Just Like That

13. "here we go"

Grayson Reid Jansen

   All day, Chandler was acting a little off. I wondered if it was something I did or if someone else had been bothering him. Either way, I was keeping my distance.
That distance, though, didn't last long because as I was leaving, he yelled my name and stopped me in my tracks.

"Chandler." I spoke to him like nothing was wrong - like I hadn't been inside of his daughter every night for the past week that she's been in town.

"Hey, son." There he went, calling me son again. I still didn't know what to think of it but I assumed that's how he talked, like some people said "man" or "baby". Still, it was a little unsettling, kind of sus.

"You okay, you been on edge all day. What's up?"

He ripped his hard hat off and walked with me to the parking lot. "Just stressed. You know anything about party planning?"

"Can't say that I do, chief."

He smacked his lips. "Figured. Well, uh, as you know, my daughter's back in town-"

"How would I know that, sir?" I almost blew my cover. Immediately, my mind thought Chandler knew about Brea and I which made me nervous.

"I told you. Remember?" Duh.

"Oh, shit. Yeah. What about her?"

"Right... Well anyway, I'm throwing her a welcome home party this Saturday - you're more than welcome to come."

At first, I wondered if I should accept the invitation but decided not to right away so I could ask Breanna first.

"Thanks, I'll have to check my schedule." I said for the first time ever, knowing damn well I wouldn't be doing anything.

"Hope you can come. I'll see you tomorrow, son." Son.

He patted my shoulder one hard time then started his truck and pulled off as soon as he got inside of it.

======

Hungry after work, I drove to a pizza shop in town.

It was somewhat short, but still a line. So, I waited and while I did, I whipped out my phone and checked all the notifications I couldn't get to while at work. Brea had hit me up asking to meet up later and that she wanted to tell me something which was never good news. Already knowing what she wanted to "meet up" for, I agreed and told her to come over whenever she was ready - not that she needed to ask, as she usually just barged in anyway.

"Grayson?" A female voice called my name. I didn't recognize the voice so it threw me off as to how they knew who I was.

I looked up from my phone and saw a ginger in my face, smiling devilishly at me. Then, I realized who it was.

"Ms.Price." I tipped my head at her, smirking. Ms.Price wasn't looking too bad, either. That push-up bra she had on was working for me, I wasn't mad at the tight black dress, either.

Oh, Ms.Price was an English teacher at the school where I coached. We had a few exchanges before; some looks, innocent flirting, but nothing serious because she had a boyfriend who also happened to work at the school (gym teacher).
Apparently, he'd be proposing any day now but if you ask me, any woman who looked at me the way she looked at me was no where near ready to be married to another man. That's just me, though.