Bad Girlfriend (First & Last #4) (19 page)

Angela glanced my way, but the narrowing of her eyes was the only acknowledgment she gave me.  When she walked past me with the other woman into the student lounge off the reception area, I flipped her off.  She didn’t see me, but it made me feel better. 
Until I saw Louise giving me the evil eye.

Shrinking down in my seat a little, I rolled my eyes.  Here I was sitting outside the principal’s office and feeling like I’d been sent here because I was in trouble.

Angela’s loud cackly laugh drifted out of the lounge.  Because of the open door, I had no trouble hearing what she was saying.

“It’s one thing to sow your oats in private, but to let her come to the
school…and dressed like that?” Angela said, and I heard the other woman agree.

What’s wrong with the way I was dressed.  Sure I wasn’t wearing a cardigan set and a string of pearls, but there was nothing wrong with my high heeled boots, skinny jeans and v neck sweater.  Was there?

The two women walked out of the lounge, and Angela’s eyes glowed with pure venom.  She didn’t even know me, but she sure knew how to hit me where it hurt.

Louise cleared her throat and snapped, “Some people are trying to work here.  Please keep your private conversations in private.”

The teacher hurried out the door, and even Angela looked dutifully scolded as she followed.  For some reason I was no longer feeling like surprising Adam was a good idea.  I took the picnic basket over and set it on Louise’s desk.

“Can you let Mr.
Branigan know I dropped this off for him?”

Louise’s sharp
eyes glanced from the basket to me.  “I think he would prefer if you waited for him.”

“No, I have to go.  Thank you.”

When I was back in my car, I cursed myself for being such a coward.  Adam was my boyfriend, but Angela made me feel like I was the other woman.  Again.

Checking the time, I thought that Poppy would probably be home from her morning classes by now.  Taking a chance that she wasn’t working today, I stopped by her house on my way home.

Her car was parked on the street, and she answered on the first knock.

“Hi, Brooke!
  Come on in.”

“Hi.  I won’t stay long.  I just needed help with something.”

There were textbooks spread out over the coffee table.

“Stay as long as you want.  I could use a break from studying.  What’s up?”

I flopped down onto the couch and unzipped my boots.

“Tonight is my sixth date with Adam, and I want it to be perfect.”

“Ooooh.  The sixth date, huh?”  She obviously remembered the rules and what that meant.

“Well, if you want to look sexy, you came to the wrong place.  You should wade through Lindsay’s closet. 
Or your own.”

I twisted a lock of hair around my fingers.  “That’s the thing.  I want to look less sexy.  I want to look like a girl he could take home to meet his mother.”

Poppy looked confused.  “Are you going to meet his mother tonight or are you going to have hot screaming sex?”

I rolled my eyes.  “I want to look more like a girlfriend and less like a one night stand.”

“Well, if you want boring and plain, then I’m your girl.”

Poppy was anything but boring and plain.  Ford would have set her straight if he heard her talking like that.  But her clothes were a bit on the blah side. 
Exactly what I was looking for.

We spent over an hour going through Poppy’s closet.  After trying on almost everything, I borrowed a pair of jeans that fit well but weren’t tight and a cardigan set.  I had never seen Poppy wear it, and she said it was a gift from her mom.  Her wardrobe consisted mainly of jeans and t-shirts or leggings and sweatshirts.  As a college student who taught yoga, she didn’t have much reason for dressing up.

With my conservative outfit in hand, I headed home to take a nap and then get ready for my date.  That was my plan anyway.

However, there was an unfamiliar car parked in my driveway when I got home.  Gram was gone for the weekend, so it wasn’t someone visiting her.  Adam was at work, so it wasn’t someone to see him.  That left only one possibility.

My stomach sank at the prospect of who it could be.  As I parked and walked around to the front of the house, sure enough, there was my mother sitting on the front porch smoking a cigarette.

Being only sixteen years older than me, she wasn’t even forty yet.  I must have gotten my good genes from her, because she still looked good even after years of drinking, drugs and hard partying.  Her hair was the same vibrant shade of red, and her body was still rocking.  My green eyes must be the only thing I got from my father, because hers were blue.

“Thank God you’re home.  I thought I was going to freeze to death sitting out here,” she said dramatically.

It was probably in the fifties. 
A little cold for the end of September, but nowhere near freezing.  But she had been living in California for years, so she wasn’t used to the New York weather anymore.

“You’re early, Naomi.  You’re not supposed to be here until next week.”

“Yeah, well, my job finished up early.”

I interpreted that as she got fired before she could quit.  I unlocked the front door and Naomi slung a duffle bag over her shoulder and followed me inside.
  Looking around, she whistled.

“The place looks good.  I can’t believe Mom finally remodeled and brought the house out of the 1900s.”

The remodeling had taken place four years earlier, and Naomi had been here once since then.  She was probably too high during her last visit to remember anything.

“Gram’s out of town until Monday, and I have plans tonight.  So you’re going to have to entertain yourself,” I said as I started walking up the stairs to my room.

Looking over my shoulder I saw she looked slightly disappointed.  I briefly regretted that I wouldn’t be able to watch her tonight and keep her out of trouble.  But my date with Adam was too important.

I also realized we wouldn’t be able to cook here now.  Even if Naomi found something to do out of the house, I wasn’t going to risk her randomly walking in on us.
  In my room I set Poppy’s clothes on the bed and pulled my phone out of my purse.  I saw there was a text from Adam waiting on me.

Adam:  Thanks for lunch.  I wish I could have seen you.

Me:  You’re welcome.  I had stuff to do.

Adam:  Looking forward to tonight.

Me:  Me too.  But we need to do it at your house.

Adam:  We can do it wherever you want.

I smacked my hand on my forehead.  I hadn’t meant it like that.

Me:  The cooking.  We have to cook dinner at your place.

Adam:  Cooking?  Is that what you kids are calling it now?

I rolled my eyes at my phone.

Me:  My mom showed up early.

Adam:  Oh.  Are you okay?

Me:  Yes.  Can’t wait to see you.

Adam:  Four hours.

I smiled knowing he was counting down the hours until our six o’clock date.

My mom stepped into my room and I immediately regretted not shutting my door.

“Do you want to go out and get some lunch?” she asked.

“I already ate,” I lied.  I had been planning to eat with Adam, but that didn’t work out.  But spending the afternoon
with Naomi was not appealing, and I would probably have to pay for her.

“Oh.  Okay.  I’ll just go unpack and see you later,” she said.

“Okay.”  I kicked the door shut behind her and locked it to prevent anymore unwanted visits.  It didn’t take me long to fall asleep when I lay down.

Thank God I had set my alarm for 5:00, because I was still in a dead sleep when it went off.  My first instinct was to hit snooze, and then I remembered why I had to get up. 
My date with Adam.  And I only had one hour to get ready.

I jumped into the shower and dried my hair in record time.  Instead of my usual sexy waves, I straightened my hair and slipped on a head band.  After putting on Poppy’s clothes, I studied my reflection in the mirror that hung on the back of my door.

Scrunching up my nose, I thought I looked like a Sunday school teacher.  But that’s what I was going for, I reminded myself.  If things progressed with Adam, I hoped to someday meet his parents.  The girl in the mirror was the type of girl parents would like.

Naomi was sprawled on the couch with a beer in her hand when I walked through on my way to the kitchen.

“I have a date, so I don’t know when or if I’ll be back.”

She looked me up and down.  “You look…nice.”

“Thanks.”

And with that I left.  Adam’s car wasn’t in the driveway yet, so I sat on the back porch.  It was better than sitting inside and making inane small talk with my so called mother.

Chapter Twenty

Adam

Being a Friday, most of the teachers high-tailed it out of here right after the dismissal bell rang at 3:45 pm.  I was itching to run for the doors too, but I stayed until 5:00 pm like I always did.  It wouldn’t set a good precedent to start leaving early too.  But the second that minute hand ticked to the twelve, I was locking my door and bidding a good weekend to Louise.

Mrs. Larkin was supposed to have dropped off some proposals for new PTO events today, but she hadn’t shown yet.  She could leave them with Louise or put them in my box if she showed up
after I left.  But no way in hell was I waiting around any longer.

In my hands I carried my briefcase as well as the picnic basket that Lindsay had brought me for lunch.  It was a pleasant surprise when I returned to my office over the lunch hour, but I felt a surge of disappointment that I had missed seeing her.  We hadn’t had much time together over the past couple of weeks, and I was missing her.  Not to mention the fact that this was our sixth date didn’t escape me.  Not for a second.

When I pulled into the grocery store, I had to scrap my original plans for dinner.  My kitchenette could not support the meal I wanted to make.  I grabbed a basket and walked aimlessly through the aisles waiting for inspiration to strike.  My cooking skills were limited, so it wasn’t like I had a huge repertoire of recipes to pull from.

I was weighing the possibility of serving her pizza - again - when I heard a familiar voice.

“Adam.”

Thankfully I was facing the other way so Angela couldn’t see the expression that crossed my face.  Or maybe she should.  Clearly she wasn’t getting the hint.  Just today she had popped by the school to have lunch with one of the teachers who was suddenly her new best friend.  Angela had informed
me before she left that she was only in town for a few more days.  Thank God.  But she would be returning in October to interview for an assistant professor position at the local college.  Fuck.

“Hi, Angela.
  Long time no see.”  I couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

She ignored my tone and eyed my empty basket.  “Looking for dinner?  We could go out and grab a bite.”

“Actually I’m cooking for Brooke tonight.”

“Oh?  That’s nice.”

I started to back away, but of course she reached out her claws and latched onto my arm.

“I’d really like to see you when I come back next month, Adam.”

“Uh…I think you’ve seen enough of me this visit to last you for a while.”

“I mean I would like us to try again.  By then you should have gotten Brooke…out of your system.”

Out of my system?  Anger flared up, and I could no longer bite my tongue.

“Listen, Angela.  I’m sorry if I gave you the impression that there was any chance of us getting back together. 
Because there’s not.  I’m with Brooke now.”

Angela gave an impatient wave, but I stopped her from replying.

“I really like her.  In fact, I might even love her.”

Angela’s eyebrows shot up, and I cursed myself for allowing Angela to be the first person I expressed my possible love for Brooke to.  How fucked up was that?

“Even if Brooke wasn’t in the picture, there’s nothing left between us, Angela.  At least not for me.  If you take the job here and our paths cross professionally for any reason, that’s fine.  But that’s all you’re ever going to get from me.  I’m Brooke’s now.  For as long as she’ll have me.”

I spun on my heels and strode out of the aisle, not allowing Angela to say another word.  If she continued to pursue me after that, then I might have to consider a restraining order.  Because I felt like I had made myself clear. 
Crystal fucking clear.

Dropping my empty basket back by the door, I left the grocery store and drove toward Main Street.  It was going to have to be take
-out tonight.  There was no way I was going back in that store as long as Angela was still there, and it was creeping toward six o’clock.