“Joss Churchill, what are you doing?” A low chuckle follows the deep voice.
“Eep!” I bang my head on the bottom of the desk I was crawling under. Awesome. So very awesome. I slowly back out of my cave.
Naturally, my hot, nerdy crush shows up now. Not like he hasn’t seen me a mess before. Together with two other teachers, we coach the high school’s cross country team in the fall. His high school, my elementary school, and the middle school share a 125-acre campus. We’ve spent countless hours and miles together, so it’s the norm for him to see me not looking my best.
A nervous chuckle escapes. “Hey Gavin. I’m looking for Percy.” I stand, dust off my hands, and try to discreetly smooth my hair. “He somehow got out of his cage.”
Gavin’s brows lift. “Percy, your class guinea pig?”
“Yep.” I shake my head, embarrassed. “In the scuffle of getting my kids ready for the Christmas break, he somehow got out. And by ‘somehow,’ I mean I think some mischievous kiddo let him out.”
His lips twitch with amusement. “Kindergarten boys are known for such pranks. That’s why I like teaching high schoolers. Though teen boys can be just as bad. Remember the time my computer science students glued my chair to the top of my desk?” His hazel eyes twinkle.
“That story’s a classic.” I join his easy laughter. “What brings you to our little corner of campus? I would think you’d be busy finalizing grades before the break.”
“I thought we coaches could take one last campus trail run together now that the season’s over. Maybe grab a bite to eat after? First, let me help you look for Percy.” With no concern for his khakis or chukka boots, he drops to his knees and starts poking around desk clusters and bookshelves.
“Thanks, Gav.” I follow suit and resume my crouching search. “Yeah, that sounds great. You know I always have a bag of gear in my car. What time? I need to get Percy home, but if you’re thinking as soon as we wrap up, I could leave him here and pick him up afterward. Assuming we find him, of course.” I cluck my tongue, trying to coax the rogue rodent from his hiding spot.
“I’m flexible, but earlier is probably best so we have the daylight. I haven’t asked the other coaches yet. Thought I’d walk down here and ask you first. I can ask Dave and Kim when I get back to the high school.” He stands and pulls a bookshelf away from a wall to peer behind it. “Don’t you send the class pet home with a student over breaks?”
My face heats. “Yeah, that used to be the way it worked. A sweet girl took Percy home over Thanksgiving break but…” I flounder with how to delicately relay the violent story. “Let’s just say she had him out of his cage playing and he mistook her stuffed guinea pig for a rival. Next thing I know, I’m buying the poor traumatized girl a new Nibbles Beanie Boo. Percy no longer gets student home visit privileges.”
Gavin stops pushing the bookshelf back into place and doubles over with laughter. “Seriously? Percy, a killer? That’s epic.” He attempts to control his guffaws. “I mean, poor student—and parents—but that’s hilarious.” He pulls off his glasses and wipes his eyes.
Gah, he is so adorkable. And he has no clue. His thick, slightly unruly dark hair and dreamy hazel eyes that even his wayfarers can’t hide make me weak in the knees. I often sense a spark between us, but he’s never made a move so maybe it’s one-sided. I vow to stay content to just remain friends.
“Yeah, it was awkward, to say the least.” I feel my own laughter bubble up again. A scream from down the hall echoes into my classroom. “Percy!” Relief washes over me.
I dash out of the room toward the teacher lounge, Gavin hot on my heels. The school’s ancient attendance clerk perches precariously on a chair pointing toward the lounge sofa. “I believe your rat has escaped.” Mrs. Higgins’s clipped tone declares her disapproval.
I bite back a giggle. “Mrs. Higgins, Percy is a guinea pig.”
Gavin once again gallantly drops to his knees and peeks under the sofa. “I can see him, but he’s huddling toward the back. Do you have anything I can tempt him with?”
I open the fridge door and take a quick inventory. Aha, baby carrots! I pull one from the bag and rush it to Gavin’s outstretched hand. Slowly, Percy makes his way to the tasty treat Gavin offers. Once the pet has his teeth on the carrot, Gavin scoops him up and cradles him against his chest. Awwww.
Mrs. Higgins climbs down. “Ms. Churchill, I am delegating cleaning out the fridge to you as recompense for my fright. I declare my time here complete for the semester.”
Swallowing laughter, I nod, striving for solemn. “That’s fair. Have a great holiday.”
Gavin and I watch Mrs. Higgins exit then look at each other. That’s all it takes for our barely contained giggles to burst free and continue all the way back to my classroom. Inside, I turn to Gavin. “Here, let me get that naughty guinea pig back where he belongs.”
Gavin’s body radiates heat as I near him to transfer Percy into my arms. Paralyzed for a moment with our arms interwoven around the squirmy rascal, my eyes sweep upward to see Gav looking intently at me. Holy sparks, Batman! Not one-sided, it seems.
“Joss, I, um…” His cheeks pinken, and I become a puddle on the floor. He clears his throat. “Do you think you’d ever like to go out with me? Like on a date?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” A grin explodes onto my face. “I’d love to.”
“Yeah?” His relief is palpable and endearing.
“Yeah, definitely.”