Chapter 1
Annie St. James was the oldest child in a close family of 5. She was smart, happy, and incredibly bored. Would she admit that she was bored before that day in September? Maybe, but not out loud.
Being a kindergarten teacher she found herself constantly covered in glue, and hugs. Every day was the exact same for her. Get up, get ready, make the 10 minute drive to the private school she worked at in Salem, Salem Private, hang out with the cutest group of pre-schoolers around, drive back home the 10 minutes, talk to her mom, talk to Matti, go for a walk, TV, hobbies, bed.
At 28 she felt too old to be going out all the time, trying to mingle, and too young to be staying in, watching Netflix and falling asleep on the couch. Her mother and father were still together, going on 30 years now, totally smitten with each other. Her younger sisters were both away from home and living their lives. Annie had followed all the right steps in life: college, degree, job in her field, apartment, plants. Friends. Family. If you looked up a photo of “perfectly normal” in Google, you would find Annie. 5’2, long wavy brown hair, brown eyes, cute, Annie.
Hatti, Annie’s best friend, continually tried to set her up on blind dates. The one time she agreed was a total disaster. Hatti’s friend talked about himself, asked her exactly one question, “How should we split the bill?”, and tried to go in for a kiss at the end of the night, despite forgetting her name was Annie and not Angie. Why people were so worried about her love life was beyond her, she was doing perfectly fine alone. It’s not like she had NEVER dated.
She had been in one serious relationship. It had started in high school when she was 18 and lasted through her first year of college. It ended very amicably and was as typical and nice as a relationship can be when it starts in high school with someone you had known since you were 7. She and Brett were still friends. He had recently invited her to his wedding, which was going to take place in a few weeks. Fuck, should she get a date to that, she thought. No, stag is still considered very chic for a late 20 something, she reasoned, she can sit at the kids table, at least she’d be able to talk to that age group, she was used to it.
It’s not that she didn’t want to date, it’s that she found her plants more interesting than most guys she’d met in the last few years. At least the succulents didn’t mind her constant daydreaming. “Annie’s in Annieland”, is what her dad used to call it when she seemed to drift off at dinner or while doing homework. She chuckled to herself, “no one in Annieland worried about who she was or wasn’t dating, maybe that’s why I like it there so much”.
Annie had just started her 5th year of teaching, and was late for work. As usual. She had started to get ready when her mind drifted to the wedding that was coming up. She had checked +1 against her better judgment. Hatti said she would go with her. Hatti who was the flakiest person in the world. Why had she said ok and sent the RSVP back when she knew Hatti was going to bail somehow. And, of course, she did. “Tickets to a concert, a band she had *always* wanted to see, you can find someone else, right Annie!” Sure, I’ll find someone else and not just awkwardly sit next to an open chair, I would rather crawl in a hole than have to get asked all night where her date was, she thought. Where was she going to find a date in 5 weeks, she wondered, totally forgetting to rinse the conditioner out of her hair. She had had to turn the water back on and finish showering. Get your head out of Annieland, Annie! she chastised herself, for the millionth time it seemed.
So because of Hatti and Brett and being single she was late for the 3rd day of school. Hustling through the parking lot she narrowly missed getting hit by an incredibly flashy red Porsche that had just pulled in. I would almost get hit by the biggest asshole when I’m already late, she thought to herself. She couldn’t see the driver but she made sure to flip him or her off. That’ll show them, Annie thought smugly. She practically ran to class and was seated when her kids started trickling in. Hello Ms Annie! A chorus said as she closed the door to begin class. All was right with the world again, she was back in her sanctuary, with her kids. They didn’t mind that she was a bit scatterbrained. They loved her imagination and for all the make-believe she encouraged them to do.
About 45 minutes into her day, the vice-principal, Mr. Rutters knocked on her door. She could see him through the window. Ugh, she thought, what is it already? Mr. Rutters was slightly older than Annie, handsome but knew it, 6’1, blonde and blue eyed and clearly had a crush on Annie. Even Annie could see that. He didn’t exactly hide it, unfortunately. Any other woman would love the attention from Greg Rutters but Annie didn’t. She could tell his type; beloved in high school, dated whoever he wanted, and likely broke all their hearts too. She didn’t need a Greg in her life, no matter how single she was.
“Hi Annie”, Mr. Rutters said as he walked through the door, coming up much too close for comfort.
“Hello, Mr. Rutters,” Annie said flatly.
“Annie, I keep telling you, call me Greg,” Mr. Rutters gently touched her arm.
“Is there something I can help you with?” Annie said as she backed away, slightly.
“Yes,” Mr. Rutters said tersely, clearly annoyed with her micro movement away from him, “You have a new student joining your class today, this is Mara and her father, Lee Nicks.”
Annie’s jaw almost hit the floor when Lee Nicks walked into the room. Even with Greg at 6’1 Lee made him look short although he couldn’t have been that much taller. His presence filled the entire space. He was wearing an incredibly expensive looking tailored navy blue suit, with even more expensive looking brown leather shoes. His hair was dirty blonde and his eyes were gray, or that’s what colour Annie thought she saw, she was having a hard time looking right at him. Beside him was a little blonde girl with big brown eyes. She was holding his hand, and turned shyly into his leg.
“Annie? ANNIE?!” she could hear her name being called but didn’t know who was talking. Finally she snapped back to reality. Greg was trying to introduce her to Lee and his daughter. “Lee is one of our newest benefactors to the school, he owns a large engineering firm in Boston,” Greg obviously wanted Annie to treat Lee and his daughter like royalty. Sure, the school was home to several incredibly rich families but it was always looking for more.
“Sorry! Yes! Hi! I’m Ms. Annie” she went to reach out her hand to Lee and was struck by how big his hand was. It enveloped hers. A shock of delight went through her body, she pulled her hand away quickly. His hand was so strong, a little rough.
“Hi Ms. Annie, I’m Lee and this is my daughter Mara,” Lee said, politely. He whispered to Annie “I appreciate the hand shake more than the being flipped off like you did earlier”. Annie was mortified. So this was the jerk in the red Porchse who had nearly hit her. Great. What a start, Annie.
Mara looked up nervously from her dad’s leg. “Hello” she whispered.
Annie turned her whole attention to Mara, “Hi, we’re so glad you’re joining us! We’re just about to read a book together, would you like me to show you where to put your things and you can help pick out a book?”
Mara’s face brightened “I love books!”
“Me too!” Annie said and held out her hand. Mara let go of her dad’s hand and grabbed Annie’s.
Greg turned to leave with Lee. As they got to the door Lee turned back and caught Annie’s eye. For a second she thought he was going to say something but then he turned away and walked down the hall. Annie sighed and chuckled to herself. Well that was not a boring morning, she thought and turned back to the kids. She had only made a small fool out of herself, it’s fine she thought, outside of a few parent-teacher days, there’s no chance I’ll run into Lee again.
But a tiny part of her hoped she did, she couldn’t get his hands out of her mind. Quickly she pushed that thought to the side, guys like Lee don’t fall for Kindergarten teachers, Annie, get yourself out of Annieland, and she brought her full attention back to her class.
