Free Mr Malloy: A BWWM Teacher-Student Romance by Cherry Kay

would give the old man quite a surprise. He had been so busy with their plans and his classes that he hadn't been walking past Mr. Finchley's house during the hours when the old man was out. He'd missed seeing him. This was the first chance he'd gotten to actually talk with him since they had been married.
    Mr. Finchley's eyes grew wide and a smile spread over his face. "Your wife! Well, what an honor and a pleasure to meet you, Miss Amara, and may I say what a beautiful bride you are."
    She grinned and thanked him, shaking his hand and leaning down to pet Teddy Boy and play with him for a moment.
    "I leave you alone for a few weeks and you get married? I didn't even know you had a lady friend!" Mr. Finchley said, looking slightly disturbed. "I must be slipping!"
    Jason laughed and shook his head. "No, Mr. Finchley, you aren't slipping, it was a fast marriage. We were seeing each other and her student visa has had some problems, so they were going to send her back to South Africa, but I just couldn't let them do it. I just couldn't let her go." He said, looking down at her as she played with Teddy Boy, and his heart flipped over in his chest.
    Mr. Finchley's eyes narrowed and he looked from Jason down to the young woman with his dog, and then he looked back up at Jason. "Would this be the young lady who is your star student?" he asked keenly.
    Jason felt his heart tighten as he nodded with a smile. Mr. Finchley never missed anything. Ever. "She sure is. I'm a lucky man."
    Mr. Finchley was quiet for a long moment, watching Jason, and then watching Amara, who let Teddy Boy lay in the grass as she stood up beside her husband and looked back at him.
    "Mmmhmmm." He hummed slowly, and Jason knew they were found out.
    "Well, that certainly explains that old nosy fool." Mr. Finchley said with a grimace.
    Jason's brow furrowed. "...old nosy fool?" he asked in confusion.
    Mr. Finchley inclined his head toward a bench that was almost hidden by a tree a short distance away from them.
    " That nosy old fool." he repeated. "and his young friend behind me. They think they're so slick. Mrs. Harrison's old 1973 Buick is less obvious going down the street on a cold day than those two are trying to hide out and be invisible."
    As they looked, they saw that Harold was sitting on the bench trying to hide behind a newspaper and watch them all, simultaneously.
    "I chased him out of both of our yards twice over the last couple of days. I wondered what he was doing poking around. Now I know." he coughed lightly. "Damn immigration agents."
    Jason looked uncomfortable and he tried to think of something to say, but Mr. Finchley looked directly at him and said firmly, "As I always say, Jason, there's at least one in every class who could make a difference in the world if they only get the chance to do it. It takes a damn good teacher, and sometimes a good friend, to give that person the chance they need. I'm proud of you, Jason. You're a good man. You're a damn good man." He coughed lightly once more and looked at Amara.
    "Well, it's been my pleasure to meet you, Miss Amara. I feel sure I'll be seeing you again sometime soon. I need to take Teddy Boy here for his treat." At the sound of the last word, the beagle who had been lying motionless in the grass in a pseudo sleep, was instantaneously up on all fours and ready to go, looking up at Mr. Finchley with an interested expression.
    Mr. Finchley chuckled. "Yes, well, there you have it. Good day, you two." He meandered off with his dog, and Jason and Amara watched him go with smiles and a light laugh.
    "He's so sweet! I adore him already!" Amara said.
    Jason nodded. "He's a keeper, that's for certain." He bit his lip though, knowing that their secret was no secret to Mr. Finchley, but also knowing that nothing in the world could be safer than their secret with the incomparable Mr. Finchley.
    *
    They went back to their picnic and they tried not to be disturbed by the sight of Harold on the bench in the grass