Between The Lines

Chapter 50: Dinner Disaster

Lane's POV:

Lane Montgomery sat at his desk, staring at the stack of essays he had yet to grade. His mind, however, was elsewhere. Specifically, it was on a certain student who seemed to have an uncanny ability to get under his skin.

Rebecca Taylor. From the moment she walked into his classroom, she had been different. There was something about her that made him feel...off-balance. It wasn't just her looks, though he couldn't deny she was attractive. Her long black hair, deep brown eyes, and tan skin were striking. But it was more than that. It was the way she carried herself, the awkwardness that seemed to seep out of her despite her beauty. It made her intriguing.

Lane shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He shouldn't be thinking about her like this. She was a student, for God's sake. But then there was Oliver, her friend who seemed to be more than just a friend, and Jack, and now Alex. Out of all people, it had to be Alex.

Alex, with his obnoxious swagger, thinking he was so cool with his flashy Lamborghini. Lane could barely stand him. He wasn't even that good-looking and had a weird personality to boot. The fact that Rebecca was hanging out with him just added fuel to the fire of frustration that had been building inside Lane.

"Monty, you coming?" One of his colleagues, Jim, poked his head into the room. "We're heading to the pub for a drink."

Lane shook his head. "Not tonight. Got too much to do."

Jim raised an eyebrow but didn't push. "Alright, man. See you tomorrow."

Lane sighed and leaned back in his chair. He had given Rebecca that assignment on honourifics not just to teach her a lesson but also because something clicked inside him whenever she got mad at him or didn't use them. It infuriated him, but it also stirred something else. Something he didn't want to admit to himself.

He thought back to the times he had found excuses to check on her, like at swim practice. Watching her in her swimsuit, seeing the way she seemed self-conscious about her body, it tugged at something inside him. He cared about her, more than he should. And that scared him.

Tonight's dinner had been a disaster in more ways than one. Seeing her so flustered, her cheeks red with embarrassment, had been both amusing and endearing. The way she had nearly stumbled when he emerged from the bathroom shirtless had made him smile. He had enjoyed winding her up, but it was more than that. He had wanted to see her reaction, to understand what it was about her that affected him so much.

His phone buzzed, pulling him out of his thoughts. It was a message from his brother.

Matt: "Mom's asking when you're gonna settle down. You know how she is."

Lane rolled his eyes. His family was always on his case about marriage and settling down. It wasn't that he didn't want those things, but right now, his mind was too wrapped up in Rebecca to think about anything else.

He picked up his phone and typed a quick response. "Tell her I'm focusing on my career."

Matt replied almost immediately. "You mean focusing on your students? Mum saw that pic of you and some girl at dinner. What's up with that?"

Lane's heart skipped a beat. How had his mum seen that? Oh God. He quickly dismissed the thought. "Just a student. Nothing to worry about."

Matt sent back a winking emoji. "Sure, bro. Just a student."

Lane tossed his phone aside, frustrated. His family had a way of getting under his skin, much like Rebecca did. He stood up and paced his office, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't keep lying to himself. He cared about Rebecca more than he should, and the conflicting emotions were tearing him apart.