“I’m Rylan’s father, Tanner Green.” A man’s large hand engulfed mine with a firm grip.
My eyes were drawn to the scruff lining his jaw, and to his blue eyes brought out by the soft blue-checked flannel shirt he wore rolled up, revealing strong forearms with a light dusting of hair. His shirt hung open over a gray Henley he paired with dark wash jeans. His clothes did nothing to hide his defined chest, straining biceps, and muscular thighs. Everything about this man was large and sexy. I swallowed, trying to focus on his words and not the fact that I was drawn to this man physically. Rylan … right. The latest addition to the six-thirty p.m. ballet class—the sweet blonde who wore black instead of a pink leotard and no tutu. “Sadie Cole. Nice to meet you, Mr. Green.”
It wasn’t my imagination that he stiffened when I’d said my name. For the first time in a long time, I was attracted to someone, but it was always the same—my reputation in this town preceded me. He knew how I was fired from my last job, about that incident in high school, or that our family was trouble in general.
Tanner squatted down to be level with Rylan. “Can you play with Zoe for a minute so I can talk to your teacher?”
My heart squeezed at the sweet way he’d gone to his daughter’s level to speak to her at the same time my stomach dropped. Here it is. He was going to tell me how he couldn’t trust me around his daughter or some other nonsense. No one had said that to my face, but I’d heard comments in the waiting room—what was Kristen thinking, allowing Sadie to work with little kids? As if what happened when I was younger meant I was a bad influence.
“Okay, Daddy.” Rylan smiled before running over to Zoe.
Tanner rose to his full height. “Sorry, I don’t want to keep you.”
When his warm blue eyes settled on me, I burned hot, wondering if he’d ask for a refund or to transfer Rylan to another class—one where I wasn’t the teacher.
“It’s fine.” But I was hungry and wanted to go home, even though home wasn’t much of a sanctuary for me.
“Rylan’s mother signed her up for these classes.” He paused, and I knew there was a bigger issue when his forehead wrinkled. “But Rylan doesn’t like them.”
“She seemed okay in class.” I racked my brain to determine if I’d missed something. I tried hard to engage the girls, and I was pretty good at figuring out which ones were shy, reluctant, outgoing, or didn’t want to be there.
“On the way here, she complained that she didn’t want to come.” He looked around, presumably to make sure no one was listening and lowered his voice. “She hates princesses and those fluffy skirt things the other girls wear.”
I smiled at this large masculine man trying to describe pink tulle. “You mean, tutus?”
Tanner nodded. “Her mother, Bree, wants her to be a dancer because she was.”
That wasn’t uncommon. Lots of moms signed their daughters up for dance because they’d enjoyed it as a child. “This isn’t a princess class, but there’s usually an element of princesses in all of the beginner classes. Most girls enjoy it.”
I chewed my lip, looking at Rylan in her black leotard and thought about how she’d closed her eyes when the music started and moved her body to the beat. “Maybe she’d be happier in the hip-hop class? She seemed to enjoy music and dancing to the beat.”
His lips curled up. “I’d be willing to try it out.”
My heart fluttered from the combination of his smile and his desire to ensure his daughter was happy. “Let me check the schedule.” I moved over to the front counter and pulled up the computer calendar Kristen kept, glad to discover there was one spot available. “The only opening is on Tuesdays.”
“Does someone else teach it?”
I stiffened. “I’m the only hip-hop teacher.”
Tanner studied me carefully as if he was uncertain about something. He glanced over at Rylan, who was still playing with Zoe. “Okay.”
“You said her mother signed her up. Will she be upset if you switch from ballet to hip-hop?” What I really wanted to ask was, why don’t you want me to teach your daughter?
A shadow passed over his face, and he sighed. “Probably, but I’ll deal with it when it happens.”
I made a mental note to find out if Kristen knew about their situation. Were they together? A part of me wanted to know if he was single, but I tried to convince myself it was only because I needed to know if there would be an issue with Rylan changing classes. “Okay.”
I glanced at the clock. It was eight p.m. If I left now, I could be in comfy pajamas and eating ice cream by eight-thirty if my mother was passed out by the time I arrived home.
“Sorry to keep you late.”
He’d noticed me watching the clock. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t concerned about his daughter and her happiness in class. I needed this job. “It’s not a big deal. I want Rylan to be happy.”
His eyes studied me for so long I felt heat creeping up my neck.
I worked as an attorney at the public defender’s office during the day, but the single best part of my day was teaching these little girls. It was freeing to see the girls’ view on life—their energy. They weren’t hardened or jaded by their families yet. They hadn’t had an opportunity to make bad decisions and screw things up. They were innocent.
“You like teaching?” His voice was low and assessing as if he already knew the answer but was just confirming something.
Most of the families were gone now, and only Zoe and Rylan giggled and chased each other around the room. Zoe’s mom’s eyes were on her phone.
“I do.” I loved it.
“That’s great that you do what you love.”
Zoe’s mom tucked her phone in her back pocket, and her eyes lifted to us. I lowered my gaze and pretended to check something on the computer so she wouldn’t think I was flirting. She was one of the moms who’d talked about me in the waiting room. Out of my peripheral vision, I saw Zoe’s mom touch Tanner’s shoulder. “I’ve gotta get going. I have to pick up Garrett from karate.”
“Of course. Thanks for keeping an eye on Rylan while I talked to Sadie.”
Zoe’s mom didn’t acknowledge me or say goodbye. She held out her hand for Zoe. “Time to go, sweetie. Say goodbye to your friend.”
The girls hugged and Zoe took her mother’s hand to walk out.
“Rylan.” Tanner squatted in front of his daughter again and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Would you like to take the hip-hop class instead of this one?”
Her eyes grew big, and she looked up at me. “Will Miss Sadie be my teacher?”
My heart filled with pride that Rylan wanted me to be her teacher, but it dissipated when Tanner’s smile slid off his face.
“She will be.” Tanner’s voice was tight.
A sharp pain stabbed my chest. I should be used to this reaction, but something about him felt different. When I initially saw him—I was drawn to this man who seemed like an amazing father. Would I ever have someone like him interested in me? Someone who could see past the rumors and speculation and see me?
