𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬.

Chapter three.

Hardin

Back to school night

Chloe walked between my mother and Emme as we made our way down the long hall. I couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my mouth. I hadn't been in these halls in a long time. A small part of me panicked, thinking I'd see Tessa. It had been her dream to become a teacher, but I made it a habit to never talk about her. My mother had tried to get me to tell her what happened, but if I told her the truth, she'd hate me. I made her vow to never talk about Tessa after my mother told me Trevor Matthews' mother said he and Tessa were close to becoming engaged. I guess they had started dating their senior year at S M University.

That little bit of information is what sent me into Mia's bed and threw me into a depression that lasted for months. It was part of the reason I asked Mia to marry me. I was running from the past desperately. After that one conversation about Tessa and Trevor, I never asked about her again, and if my mother brought her up, I'd threaten to end the call. She quickly learned it was a subject I didn't want to breach.

"I can't wait to meet my teacher!" Chloe said. "I hope she's pretty!"

Emmeline laughed, and my ma replied, "Oh, she's very pretty. You're going to love her, Chloe."

"Ma, do you know who the teacher is?" I asked as they rounded the corner and slipped into the classroom before answering. I stopped to let another family go first. The guy seemed familiar, but I couldn't place him. We stared at each other for a moment before we both let it go. When I walked in, I quickly scanned the room. It was cuter than any of the pre-school classrooms Chloe had been in. 

I grinned when I saw the reading nook. When my eyes landed on the beanbag chair, a memory of Tessa hit me so hard it took my breath away.

"One day when I'm a teacher, I'm going to have a special reading area for my students. One where they can curl up in a beanbag chair and get lost in the words of a book."

"What grade do you want to teach, Tess?" I asked, holding her in my arms as we looked at the stars.

"Kindergarten. I think that's where my calling will be."

I took a few steps back. My head spun and my heart slammed against my chest.

Oh, holy fuck.

When I turned around to search out for my ma, Tessa's blue eyes met mine. We stood there for a few moments, staring. Her blonde hair was pulled up in a ponytail with a few loose curls hanging down. My eyes swept over her body. The young girl I fell in love with had turned into a beautiful woman. The most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on.

Tessa seemed totally stunned to see me, just as I was stunned to see her. I thought I saw a smile start to form at the corners of her mouth, but then it pulled into a frown. She headed my way, and I had the urge to cover my balls when I saw a dark look in her eyes. Her last words to me—that she would cut off my junk and shove it down my throat—flashed through my mind.

I grinned and that seemed to make her even angrier.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in a low voice.

"I'm here because—"

She grabbed my arm, digging her nails into my skin, and pulled me into a large supply closet. With a look of pure anger, she shoved her finger into my chest. "How dare you show up here. You have got some nerve, Hardin Scott. You're lucky I'm not holding scissors or I'd make good on my threat."