The Billionaire Janitor Is Back! novel · Chapter 4 of 24

Chapter 4: Car Line

By seven forty on Tuesday, the car line stretched past the flagpole and out onto Mill Street.

I stood on the curb in my orange vest, where I had stood every school morning for nine years.

Today every window that rolled down had a question behind it.

I had slept badly, with a man on my sofa and a rule between us.

Mal stood three steps behind me with a push broom, doing the sidewalk.

He had not been asked to stand there.

He had just come out and started sweeping, in coveralls.

"You don't have to," I said.

"I know."

A white SUV pulled up to the curb and stopped hard.

The father who climbed out wore a quilted vest and a smile he'd been practicing in the mirror.

His daughter was in third grade, and I had taught her to read.

"Edie," he said, loud enough for the next six cars. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," I said.

"I just think the parents have a right to understand."

He looked Mal up and down, broom and all.

"You mop the girls' bathroom, buddy."

"And now you're sleeping in the Head's bed. How does that work, exactly?"

Every car in the line went still.

I stepped forward.

Mal put one hand on my shoulder, lightly, and stayed where he was.

"It works about the way you'd think," he said. "She's a good boss, and I'm a good husband. Your daughter left her retainer in the third-floor sink Thursday."

The father blinked.

"I put it in her cubby with a note, so she wouldn't get in trouble. You might ask her for it."

Somebody in the next car laughed.

The father went red up to the hairline.

"That's not the point."

"Then what is?" Mal said, mildly. "I'll answer anything. I've got a broom and an hour."

← Chapter 3 · All chapters · Chapter 5 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend