Flaws and All by Shana Burton Read Free Book Online

of our new teachers credit him for getting them through that first year in one piece.”
    Lydia knocked again. This time, a bronze-hued man in sweats with deep-set eyes and a set of full lips answered. Lawson saw what Lydia meant by calling him a cutie-pie. “Hey, and welcome back, Lydia.” His voice was a little hoarse, but friendly nevertheless. “What can I do for you lovely ladies today?”
    Lydia gestured to Lawson. “ This lovely young lady is the reason why I’m here, Coach. I wanted you to meet your new mentee, Lawson Kerry.”
    He gazed at Lawson with eyes as wide as his smile. “I saw your name on my list and had planned to drop in to say hello after lunch. Welcome aboard.”
    Lawson received his handshake and studied his face. There was something familiar about that smile. She apologized when she realized she was staring. “I’m not crazy,” she clarified. “You just look so familiar to me. Are you from around here?”
    The coach nodded. “Born and raised. I hope that’s not your best pick-up line,” he joked. “If so, I’ve got to warn you—it’s been used.”
    He smiled again, and Lawson blinked and shook her head to readjust her vision. His smile, in fact, was very familiar because she’d seen that same dimpled grin for the past thirteen years, and as recently as that morning. For a split second, Coach Vinson looked as if he could be Mark, Namon’s biological father.
    This kind of thing had happened before. It wasn’t unusual for Lawson to pass a man in the grocery store or on the street who looked like the fading image of Mark that she managed to hold on to in her mind. Perhaps this was just one of those times.
    She realized that he had said something to her again. “I’m sorry, what did you say?” asked Lawson, still lost in her thoughts.
    â€œI asked if you were from Savannah too,” he repeated.
    â€œUm, yeah . . .”
    This man’s last name was Vinson. Wasn’t that Mark’s last name? She couldn’t remember; she could barely remember her own name at that moment. This guy couldn’t be her son’s father. It was impossible. Or was it?
    He continued talking, and she only knew this because his lips were still moving, but she had no idea what he was saying. His words were crowded out by her inner thoughts. He can’t be Namon’s dad , she told herself. After all, what were the chances of the two of them being teachers and both working at the same school?
    â€œYeah, I went to private school myself . . .” she heard him say when she tuned in to the conversation again. She smiled and nodded to appear interested.
    Mark went to private school too, she thought, and he had already admitted to being from Savannah and appeared to be around her age. Lawson could feel beads of sweat spouting on her forehead. She had trouble catching her breath. She needed to know his full name. Once she had that, she could relax again. She felt like she was losing her mind.
    â€œI remember my first day as a teacher,” he said. “I looked just as confused and distracted as you look right now.” His saying that triggered another thought: If Coach Vinson was the same guy she slept with in high school, he would’ve remembered something about her, yet there wasn’t a glimmer of recognition when he set eyes on her.
    I know I’m not that forgettable , she said to herself. Especially not after what we did.
    â€œCoach Vinson played professional football overseas before coming to North Central,” reported Lydia.
    Lawson thought back. If she remembered nothing else about Mark, she did know that he was a football player in high school. It was all he talked about. The name. She needed his full name to put the matter to rest once and for all.
    â€œForgive me, but what did you say your name was again?” Lawson asked and held her breath for his response.
    â€œYou