It All Started With a Lima Bean by Kimi Flores Read Free Book Online Page B

class. Did I tell you that one of them is going on the field trip on Thursday? Are they trying to torture me?” Leah looked at her with wide eyes as if she were trying to speak through them.
    “Who is trying to torture you, Abs?” Crap ! Peter and his brother were the only ones that had ever called her that.
    She turned and was face to chest with Blaine. “Nobody. Um, did you have any questions about Justin?”
    “No, just thought I’d come up and say hi. I haven’t actually had a chance to talk to you since school started.”
    Leah stepped up to them. “Hi, I’m Leah, Abby’s best friend.” She extended her hand. Abby gave her another dirty look.
    “Nice to meet you. I’m Blaine. Abby and I uh, went to high school together.” She was thankful he didn’t mention the main reason they knew each other. “Well, I’ll see you later. It was nice meeting you Leah.” He walked toward his family. His twin sister, Tiffany had her hands on her hips, giving him a disapproving look.
    Having the same look for Leah, Abby probed, “Why did you introduce yourself to him? I just told you who he was.”
    “I know. It was getting awkward just watching you stand there with him.”
    “I’m sorry. I’m a little on edge about the whole situation.”
    “I know, but you have to deal with this Abby. You can’t keep tucking it in the closet and closing the door.”
    Another parent walking up to her saved Abby. She knew this conversation wasn’t over, but she could postpone talking about it.
     
     

     
     
    Because the zoo wasn’t a far drive, Abby arranged for approved parent drivers to take the kids instead of the added expense of a school bus. This was yet another reason why she loved working at a charter school. If she had been working for one through a traditional school district, then they would never be able to have parent drivers.
    Parents, students, and teachers all met in the classroom for attendance, and then to assign kids to parent chaperones. Blaine approached, and she noted that he was the only member of his family that was chaperoning this time. “Hey Abs, do you want to ride with me?”
    She scanned the room and met with Caleb’s eyes. “Um, actually, I was planning on riding with Caleb.”
    Caleb smiled and walked a little closer, “Are we ready to go?” Abby nodded and was dumbfounded at what just happened. She put him on the spot and felt awful about it.
    Blaine grimaced. “I guess I’ll see you there then Abs.” He grabbed his nephew and the two other boys he was driving, as well as the booster seats they needed.
    They walked out to Caleb’s car with Madison and two other kids in tow. “Yay, Miss Abby, are you riding with us?”
    “Yes. I guess I am Sweetie.” Three little girls giggled and clapped their hands.
    Caleb opened the back and front passenger doors. She noted that he had already set the booster seats in his backseat. The little girls climbed in and buckled up. He waited while Abby got in the front seat, and then closed all of the doors. What a gentleman she thought before taking in the gorgeous interior of her dream car. It still had that new car smell, rich with leather.
    After entering the car and turning it on, Caleb leaned toward Abby and whispered, “So are you going to tell me what that was about?”
    “Sorry. I didn’t mean to suck you into that. Blaine is my ex-boyfriend’s brother, and it’s just weird spending time with him. I saw you, and it just came out. I hope you don’t mind.”
    “Of course I don’t.”
    “I keep running into his family. I guess it’s just one of the hazards of living in the town that you were raised in.” He turned to look behind him as he backed out of the parking space. Dang he was cute . His facial skin looked so smooth, almost as if he’d never grown stubble on it before.
    “He must have been a serious boyfriend for this to bother you so much.” He eyed her before putting the car into drive and looking out of the front