Free Stronger By Your Side (Great Love Book 2) by A. Hart Page B

was on my way out the door when I spotted her. At first, I just stared at her thinking that she was like the eight hundred other black-haired girls that I had thought were her over the past eight years. Then when she slightly turned and I caught the flicker of her gray eyes in the firelight, I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was real.
    I had no idea how it happened, all I know is that it did. I had finally found her, and when that asshole took her away my heart physically ached with the worry that I wouldn’t be so lucky to run into her again. I hoped that I was wrong. I would check online and see if she created a Facebook profile recently. I doubted it, but maybe, just maybe. I took a deep breath, started up my Lincoln Fire Department truck and began my short drive back to the firehouse to finish my shift.
 
    Megan
     
    It had been three days since my run-in with Sawyer, and I was still in shock. I thought about hopping online and looking for him on Facebook. I didn’t have an account, but I still could, maybe. No, it was a bad idea. It was an impulse I had stopped many times before. It was also my first official day teaching at Wheatland Elementary School and Charlotte’s first day in her preschool class. I had dropped her off expecting her to cry, but she didn’t. She ran off with one of her friends from Sunday school without so much as a goodbye.
    I was glad that she was excited for school, but I also missed my baby girl already. The summer with her had been nice, but I guess it was time for me to get back to work. I walked into the office, nervous as a sinner on Sunday. It’s not like I hadn’t been to the school yet. I had worked on my classroom for several days since I arrived. It was just that the first day was always nerve-wracking. You had names and sometimes pictures of students, but because they were kindergarteners, their files were empty. They were blank canvases, so you had no idea what kind of group you were getting. I knew once I got in front of the kids I would be fine.
    I smiled at the sweet, gray-haired lady that sat at the front desk. “Good Morning, Gracie.”
    She looked up at me with a sweet smile. “Well, Good Morning, Miss Maxwell, there are donuts and coffee in the breakroom from Jules.”
    I smiled. “Thanks!” She waved her hand at me as I began to walk back. “You’ll do great, Dear.”
    I got my coffee and donut from the breakroom, talked to a couple of the other teachers that I had gotten to know over the last week, and walked back to my room. It felt very important, like I was about to conquer the world. Maybe it was being in a new place, or maybe it was returning back to work after a long summer off, but I was ready to shape some little minds.
    After I set up the classroom and finished my treats I took a final, deep breath. This was it. I stood, propping the door open as the bell rang, and I waited for the sound of children. A moment later, I was greeted by a long line of smiling little children, with backpacks that were as big as them, and nervous parents kissing them goodbye. I smiled, genuinely happy to see the kids’ little faces, and waved to the parents.
    “Good Morning. We’re going to have a great day.” The parents all nervously smiled back at me and then, with watching eyes, slowly began to leave. Luckily I only had one crier, who clung to her Mom, but I quickly made her feel comfortable with my bubbly teacher voice and then paired her with a friend she knew to walk her inside. Mom was grateful and shook my hand.
    This was always my favorite part, getting to know the kiddos as little humans with big futures, futures that I would start the path for. No pressure or anything. I got down on my knees so I could be at their eye level. As they came up to me, I shook their hands and told them my name and then asked for theirs. After they said their names, I gave each one a unique compliment—their smile, their hair, their shoes—and asked them to sit on the