Page 31 of Blind Date
They all sat there and stared at me with their little teenage faces, smirks crossing each of their lips. I lost them, and I knew it. And the only way to get them back was to be straightforward.
“Fine. Gina, go into the teacher’s lounge and get me a cup of coffee.” I walked over to my desk, grabbed my mug, and handed it to her.
“But I’ll get in trouble. What if Mr. Pipps is in there?”
“He’s in the middle of class. Nobody will be in there. And if someone is, you tell them that I sent you. Here’s a hall pass.”
I leaned against my desk with my arms folded, waiting for Gina to return with my morning fuel.
“I think it’s great, Sam.” Delilah smiled.
“Thank you, Delilah. It was for the school. We raised enough money to keep the programs running for the next two years.”
Gina walked back into the room and handed me my coffee.
“Thank you. Was anyone in there?”
“No. Thank God.” She returned to her seat.
“I see you all want to make my date with the billionaire educational. So, let’s make it educational before we move on to something else. We’re going to put Mr. Castile to work.” I grinned and walked up to the board. I wrote asingle word in all caps: ARECHTYPE. “Somebody tell me which man from literature you think he is, and I want you to defend it. This is now an assignment.” I looked at Devon. “Devon, it will be graded as extra credit, so wipe the joy this is bringing you off your face.”
“He’s totally Gatsby,” Devon said. “He’s rich, throws money around, mysterious, and probably a very sad man inside, considering what I’ve seen and read.”
“What do you mean by what you’ve seen and read?” I tipped the mug to my lips.
“Gee, Sam. Don’t you use Google?” he asked. “Have you not Googled the guy?”
“No, I haven’t. Why would I?”
“Well, I did. Not too long ago, he was photographed on Broadway and 42nd breaking up with some chick. The headline read: Cold As Castile: Playboy Billionaire Weston Castile and Supermodel Claudia Williams Explode. Apparently, she threw a Cartier bracelet at him, which he bought her.”
“Okay. We don’t know what their relationship was like. Maybe she had a good reason to throw her Cartier bracelet at him. I don’t know, nor do I care. Mr. Castile and I went on one date for the school and to save the programs here. He is not my boyfriend, and I will not be seeing him again.”
“Sam,” Lauren raised her hand. “His company is the one that is evicting Mr. Avila and forcing him to shut down his bakery. I overheard my parents talking about it over the weekend.”
“Yep. He sure is as cold as ice.” Devon smiled, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair.
Mr. Avila. Shit. I forgot about that.
“Okay. You’re all getting extra credit. Let’s move on now. We’re going to discuss your essays.”
I was gatheringmy things to leave when Zoey stepped into the classroom.
“Hey, honey. I was just going to text you.”
“I’m going shopping with Maya for a while since there’s no soccer practice today. She needs to get a dress for a party this weekend.”
“Okay. Make sure to be home by seven. I have to run.”
“Why? Where are you going?” Her brows furrowed.
“I just have a couple of errands to run. Love you, Zoey bear.” I smiled, leaving the classroom.
“Don’t call me that!”
I prayed Weston was at the office after giving the cab driver his building address. Stepping into the large glass tower on 767 Fifth Avenue, I took the elevator up to the 52ndfloor.
“May I help you?” A young blonde woman behind a large, curved mahogany desk asked.
