Fan the Flames (4 page)

She better get herself…

Bruno Mar’s voice interrupted her thoughts as her cell phone went off, jerking her back from her misplaced thoughts. She picked it up off her desk and pushed the Talk button, not caring at the moment who was on the other end, just happy for the distraction.

“Hello?” she answered.

“How long were you planning on keeping me waiting for your phone call? How does it feel to be back home? Please tell me you haven’t laid eyes on that asshole Timothy Wagner yet. You know that if you can’t give him a piece of your mind, I’ll be more than happy to give him a piece of my instead,” her best friend, Kelcie Justin, promised in her ear.

Ja’Nael couldn’t help but grin at the spunk in Kelcie’s voice. She had told her about the bullying a year after they had become friends at her old job. She could tell Kelcie anything without felling any kind of judgment from her.

“Kelcie, I’ve been so busy since I got here. I haven’t gotten a chance to do anything but sleep and come to work.”

“You still didn’t answer my question about that Wagner jerk. I know time hasn’t changed him; it never does with people like those guys.”

Sighing, she closed her classroom binder. She opened her top drawer and slid it inside as she started getting ready to leave for the night. “No, I haven’t run into him since I came back home,” Ja’Nael admitted. “But…”

“But, what?”

“I have his son in my class. He’s four years old.”

“You have to be kidding me. What woman would marry that asshole? I swear she must be out of her mind or extremely desperate for a man. Either way, I feel sorry for her and the kid.”

“Kelcie, stop,” she snapped. “Reid’s parents aren’t in the picture. He’s being raised by his uncle who I met today before class. He’s Timothy’s older brother.”

“What is wrong with that damn place? Is it just filled with people related to that guy? You never told me that creep had a brother.”

Looking at her desk, Ja’Nael grabbed her black leather attaché case from the side and stood up making her way out the door. She needed to make a trip to the pharmacy before heading home. She had to buy some Band-Aids for class tomorrow. She noticed there weren’t any inside of the classroom.

“Girl, I tried my best not to know anything about Timothy back then. However, I shoved it to the back of my mind that he had an older sibling. Actually, he wasn’t that bad to me.” She walked down the empty hallway, her high heels clicking against the tile, making it seem spookier than it actually was.

“Hmm.... Do I hear something in your voice? How does this Brody look?”

Sighing, Ja’Nael rolled her eyes as she turned the corner and headed for the front door of the school. Only Kelcie could jump from one subject to another like that and not find a thing wrong with it.

“He’s tall, maybe around six and a half feet, blond hair and blue eyes. He’s also a firefighter. He’s not… I mean, he’s nice enough, I guess,” she said, correcting her slip of tongue.

“Girl, don’t you even go there with me. I heard what you said. You should go after him. What better way to get back at your bully than to date his gorgeous brother? God, that would just be too good. Revenge
is
best served cold.”

She walked outside as the cool air hit her arms. She hadn’t planned to stay this late at work. Thank God she’d parked close enough to the front door this morning. She wouldn’t have to walk so far in the dark. Market, Colorado was a pretty safe place, but a woman could never be too careful.

“You are so bad. I’m not interested in Brody Wagner. Guys like him don’t look twice at women like me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know that I’m pretty, but not for him. He would probably rather date the smaller, feminine version of himself than a full-figured Nia Long look-a-like.”

“Well, forget about him. I told you that you should try that online dating website for teachers. I’ve been out with a few guys, and it wasn’t too bad. We met for coffee, and I even went out to dinner with one of them last week.”

Stopping at her car, Ja’Nael unlocked it with her key fob and slid behind the wheel, tossing her stuff in the passenger seat. She was listening to her best friend and wondering how she could be so careful by dating guys she met off the internet. She didn’t think she could do something like that so freely.

“Are you crazy?” she asked, slamming the car door closed. “I’m not going online looking for a man. Don’t you know that I’ll be the one to get the crazy one? No, I don’t think so, my friend.”

Her best friend sighed in her ear. “Come on, live a little. I found this dating website where all the guys are looking for beautiful, full-figured African American women. You should see some of the hunks on there. I didn’t even post a picture and I got ten winks or flirts. Think about it. You can at least look at the website. I’ll text you the information.”

Ja’Nael
knew
that Kelcie wouldn’t leave her alone until she told her what she wanted to hear. “Okay, stop lecturing me. Send me the link and I’ll look at it. I’m not making any promises, but I know you won’t leave me alone until I surf through the site.”

Kelcie snickered in her ear. “You’re right about that. I’m not going to let it go until you find a man. I mean, a good one who will stand by your side through thick and thin. Not like that loser…”

“Don’t say his name,” she warned in a low voice. “He doesn’t deserve it. Let him stay where he is.”

“You mean up his boss’ ass?”

“
Kelcie
!
”

“I’m telling you the truth and you know it. Now, you need to jump right back on the dating horse. Thank God you’d only been dating him for a few months. Listen, I have to go. I’m already late for dinner at my parents. You know how much they hate for me to walk in while everyone is already at the table eating.”

“Kelcie, you are in so much trouble because your mama doesn’t like anyone to be late on jerk chicken night. I mean, you almost got me in trouble with her.”

“I know,” her friend sighed, “but I apologized for the both of us, and she was good for the rest of the night. I think more is going on at this dinner, though. I heard from someone she might be trying to fix me up on a blind date.”

Ja’Nael laughed. If Kelcie hated one thing in the entire world, it was being fixed up on a date by her mama. Ms. Justin was one hell of a cook, but she wasn’t the best at fixing up people. Ja’Nael could vouch for that from first-hand experience.

“Look, I’m going to get off the phone because you aren’t going to use me as the excuse why you were late for dinner. Don’t forget to tell your mama that I said hi and send me the email for that stupid dating website.”

“Don’t sound so excited about doing something new, Ja’Nael. You never know. You might find
him
on there.”

“Goodbye Kelcie, and please, God, stay out of trouble,” she teased and then hung up the phone.

Shaking her head, Ja’Nael wondered what man would be able to handle her friend’s quirky personality. She didn’t doubt Kelcie would find her dream guy, but it probably wouldn’t be from a dating website.

She started her car and glanced over her shoulder before pulling out of the school parking lot. She still had to stop a few place before tossing the chicken and rice casserole into the oven at home. She wanted to work on some more school work before heading off to bed. Since teaching preschool children was a lot different than a room full of teenagers, she hoped she would be able to do this transition well enough to leave her former job buried in the past for good.

Chapter Seven

“Uncle Brody, I don’t want any vitamin drinks,” Reid whined behind him as they walked down the pharmacy aisle.

They were on their way to get pizza for dinner when Brody realized that he gave Reid his last vitamin shake this morning before taking him off to preschool. So, they made a quick stop here to get more, but his nephew was having a fit about it.

“Reid, you like your vitamin drink, so why are you complaining about it now? You know that you’re suppose to drink a half one in the morning. So what’s the deal?”

“Vitamins are for babies, and I’m not a baby anymore. I want to go and get pizza!”

His nephew’s scream echoed through the entire building, and several heads turned in their direction, making Brody stop in his tracks. Something was going on tonight, and he couldn’t put his finger on it. The only thing different about today was that Reid went to preschool. So maybe something happened there with Ja’Nael or in the classroom and Reid just wasn’t telling him.

Stopping by a display of school supplies, he bent down until he was eye level with Reid. “Okay, buddy, tell me what is going on with you. We both know that you never act like this when you’re out with me. Did something happen at preschool you didn’t tell me about? You know that you can tell me anything in the world, right?”

Dropping his head, Reid shook his head.

He placed his finger underneath Reid’s chin, forcing him to look up and into his eyes. “I told you to always to be honest with me, and you aren’t doing it right now. Tell me what has you so upset.”

“Mason told me that his daddy was going to take him camping for his birthday. Why doesn’t my daddy want to be with me? Did I do something wrong? Is that why he doesn’t like me, Uncle Brody?”

The hurt in his nephew’s tiny voice cut through his heart. Damn it! If his brother was here right now he wouldn’t have a problem choking the living life out of his selfish ass. Why couldn’t he see what a terrible mistake he was making with his choices? Reid was a terrific kid. It was past time Timothy stepped up, but he couldn’t deal with thoughts about his selfish brother at the moment.

Brody placed his hands on Reid’s shoulders and looked him directly in the eyes. He wanted to make sure that he understood every word coming out of his mouth. “Reid, you didn’t do
anything
wrong to make your daddy go away. He’s just decided to take some time for himself. So he left you with me because he knew I’d always take good care of you and love you. I think we have a lot of fun together, don’t you?” he asked then smiled.

Nodding, Reid returned his smile. “Yes, Uncle Brody. We have a lot of fun together. I like when you take me to the petting zoo and to the park by our house. I don’t need a daddy because I have you.”

He fought back tears at the sound of love in Reid’s voice. Brody didn’t know how he got so lucky to get Reid in his life, but he wouldn’t trade him for anything in the world.

“I love you too, buddy,” he said. “How about we get those vitamins drinks for you and then we head to the restaurant?”

His nephew nodded his head, causing his dark hair to fly all over the place. It was past time Reid got a haircut. He would see about doing it next week if he didn’t have to work.

“Okay.”

Standing back up, Brody grabbed Reid’s hand and headed down the aisle then turned the corner, stopping when he spotted Ja’Nael standing a few feet in front of them, looking at a Band-Aid display.

At his will, his gaze raked over her perfectly curvy body, hating how much he was attracted to her even when she still acted as though he wasn’t even in the same universe as her. He wasn’t used to being ignored by a woman, and she was damn good at knocking down his self-confidence, which was something hard to do. He was debating how to approach her when Reid let go of his hand and raced up to her, taking his decision out of his hands.

“Ms. Haughton, what are you doing here? Do you need to get vitamins too?”

Brody smiled as Ja’Nael’s surprised gaze shot down to his nephew and then over to him. This might be the opportunity he was looking for. He would make sure to read Reid and extra book tonight. The boy had just given him another chance to flirt with the gorgeous teacher.

“Ms. Haughton, are you going to answer Reid’s question?” he asked, stopping a few feet in front of her luscious body, “Or does the cat have your tongue? Maybe there’s another reason you’re speechless.”

A soft pair of brown eyes held his as Reid tugged at his hand. He reluctantly looked away from Ja’Nael and down at him. “Yes, what is it?”

“Does a cat really have her tongue?” he asked. “How did it get it?”

“No, sweetie, a cat doesn’t have my tongue,” Ja’Nael answered before he could get a word out. “Your uncle was just being silly. I’m here to buy some supplies for class, not vitamins. However, they are very good for a growing boy like you.”

“Will they make me big like my Uncle Brody? I want to be tall like him.”

Ja’Nael’s gaze darted over to him and slowly made their way down his body. He could barely control how much the lingering look turned him on. It was all he could do not to yank her into his arms and kiss her full, pouty lips. He blew out a deep breath and slid his hands into the back pockets of his jeans.

“Sweetie, I think to get big and tall like your uncle you might have to also eat a lot of vegetables.”

He chuckled, watching as Reid wrinkled his nose. “We usually have problems with him eating vegetables. Reid says they aren’t very good.”

“Really,” Ja’Nael said, arching an eyebrow. “I love vegetables, especially broccoli and cauliflower. They are absolutely my favorite, and green beans are right behind them on my list.”

“I don’t like any of them,” Reid complained, looking back and forth between Brody and Ja’Nael.

“My nephew wouldn’t taste a vegetable for anything in the world, not even for a piece of chocolate cake afterwards as dessert.”

“Maybe you should try another way to incorporate it into his meals, like in a casserole or grilled in the oven with some olive oil. There are a variety of ways to make him love them.”

Brody opened his mouth, ready to suggest Ja’Nael fixed them one of her favorite meals for them, but he got cut off by the sound of her cell phone. He waited while she checked her caller ID.

“I’m sorry, but I need to take this,” she said, looking at him then over to Reid. “I’ll see you at preschool tomorrow.”

Turning on her heel, she walked away from them, and Brody watched the sway of her full hips until she disappeared around the corner.

“I like Ms. Haughton. She’s so pretty and nice. I can’t wait until I see her tomorrow at preschool.”

“I’ll tell you a secret. I like your teacher too,” he admitted. “Are you ready to go? I think there is a sausage pizza calling our names.”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

Grabbing Reid’s hand, Brody took him back toward the PediaSure aisle, but his mind wasn’t on the drink. All he could think about was a way to get closer to Ja’Nael without coming off too strong or overbearing. He was confident he would get what he wanted. He wasn’t quick to admit failure in life, and he trusted that Lady Luck would bring him a lot of surprises in the future concerning Reid’s sexy teacher.

An ex-girlfriend once told him that he was born under one of the luckiest signs on the calendar, but he wasn’t a guy to believe in the stars. When he saw an opportunity right in front of him, he didn’t have a problem grabbing it by both hands.