smiled.

"Thanks for the invite, Rafe, and thank you for lunch."

Rafe grinned, giving Beau one last pat. "You're welcome, Ms. C! Bye, Beau."

As Roan and Rafe walked away, I stood there for a moment, watching them. My heart felt lighter, but my mind was a whirl of confusion. What was it about Roan that kept pulling me in? He was just Rafe's dad, but there was something more to it.

"Let's go, Beau. I'm guessing you are ready for a long nap. Don't think I didn't see those fries Rafe was sneaking you. You have to go for a walk again tomorrow. If you get fat, you are not going to be able to move."

When we got home, I found Cate in the living room, working on her laptop. Beau quickly found his way to his bed and plopped down, immediately falling asleep. I wished I could do that.

"Hey," she said, looking up. "How was your walk with Beau? You were gone a long time."

I sat on the couch, letting out a sigh. "Eventful. I ran into Roan and Rafe."

Cate raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How did that go?"

"We ended up having lunch together," I admitted. "It was nice, but I don't know. There's something complicated about it."

Cate closed her laptop, giving me her full attention. "Complicated how?"

I shrugged, trying to find the right words. "I like talking to him. He's different outside of school, more relaxed. But there's this tension, like we're walking a fine line between personal and professional."

Cate nodded thoughtfully. "Maybe you're overthinking it. He's a parent, you're a teacher. It's natural to feel a bit awkward."

"Maybe," I said, but I wasn't convinced. "It's just, I can't stop thinking about him."

Cate smiled knowingly. "Sounds like someone's got a crush."

I groaned, burying my face in a pillow. "Don't say that. It's not like that."

"Sure, it's not," she teased. "But seriously, Alaina, it's okay to have feelings. Just be careful, and don't let it affect your work. And don't forget who he is. Roan is a man with a lot of power."

"I know, I know."