Hot For Teacher (54 page)

I’m pacing the floor. Layton. It will be all over that he saw Josh and me, I know it. He said he wouldn’t say anything, but he is notorious for blabbing even without meaning to. I’ve been home for a couple of hours, not knowing what to do with myself. I had tonight off, but I called Randy and told him I wanted to work. I need something to do to occupy my time. A knock sounds on my front door and startles me. What now? I walk quickly and open the door. A young man stands there holding a vase of beautiful roses, various colors, and a box with a ribbon tied around it.

“Emma Danielson?” I nod and he practically shoves the vase into my arms and hands me the box. “Have a good day.” He leaves before I can turn around to get my purse, so I could tip him. I slowly close the door and hold the flowers up to my nose, breathing in the luscious aroma.

I take the vase and set it down on the breakfast bar and spot a small card attached. I set the box down and take the card, open it and tears instantly form in my eyes.

Emma,

Please don’t be upset. I had more than a wonderful time and miss you already. I wish I would have told you then, but I love you.

Yours always,

Josh

Damn him! He got me with a card. I set the card down on the counter when a muffled ringing sound comes from the box. What the hell? I quickly untie the ribbon and open the lid. The ringing becomes louder as I fumble through tissue paper. I cover my mouth with a gasp when I see a box, nestled in the paper, with a cellphone inside, and it begins ringing again. Slowly, I pick it up and laugh when I swipe the front and see a picture of Josh then put it up to my ear.

“This is too much, Josh.” I hear his laughter on the other end and I sigh. God, I miss him.

He stops and sighs. “It’s not enough. I miss you. Can I see you again tonight? Please?” Damn! I wish I hadn’t called in to work.

“I have to work tonight. I’m sorry.” It’s quiet but I can hear his breathing and can imagine him on the other end. “Josh, look. The flowers are lovely, our night last night…. It was beyond amazing but….” What do I say? I’m so confused. I don’t want to be selfish but I also don’t want him to lose his job. “Maybe we should take a step back.”

“Em….”

“I don’t want you to lose your job over me, Josh. It’s not fair. I can’t do that to you. I won’t. I’m scared, confused. I also know that you mean more to me than anything. Can’t you understand?” Tears are flowing down my face now. My insides are knotting with the thought that I wouldn’t see him again, hold him in my arms, or kiss those full lips.

“Emma. I…. Nothing means anything to me without you. Don’t you understand? I will respect your wishes but know that I’m always here for you. Always. I wish you wouldn’t do this. A job is just a job but you, you’re…. you’re everything. Don’t you know that?” I can hear the quaking in his voice and feel worse than I already do.

“Please, don’t make this harder than it already is. Bye, Josh.” I end the call and lay the phone on the counter, cover my face with my hands and sob. I feel like my life is over, but I know even though this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, I did the right thing.

My head is killing me by the time I get to the bar. I feel numb, in a fog. “Girl, you look worse than I’ve ever seen you and that’s saying a lot. Are you okay, honey?” Tina comes behind the bar, putting her hand on my shoulder.

“No. But I will be. It just may take me the rest of my life.”

“Oh, honey.” I turn, and she hugs me. I lay my head on her shoulder and try to keep the tears away. It doesn’t help. “You know I’m always here for you. You can tell me anything and you know I won’t say a word.” I nod against her shoulder and sniff then pull back and try to smile.

We are slammed all night, and I feel like I could pass out by the time we are cleaning up. A storm has been raging outside all night. Talk of flooding has been spreading, the thunder so loud at times you could hear it over the music. “You gonna be okay getting home, Em?” Randy calls over as I finish wiping down the counter. I look up and smile, nodding.

When I walk out the backdoor, the rain pelts me, hard. I can barely see my car. By the time I reach it, I’m drenched. I get in, the door squeaking in protest as I shut it. I start it and it sputters, shakes and dies. “Great!” I try again and it finally starts. I buckle my seatbelt and hear my phone ring in my purse. Josh. He’s the only one that has my number, of course. I fumble finding it and finally get it to my ear.

“Emma. It’s horrible outside. Let me come get you. Please?” He sounds out of breath and sad.

“I’m fine, Josh. I can get home but thank you.”

“You’re so stubborn. Let me help you. Let me at least do that much.” Now he sounds frustrated, and I feel bad.

“Look. It’s just rain. I’ll call you when I get home, okay?” I end the call, dropping the phone back in my purse and look over my shoulder as I pull out of the parking space. I turn and drive out of the lot, stopping to look both ways. On the way home all I can think about is him, squinting as the wipers brush the heavy amount of rain across the windshield. Why can’t things be different? Why can’t things ever go right for me? I finally find the perfect man, one that loves me and wants to be with me and that can’t even go right. I just want a happy life. Is that so much to ask for? Hope for? I take a deep breath, my heart racing from the invisibility and the water that’s standing on the road as I drive slowly through it.

I’m now a few blocks from my apartment and start to breathe a little easier. I can’t wait to take a shower, get warm in my sweats and get in my bed. There’s a ton of water standing on the road as I turn onto the street before mine and I look around seeing there’s no way around it. Shit. I press on the accelerator hoping I can give it enough gas to get through it but as I start to plow through my car stalls. “Great!” I whisper as I hit the steering wheel. I try to start the car several times. Nothing. I look down and dig for my phone again. Maybe Randy can come get me outta this. He doesn’t live that far.

I smile when I find it and hold it up. The phone goes flying and my eyes widen in confusion when my car starts turning. My body is jolted as I look around. My head is snapped back against the head rest, I gasp when I’m bolted against the door. Darkness.

“Miss. Can you hear me?”

“Josh.”

“We’re going to lift you. Don’t move. Can you hear me?”

“Mom.”

“Okay, guys. Be careful. Can you get her things in there?”

The voices fade.

“What?” My head is killing me. I can’t move my arm. What happened? I want Mom. Josh. I don’t want to be alone. My eyes open then close quickly, feeling swollen, my head hurts, my leg. Rain. The car won’t start. Where am I? The sounds of machines float around me. I feel a hand on my arm and try to turn my head but a groan comes out of my mouth instead.

“Don’t move, sweetie. Just be still,” a woman’s voice speaks so I don’t move.

“Mom,” my voice croaks, hoarse and dry.

“She’s on her way, Em. Please stay still.” Josh. Is that Josh? It sounds like him. But how? “I know you’re confused. I’ll explain but right now, stay still. Here’s some water. Open.” I open my mouth, pull from a straw and cool water invades my mouth. God, that tastes so good. I start to cough, choke. My head wants to burst open. “Take it slow.” The straw is gone.

“Josh,” I breathe.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. I’ve got you.” I feel his hand squeeze mine, and I relax a bit. “God, I was so scared when I got a call. I’m so glad you’re okay.”

My eyes finally open and I see the worry marring his gorgeous face. “What happened? Rain. My car got stuck. I can’t remember after that.”

He reaches his other hand up to my head, smoothing some hair from my face, gently. “You have a pretty bad concussion. It’s no wonder you can’t remember. You also have a broken leg and your arm is pretty banged up. I guess you were thrown into the door and your head hit the window. Your seatbelt saved your life, Emma. Thank God. I…. I don’t know what I’d do….” Tears begin to flow down his face. I remove my hand from his and reach over, cupping the side of his face. His eyes close making the tears expel from his eyes harder.

“Shhhh. It will all be okay now that you’re here.” His eyes open. They’re red from crying and probably lack of sleep. I wonder if he’s been here the whole time. “How did you know?”

“The hospital found your phone and called me. God, Em. It was the worst call of my life. They couldn’t tell me anything except you’d been in a car wreck. I didn’t know if you were alive or de…. I got here as fast as I could.” He takes my hand from his face and kisses it. Warmth envelopes me. “Please, don’t ever leave me again. I love you so much.” Tears form quickly in my eyes. How did I think I could ever live without him? Why would I even want to?

“Never again, Josh. Never again.” He kisses my hand some more and then leans over kissing my lips, gently.

“Don’t you know I don’t care what happens to me? A job. It’s just a job. I can get another. I can do anything as long as I have you,” he whispers. My heart is full, overpowering my headache, my injuries. How could I ever think to leave this man? This beautiful man. My eyes grow so heavy, and I start to blink slowly. “Go to sleep, my love. I’ll be here when you awaken. I will never leave you.” I think I nod, but I’m not sure. My eyes close. So heavy.

§    §    §    §

I sit here watching her sleep. Her face is bruised, her eyes so swollen. A bandage is around her head. Her left leg is casted up to her knee, and her other leg bandaged where glass was embedded in her skin. I could have lost her. When the hospital called, I had barely fallen asleep. I’ve had such a hard time ever since I’d talked to her when she ended things with me. My heart was broken in two, shattered. I had thought I’ll give her some space, some time, hoping she’d know in her heart that we belong together. I was supposed to go over to Duke’s that night, practice for our gig next weekend, but I just couldn’t do it. I started feeling depressed, my heart heavy, so I got out my guitar and spent the entire night writing a new song. For her.

The door opens and I turn my head. A woman walks in and I know in an instant it’s her mom. She looks just like her. “Oh, my God. Emma,” she whispers. I refuse to let go of Emma’s hand so I stand and introduce myself.

“Mrs. Danielson. I’m Josh Tyler. She’s okay, pretty banged up though. I’m sorry to have to meet you in these circumstances.” I reach out with my other hand and she smiles as she shakes it. I grab the other chair and bring it up close beside Emma’s bed. I sit back down on mine as her mom sits down on her chair.

She places her hand on Emma’s leg and I see the tears in her eyes. “I got here as fast as I could. Thank you for calling me, Josh. I’m glad Emma has such a great friend.”

I look at her and smile. “I’m not just her friend, Mrs. Danielson. I love her.” I couldn’t stop the words from leaving me. I want everyone to know. I look back at Emma and she sighs in her sleep. I squeeze her hand and see a faint smile on her lips. “She’s everything to me.”

I hear her mom sigh and look over. “I feel horrible. We haven’t talked much lately. I work two jobs and I feel like I don’t even have time for her with her living here. She needs to come home with me. I….” Her tears begin to fall more readily and I place a hand on her shoulder. “If something were to have happened I would have never forgiven myself.”

“Mom.”

Both our heads turn when we hear her voice. Her mom jumps out of her seat and runs around to the other side of her bed, leaning down and kissing Emma’s forehead. “Shhh, baby. I’m here now. Everything’s going to be okay. I’m here.”

Emma eyes open and she smiles. “I’m glad. I’ve missed you.” She yawns but continues to look at her mom. “Anything could happen no matter where I am, Mom. I’m staying here.” She turns her head slightly and smiles at me. “I need to be with Josh too.” I squeeze her hand as she turns back to her mom. “I love you, Mom.” Her mom bends down closing her eyes as she kisses her forehead again.

“I love you too, baby.”

I stand feeling like I need to give them some time alone but Emma moves her head my way, the look on her face and her eyes widening make me stop. “Don’t leave me,” her voice shaky.

“I’m not, sweetheart. I thought maybe you’d like some private time with your mom. I’ll just be right outside that door, okay?” She swallows hard but seems to relax. “I’ll never go far.” I bend over her kissing her cheek and squeeze her hand again then I walk out of the room. I lean against the wall right outside and cross my arms over my chest. I’ll never ever go far again.

I stand there for a while but after the night we’ve had, I’m about ready to collapse. I sit down in a chair that is a few feet away and bend over with my knees on my legs, my face in my hands. I start crying. I could have lost her.

When I’m not sure I have any tears left, I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Josh. I’m gonna head to her apartment and get it cleaned up and ready for her to come home. I’ll be back later.” Her mom smiles and I wipe away the wetness from my face and stand. “I know I don’t know you but from what I just witnessed I can tell you’re a good man and you love my daughter. Thank you for that.”

A smile lifts from my mouth. “That obvious, huh, Mrs. Danielson?”

She smiles back so lovingly. “Lila, please. Maybe not to everyone but to a mother who loves her daughter, yes.” She pats my cheek and then walks down the hall.