𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬.

Chapter seven.

Tessa

Chloe and Jim held my hands while parents walked up to pick up their kiddos. Kindergarteners got picked up on the south side of the school, away from the older kids. Parents had the option of walking up or driving up. The first few days of school almost every parent walked up.

"Today was fun, Ms. Young."

Glancing down to Jim, I smiled. "I'm glad you had fun."

"I hope I get picked next week to take the class pet home," Jim added.

I made a mental note to actually pick up a class pet. I had totally forgotten to get one with everything that had been going on this week. Another thing I could blame Hardin for.

Ugh. 

Hardin.

"Where is the class pet, Ms. Young?" Chloe asked. I glanced down at her. Great. This one wasn't going to let anything get by. Apple didn't fall far from the tree.

I put my finger to my lips. Leaning down, I whispered, "I forgot to get one, Chloe Cat!"

Her eyes lit up and she tried to hide her giggle. I wasn't sure why I had started calling her that. I only did it when the other kids couldn't hear. My biggest fear was showing her more attention simply because she was Hardin's daughter. But knowing her mother never gave her the love she deserved made my heart ache. I wanted to shower her with so much attention that I had to force myself not to. Again, Hardin was to blame.

Ugh.

"There's my mom! Bye, Ms. Young!" Jim called out.

A few parents asked how the first day went, but not all. Some simply wanted their kids and took off.

Chloe had dropped my hand when her new best friend Lilly walked up. I smiled as I watched the two of them giggle as they whispered about something.

"Oh, God. There he is."

I turned to see one of the moms talking to another mom.

"I saw him drop his daughter off this morning. I heard he's a widower."

The other mom gasped. "No!"

"Yes! Check out that body. You can tell he is a Scott brother. Give me one night with him, and I can make him forget his dead wife."

My eyes widened in shock. What in the world?

"Daddy!" Chloe cried out as she ran to Hardin. He lifted her with one arm like she weighed nothing and both of the moms next to me sighed.

"Look how strong he is," one swooned.

I rolled my eyes.

Hardin knelt, pulling out a small bouquet of flowers from behind his back and handing them to Chloe.

Now I was sighing right along with the two moms. I couldn't help but smile. That was such a Hardin thing to do. He used to bring me flowers all the time for the simplest of things. It always made me feel so special.