At 16, Stacy Evans dropped out of high school in the hopes of moving on with his life. But four years later, he's stuck in an abusive relationship with Lamar, a "friend with benefits," and works long hours at a dead-end job just to get by.<br><br>Then his mother enrolls him in a program to earn his GED. There he meets Darian, a woodshop teacher who is everything Stacy's friends are not -- smart, successful ... and who seems to take a personal interest in helping Stacy turn his life around. The two develop a rapport that keeps Stacy after school just to spend extra time with him. In intimate moments alone, they grow closer than just student and teacher.<br><br>On the right track for once, Stacy has a chance to choose between his troublesome past and a promising future with Darian. But his jealous friends won't let him go so easily.

Stepping Up to the Plate

Across the table, Darian kept throwing quick glances his way. Stacy tried to anticipate them—usually they came after James said something silly. Darian would laugh, and Stacy would look up in time to catch his eye before he turned back to his son. As if watching his reaction to the boy, perhaps. Was it more than that? He didn’t know, and his mind refused to think with the kid next to him, leaning against his arm or digging a spiny elbow into his thigh. Stacy wished James would turn off the motor mouth long enough for him to figure it out. Would this go on all night?


After lunch it was back to work. Stacy got a short reprieve when he turned on the table saw and finally drowned out the sound of James’s voice. The boy sat at Darian’s desk, running the Happy Meal car over and around stacks of paper while his father and Stacy worked.


Chapter 97