Chapter 2
The staffroom was a hubbub if greetings, swapping of holiday anecdotes and exclamations over tans and new hair. Gemma took it all in with nervous anticipation. Her eyes kept darting to the door, searching for the curly brown hair and twinkly eyes of Max but it was already 8.05 and he hadn’t appeared. Without even realising she was doing it Gemma scanned the rest of the staff for potential romantic interests. Old, wedding ring, too beardy, too young, gay. Of the few men on staff it appeared that Max was the school Adonis.
A hush fell over the room and a slim woman in her 50’s cleared her throat.
“Welcome back everyone! I hope you’re all rested and recharged after the break! It’s great to see you all and especially one or two new faces. As you know, Sally in reception had her little boy in August so Amanda will be joining us to cover for her! Hello Amanda!” A woman with thick glasses wearing a pinafore dress when bright scarlet and wiggles her fingers in acute embarrassment.
“And we are welcoming Nina and Gemma to years 2 and 4 respectively” Gemma smiled around at her new colleagues and waved.
“But of course you are all keen to meet the newest addition to Cinderhurst Primary. Our new executive head, Dominic Abraham.” The woman beamed in the direction of the door and Gemma turned to catch a glance of the newest stuffed shirt.
Hot tea spilled across her knees. “Shit!” She shrieked loudly, flapping her hands to try and disperse the scolding liquid. “God, Sorry! Oww!” Gemma glanced again at the doorway but, unfortunately, her eyes hadn’t been deceiving her. Mr Dominic Abraham exec head was none other than he of the firm thighage and Mediterranean blue eyes!
He ignored the spilled tea and strolled with confidence into the room.
“Thank you Janet! It is a pleasure to be here at the start of an exciting year for the school. As you may already have heard, I will be diving my time between Cinderhurst and St. Martins in Kingsclere. With that said, I fully intend to have a finger on the pulse of the day to day workings of both schools to ensure exceptional progress this year.”
This was met with a mixed response of enthusiastic clapping from Janet and a few others and eye rolling and sharp glances from one or two staff. It seemed Mr Abraham might have his work cut out for him at Cinderhurst.
As the meeting continued Gemma took the opportunity to examine Dominic more closely from under her lashes. He was dressed in yet another implacably tailored suit, his dark hair falling neatly to his collar. Those heavenly eyes roamed the staffroom with methodical calculation as though memorising every face. Gemma could suddenly feel herself coming under scrutiny. Heat spread from her chest, creeping up the scooped neckline of her Bardot dress. She flicked her gaze up.
Mistake.
She found herself pinned by an assessing blue stare. His eyes narrowed in recognition. Gemma thought she saw a slight pull at the corner of his firm mouth and then his eyes travelled on.
“If anyone has an enrichment activities planned then I’ve created a spreadsheet on staff shared entitled...” Janet stopped mid sentence as the staffroom door flew open and Max tumbled in, disheveled, roguish and unbelievably beautiful in creased slacks and a faded, short sleeves checked shirt.
“Sorry gorgeous!” He blew Janet a kiss and took a seat next to Nina who looked immensely pleased.
Unlike Dominic who had assumed the still, predatory posture of a bird of prey. His blue eyes had narrowed and those firm lips were drawn tight.
Seemingly oblivious Max waved at one or two staff members and reached out to grab a chocolate from the bowl on the coffee table in front of him. As he lifted his head he seemed to stare at something by her feet and, with a wide grin appearing on his full mouth, his gaze scorched its way up her legs, appraising every inch of her before lingering on her neckline.
Gemma squirmed in her seat. Oh my goodness but he was sex personified. His mouth curled to shape the words “hello you!” And she felt herself colour unbecomingly. He was still staring. A cough startled her into reality again.
Dominic was frowning in Max’s direction, his arms folded across his chest and a look of impatient disapproval etched across his features.
Gemma quickly looked down at her planner and tried to ignore both men.
The meeting was coming to an end and the staff were moving out, chattering and waving paper, to collect the student in.
She stood and scooped up her laptop and planner and was just heading for the door when two voices simultaneously called her name.
“Gemma!”
Closing her eyes Gemma pasted a smile on her face before turning to respond to the two most devastatingly handsome men she had ever seen.
Max reaches her first and his arm cane around her waist as his lips met her cheek. “You decided to turn up today then? We didn’t scare you off yesterday!?” He grinned and Gemma found herself smiling at his boyish exuberance. “I better get myself sorted” he said raising a comical eyebrow “besides, the big bad boss wants a word with you and I don’t think I’ve made the best of first impressions!”. He looked pleased with himself and gave her a suggestive wink as he sauntered past “see you in here for something hot and sweet at breaktime gorgeous!”.
Gemma turned back to Dominic the smile dying on her lip as she took in the glacial coolness of his eyes and the tightly clenched jaw.
“You wanted to speak to me?” Her voice came out slightly squeaky and she winced.
Dominic gave her a long, measured look. “I wanted to apologise. Yesterday when I saw you I should have introduced myself. It was rude of me not to. I hadn’t intended to be here as I was setting up down at St Martins.”
Gemma let go of the breath she had been holding. “Oh, no problem” she gushed “I didn’t think you were rude! Just a little odd! Ha!” She laughed and then stopped and bit her lip. Again, that tiny tug at the corner of his mouth.
“Well, welcome to the staff. I hope you settle in well”
“Thanks” she said and turned to go.
“Oh and Gemma?!”
His voice was serious
“I should make it very clear that I do not approve of inter staff dalliances so may I suggest that Mr Cuthbert and yourself refrain from undressing one another with your eyes during morning briefing from now on”
Before she could respond Dominic had gone, shutting the door behind him leaving Gemma mouthing like an angry carp.
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