The big truck rumbled down the highway, the diesel engine the only sound filling the tomblike quiet in the cab of the truck. I glanced over, checking to make sure my sixteen-year-old son was still breathing, and had to smile. He had passed out. His head was leaning against the door, his mouth hanging open and looking anything but cool.
I was tempted to snap a picture to use as blackmail for a future date but resisted. I didn’t need him to be pissed at me for anything else. I seemed to be able to piss him off with the simple intake of breath or the dreaded, ‘what’s going on’ question that put him on the defensive.
It had been a long drive. It felt much longer due to the lack of conversation. The radio had gone in and out, leaving me in silence while he listened to his headphones. The stretch of highway in front of me seemed endless.
We were close. So close to the end of our journey from our home in Minnesota to what I was declaring a fresh start to life in Conroe, Texas. My real estate career had turned me onto the area long ago. I had dreamed of retiring to the growing city just outside of Houston for a while now. My wife, Carlie, and I had been checking out property in the area for years.
It was still hard to believe she was gone. She wasn’t going to get to spend her days sitting on our back deck and sipping sweet tea. Life was unfair. My wife of twenty years had been killed instantly in a horrific crash that turned my life upside down. Olin’s life had been forever changed as well.
It was crazy that one person could make one bad decision and change the course of life for complete strangers. I had to let go of the anger. The anger had driven me into a very dark place for months after she’d been killed. I couldn’t go back there.
I was running away from the memories. It probably wasn’t healthy, but I felt that Olin and I needed a change. Staying in the house in Minnesota was only making it difficult to move forward. At least for me it was. Olin didn’t seem to give a shit one way or the other. He was a typical teenager with the usual angst. Add in the loss of his mother and things were even more difficult.
“Hungry?” I asked, knowing he could hear me, but doing a really good job pretending he couldn’t. “Olin, I need gas. I’m going to grab something to eat. I hear these Buc-ees have some great food, real Texas style.”
“I’m not hungry,” he mumbled.
“Suit yourself. You’re old enough to know if you’re hungry or not.”
I flipped on my blinker and pulled off the freeway. It had been a long two days of non-stop driving. I was tired of sitting on my ass and couldn’t wait to be home. Our new home.
“Can I get one of those pork sandwiches?” I asked the young man behind the immaculately clean counter once I was inside.
“Sure thing,” he said and quickly filled my order.
I looked around, suspecting Olin had decided to come in, and found him in front of the Slurpee machine, a bag of chips in his hand. Not hungry my ass. I took my sandwich and grabbed a bottle of water for the road.
I waited, giving Olin plenty of time to browse the massive food selection. I pretended to be occupied as well, not wanting to pressure him to hurry up. The kid was prickly at best, and any little thing I said or did threatened to piss him off and send him storming out of my general vicinity.
He looked at me, his blue eyes reminding me of his mother. His thick black hair was all me. He was the perfect combination of the two of us. “Ready?” I asked him.
He nodded but said nothing. I walked up to the checkout, depositing the snacks and drinks we had picked up. I smiled at the young woman, who was very openly staring at me. “Good afternoon.”
“Hi,” she said with a smile. “Traveling through?”
“Headed home,” I said.
“You don’t look like a Texas boy.”
I grinned. “I’m not.”
“I could give you some pointers, help you learn how to walk with a cowboy gait,” she offered.
“Thank you, but I’m comfortable with my gait.”
She giggled, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “How about some of our world-famous jerky? Have you ever had it?”
“Nope, I sure haven’t.”
“Oh, you can’t be in Texas without trying our jerky. I’d be happy to give you a free sample,” she said with a grin. “Maybe an after-dinner snack.”
“Dad, I’m going to use the restroom,” Olin said, dropping a pack of gum on the counter and walking away.
The woman looked at me, then Olin, then back at me. “Your son?”
I smiled and nodded. “My son.”
“Let me get this rung up for you. I’m sure you want to get on your way.”
I almost laughed at her sudden change of heart. I suppose me having a son who wasn’t much younger than her had done the trick. The goodies were stuffed into a bag and I was sent on my way without the free jerky.
I waited in the truck for Olin, scarfing down my pulled pork sandwich. Olin climbed back into the truck, a scowl on his face. “I’m not interested in a new mommy that was born in the same decade I was.”
I smirked. “I had no intention of shopping for a new mommy for you period, but it would definitely not be anyone from your decade. You can trust me on that one.”
“This is so stupid anyway. Are you making me live here so you can find one of those Texas women?”
ChristopherI started the truck and backed out of the spot, being mindful of the trailer I was pulling with all of our belongings. “I don’t know what a Texas woman is, but no. I’m moving us down here because I want warmth and fishing and good schools. Minnesota was killing my tired, old bones.”“You’re forty-four, when did you get old?” he retorted.“Last year,” I said, leaving it at that.“We could have just moved to a new house. Starting a new school my junior year is stupid.”I glanced over at him. “In your case, it was start in a new school or get kicked out of your old one. You get a fresh start here. I’ve checked out the school and the district. It’s a good school. You’ll be able to play baseball in the spring.”He groaned. “I could have played baseball at my old school.”“Not with your grades, Olin. This is a chance for you to be the guy I know you are. Those people back in Minnesota, they weren’t your friends. They were bringing you down and you would have ended up in serious
LeilaI checked the time and finished up the lesson plan I was working on for the next semester before getting up from my chair. “Time’s up,” I announced to the class.There were a few groans before the typical shuffling began. Students of my Greek Mythology class began to pack up, bringing me their final exams. I kept a stack, smiling and saying various platitudes to the students I had come to know over the last three months.“It was a great class,” one young woman said. “I didn’t know I liked Greek Mythology, but the way you teach it with such enthusiasm is contagious. You have a real passion for it and it makes it exciting.”“Ah, thank you Amber. I appreciate that. I’ve always had my head in the clouds, dreaming about gods and goddesses.”“Do you actually believe in it?”I grinned. “I think I believe a version of it, yes. I think we all need to have a little fantasy in our lives.”“Good point. See you later. I wish you taught all my classes.”I waved and took the next paper. I was
LeilaI was saving up for retirement. I planned on visiting Greece and spending a lot of time really exploring the ruins. I wanted to channel the gods and goddesses I had devoted a large portion of my life too. They fascinated me. Every one of them was interesting and had a story. I would never get tired of thinking about them.I was considering using my degree in mythology to move into the literature field. I wanted to write stories about the gods. I wanted to live in their turbulent world for a while. Anything to escape the mundane world I was bound to in my present life.With the bulk of my work done, the grades for the semester entered into the system, I closed up my office for the day—for the week. I had a few precious days off before I had to pick up and start all over again. I liked the mini-mesters. I liked shoving in a lot of information into a short amount of time. It just seemed more efficient and the students seemed to remember more at the end of the class.I parked my Toy
ChristopherI woke up early, excited to do a little unpacking and settle into the new house. I wanted to make it feel like home for Olin. I wanted the transition to be as easy as possible, if that were even a thing. Olin was dead set on making everything as difficult as he could.I reminded myself he’d been through a lot and I had to give him some time to accept the new life he’d been forced into. I was going to start that life by making him some bacon and eggs. Everybody loved bacon. Teenage boys especially loved bacon.I searched the cupboards, familiarizing myself with where the housekeeper I had hired put the dishes. It was a little strange to feel like a guest in my own house, but I reminded myself it would get better with time. It would be a home.I got busy making breakfast, my eyes continuously looking out the wall of windows that faced our massive backyard with the lake in the distance. It was spectacular. If I were the agent selling the home, I would have absolutely highligh
ChristopherI drove to the college campus and quickly found the office. I was directed down a hall and asked to wait. Being on campus took me back to my younger years when I had attended the University of Minnesota. My degree in business had paid off. Now it was time to pursue something just for the sake of having fun. I didn’t need any more money.“Mr. Evans?” a middle-aged man called my name.“That’s me,” I said, getting to my feet and following him into a tiny office.“Hi, I’m Gerald Enders, one of the advisors here. I understand you were interested in taking some classes?”I nodded. “I am. I’m just not entirely sure what.”“I see. You have a Bachelor’s in business, are you thinking about pursuing a masters?”“No, definitely not. I’ve mastered the business world.”He smiled, obviously not believing me. “Do you want to try another major?”“Yes, possibly. I’m not sure I’m interested in another four-year degree, but I do want to try my hand at something new.”“Are you interested in ta
LeilaI pulled my hair up into a bun, taking great care to make it look messy. It was ridiculous how much work the messy bun look actually took to be cute. I sat down in the chair in the corner of my room, which was older than I was. I loved vintage anything and when I had spotted the chair in a secondhand store, I had bought it without thinking about how I would get it home.I had managed, with the help of the old lady that owned the store and the gentleman passing by that took pity on us trying to squeeze the thing into my backseat. It had worked. Getting it out of the car had been another matter entirely.I pulled on my favorite boots with the chunky heels and rolled up the cuff of my jeans to show them off. The light black sweater I was wearing with the shoulder cutouts made me feel flirty and sexy. I put on my favorite dangly necklace, added a little more mascara to make my green eyes pop and headed out to meet Kami.I parked my car in the lot of the park where a fishing derby wa
Leila“You need to slow down. You’ve only been teaching a few years, but you have the look of a woman who has been teaching forever,” Kami said.“Thanks.”“Seriously, the whole idea of being a teacher is you get to take a couple of months off every year. I don’t think you’ve stopped working since you graduated college.”“Because I want to do things and as it turns out, I’m not independently wealthy and people won’t just give me whatever I want. I apparently have to earn money and to do that, I must work. Despite what I thought when I chose to become a teacher, I don’t make a lot of money.”“You don’t have any money because you save it all.”I laughed. “You make that sound like a bad thing!”“Not bad, but come on. What if you get hit by a bus tomorrow?”I scowled. “That’s not a very positive thought.”“I’m just saying. If you get hit by a bus tomorrow or even a year from now, what good is that fat savings account going to do you? Unless you plan on bequeathing it to me, then by all mea
ChristopherI stepped inside the walk-in closet and stared at the shelves filled with neatly folded jeans. I turned to look at the other side where my business suits were hanging. That was a definite no. I stepped in a little deeper and pulled out a couple of pairs of slacks and then a pair of jeans. I laid the outfits out on the bed and stood back.I was putting way too much effort into deciding what to wear. After finally getting dressed, I headed downstairs to start some coffee. It was a sunny morning, and I enjoyed the sunshine. It was a huge mood lifter. I grabbed my coffee and headed out to sit on the patio. It was a little cool outside, but not cold enough to send me back in.I sat down at the table and thought about my wife. I thought about her a lot. I missed her. I knew I hadn’t been a great husband. I took my role as provider very seriously. Too seriously. I had focused on making us comfortable and kind of let her take over the raising of our son while I spent my time worki
LeilaHe looked at me and smiled but didn’t answer me. He parked the truck in the empty parking lot of the bar not far from the house. It was the same bar we had met up at on New Year’s Eve. Since moving in, we had become regulars at the bar, getting to know the staff very well.“Come on,” he said jumping out of the truck.“I don’t understand,” I said climbing out. “Isn’t everyone going to be waiting for us? You were the one who said we were going to be late. I don’t think we have time for a drink.”“Will you just come on,” he said. He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. I noticed all the lights were off.“Christopher, they’re closed.”He pushed open the unlocked door, which seemed very odd to me. We walked into the bar. There was a flash of lights and a cacophony of surprises echoing around me. I clapped my free hand over my mouth, taking in the huge banner that said congratulations, and the hundreds of twinkle lights hanging from the ceiling.“Oh my God,” I gasped.“Surp
LeilaOne year laterI reviewed the admissions essay for another potential student. I loved reading the essays—most of the time. Some were absolute garbage, but the majority warmed my heart. I loved reading about the struggles and triumphs of the young people who wanted to attend our school for their educational needs. I always felt like we were the ones being interviewed.Students had thousands of options and when they applied to our school, I felt like we should be proud they had chosen us from the thousands. It had been a long year and the university was still recovering from the scandal that the dean’s extortion had brought on. I felt like we were making headway. It was being talked about less and less and I was hoping by this time next year, it would be a distant memory.My position as associate dean was implemented as a prevention method. Dean Johnson had been allowed to run unchecked, which made him feel invincible. Now, our new dean had me. It was a system of checks and balanc
Leila“You’re going to kill me if you keep doing that,” I told him with a shaky voice.“I love watching you come apart in my arms,” he said before angling his hips and pushing the head of his cock into my opening.I closed my eyes. Two orgasms and no penetration had left me slick and swollen. He pushed, gently probing my opening with his cock. “You’re tight and swollen,” he breathed out the words on a painful breath.“I’m ready,” I told him, looking directly into his eyes.He pushed himself a little deeper inside. Both of us sucked in a breath as powerful sensations rocked through our bodies. He held himself up on shaking arms before sliding inside a little bit at a time. I couldn’t breathe. I felt like our souls were joining. I could feel his essence merging with mine. We stared into each other’s eyes, the joining nearly complete.The last inch of his thick cock filled me. My eyes dropped closed, wanting to lock in all the sensations I was feeling right then. I felt a tear slide down
LeilaHis sweet kiss sparked a hot fire within. He loved me. I had probably repeated the phrase in my head a hundred times since he said it. He loved me. A sexy, beautiful, kind man loved me. I didn’t think it was possible. I was convinced I wasn’t worthy for so long. I never imagined I could ever experience true love with a man that checked all the boxes.“Maybe we should go upstairs?” I whispered against his lips.“I think that sounds like a very good idea. Go ahead and go up while I lock up down here.”I headed upstairs, running my hand along the banister and imagined us going up to bed together every night. We hadn’t talked about any of that, but I realized in that moment, I was ready for the real deal. I went into his room, turned on the fireplace and shut off the lights. I stripped out of the clothes I wore for our night out and crawled onto the bed naked as the day I was born. I did my best to pose in a seductive fashion, waiting for him to come in.I heard his footsteps on the
ChristopherLeila nodded, still sipping the wine. I knew the look on her face. She was in deep thought about something. I waited for her to say what it was.“And you?” she finally asked. “Will you be picking up where you left off with your classes?”I sighed. It was something I had been thinking about quite a bit. I had to do a lot of introspection into my life and what I wanted. “No.”She turned to look at me. “Really? You can’t let one bad dean ruin your idea of a good education. I promise, he does not represent the entire school. The rest of the professors are great—most of them.”I smiled. “It has nothing to do with the dean. It’s about me.”“You don’t want to go to college?”I shook my head. “Not anymore. I don’t need to. I was looking for something. I found it. There are other things I would prefer to do with my time.”“What were you looking for?” she asked.“I was looking for understanding. I needed assurance that things were okay for Carlie.”She looked confused. “I’m not sure
ChristopherI grabbed Leila’s hand and pulled her towards the mini Ferris wheel. She was giggling, resisting at first but eventually following along. We climbed in the seat and were quickly buckled in before the car started to move forward while the next couple boarded.“I don’t know if I like heights,” she told me.“I guess we’re about to find out,” I answered.She was smiling big. “This is nuts.”“This is fun. Look, there’s Olin!”“Olin!” she shouted his name, waving her arms.Olin looked up at us and grinned, waving back as the car went up a little higher. It wasn’t long before the ride began to move, taking us high above the fair. We had done dinner and happened to see the rides and tents set up. It was irresistible. Even Olin had been on board to come along.Once the ride was over, we made our way over to the bumper cars where we were supposed to meet Olin. “He looks like he is having a good time,” Leila commented.I watched Olin laughing as he rammed a young woman in another car
LeilaChristopher nodded. “Yes. He never wanted to get another degree. His wife made him go undercover. There is a camera in the dean’s office. He knew it was there, so all the video they’ve obtained will be legal to use against him.”“Why would he commit a felony on camera?”He grinned. “Because he thought it didn’t work. I have a feeling he purposely broke it. It was fixed and the police have been monitoring him. Today when I went in there, he asked me again for money.”I let out a breath. “Holy shit. I don’t even know what to say. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”He laughed. “I know. I was in shock. I wasn’t sure if I was going to get arrested.”“I can’t believe Alan never told us!” I said a little irritated.“He couldn’t. He didn’t want to risk me acting different or saying the wrong thing. They had to let it play out.”I shook my head. “I almost quit. If they hadn’t busted him when they did, I would have quit for nothing. Wait, the police know it was me?”“Alan knows
LeilaI tossed another file folder into the box. I was taking everything that was my personal property. My lesson plans and my research were mine. I wasn’t about to leave them behind for someone else to poach. I had put in the time and energy into creating my lectures and tests. They were my personal property and if the dean tried to stop me, I’d give him hell.I threw in the answer sheet to the multiple-choice test as well. My replacement would have to grade the tests sitting on my desks without the answer sheet. It was my way of thumbing my nose at the institution. I found myself angry. I wasn’t even sad. I was pissed.I had come back to campus thinking I could just pick up where I had left off. I couldn’t. I realized I would never feel secure in my job. I would always be looking over my shoulder, waiting for the dean to surprise me with an accusation or an insinuation.I thought about how he had tried to blackmail Christopher and realized he was not the kind of man I wanted to work
ChristopherThe detective left, leaving me and Alan alone in the office. I stared at Alan, absolutely dumbfounded. “What the hell?”Alan laughed. “Sorry I had to keep you in the dark, but we needed this all to play out just right.”“We? Who is we?”“The cops. My wife. Me.”I studied him carefully. “Who are you?”“I am who I say I am, but I did not sign up for more classes because I’m interested in pursuing any more education. The last thing I want to do in my golden years is study and take tests while hanging out with a bunch of kids. My wife made me do it.”“Made you do what?” I asked feeling like I had skipped several chapters in a book and was missing the bulk of the story.“Go undercover,” he said with a grin.“As an old guy in college?”“I’ve been talking to students and trying to get information on the dean. Almost a year ago, a young man from an affluent family came to my wife and asked for help. As it turns out, the dean had been extorting him for months. He pulled the same sh