Teacher's Pet

By Veronica Bagby

Tagline: Will the reward be worth the regret?

That's what 41-year-old professor, Genevieve Bailey is asking herself. In a bold move, she's uprooted herself from the small midwestern town to the Big Apple in search of new challenges. Going from teaching high school to college, shouldn't be that difficult. Unless the students are anything like the hottie who wouldn't stop eyeballing her the very first day.

Sloane Maddox is an opportunist. Though he cares little about school, he does enough to get by. Being one of five children, he's ready to step out on his own, but instead, Sloane wishes to know more about Genevieve's mind and body. Heavy emphasis on the last one. Genevieve is the first woman who's managed to interest him this quick. 

Genevieve isn't sure if this risk is worth taking. Should she ignore Sloane and move on or have a rendezvous with the young man to fulfill all her fantasies. Age ain't nothing but a number, but the years between them and the fact he's her student pose additional problems. Issues, Genevieve is sure she doesn't want to deal with. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Triad Literary Books
• Release date: Apr 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386599807

Book preview

Chapter One

GEN, ARE YOU SURE THIS is a good idea? You’ve got a great job and made your life here. Why go anywhere else? 

Genevieve sighed heavily and shifted in her covered recliner. She pulled her legs up to her chest and leaned on her knee caps. Because I’m forty-one and have nothing but degrees and honors to show for it. It’s time for some adventure.

But I’ve heard such scary things about New York. Wasculoosa isn’t good enough for you anymore?

No, it’s not that. I’ve just grown out of this place. I’ve lived here all my life. Both of my parents live in Vegas, my sister attends college in Los Angeles. It’s time I went somewhere too. I told you to come with me.

I know you did. I can’t do it, Gen. I love this place too much. I’ve got a great job and I don’t feel like starting over. Don’t you see how daunting that is?

I do, but I can’t let it stop me. Genevieve picked up the brochure she’d received from her new place of employment, Lawndale University in New York City. The college had over twelve thousand students attending, which was almost half the people who lived in Wasculoosa.

"I get it, Gen, but why New York?"

Lara, I already told you. I want to go where all the action is. Big city, big dreams, you know? You can visit anytime you want.

It’s so far away from our little Midwestern town, but I’ll make the trip someday if I can get the time off.

Come during the summer when the kids are out, Genevieve said, placing the brochure on the side table. It’ll be fun. Just like when we went away to Chicago.

Oh God, I remember that. I was so scared. All those people, the buildings. And just think that was almost fifteen years ago.

Don’t remind me. Genevieve shook her head and looked at her nails. It was definitely time for a manicure after she’d packed up most of her stuff on her own. Most of her belongings were on their way to New York already. Tomorrow, a couple of guys would be coming to grab her furniture she’d donated to charity. Once that was done, she’d spend the night at Lara’s before making the two hours plus trip to the Big Apple to her new condominium in Upper East Side Manhattan.

Lara giggled. We’re older women, now, Gen.

It sounds better to say seasoned or mature. And that’s precisely the reason why it’s time to try something new. Don’t you think it’s a little ridiculous we haven’t traveled more at our age? Other than the trip to Chicago, and my trips to Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, and Puerto Vallarta, I haven’t been anywhere. It’s time to live a little.

With so much going on, who wants to go to different places? Don’t you watch the news? Those foreign countries have terrorists bombing places and people running around knifing folks.

And here we have citizens who value their right to bear arms over the lives of their fellow Americans, Genevieve sighed inwardly. Don’t get me started. I might just slip up and get all philosophical on you.

Oh, I know you will. Miss psychology teacher who always tries to figure out what makes people tick. You sure you don’t want to open a private practice?

"I thought about it. Maybe after I settle down with a man. I’ve focused so much on my career, I sort of forgot about my personal needs."

Forgot? Lara laughed. More like you ignored them completely, right?

"Yes, that too. I wanted to be the tops in my classes and make my students confident as they graduated. Now that I’ve done that here, I want to do it elsewhere, and find a man."

Gen, there’s available men here. You never even gave them a look.

Genevieve realized she might’ve been a little harsh on some of the guys in Wasculoosa, but she couldn’t help it. Because she was so busy, she hadn’t taken a whole lot of time to date, but when she did, none of them remotely tickled her fancy.

No, I didn’t because a lot of them didn’t have much in the way of goals and aspirations, Genevieve said. I need someone who has big dreams and puts the plans in place to achieve them. You can make the promises to do something, but without a plan, they’re just words.

Yes, yes, I know. I suppose that was the big difference between us. You always had the bigger goals. You started teaching, then went back to get your master’s and your doctorate in Psychology.

Goals are what sustain me and it’s even better when I achieve them. Genevieve shifted around in the chair again. Now, I’m moving to New York to meet new challenges and people. And somewhere in there, I’ll find a man who’ll sweep me off my feet.

In a place with millions of people, it will be hard.

Sure, it will, but that’s all part of the adventure.

Not really. I’d rather stay here where there aren’t so many.

You are the ultimate killjoy, Genevieve muttered to herself.

What was that?

Oh nothing. She listened to her friend talk. Lara was a small-town girl through and through, with no desire to leave.

However, Genevieve had bigger ideas and she wouldn’t wait any longer to try achieving them. Once she’d made up her mind to make the move, she’d gotten a fire in her belly that wouldn’t be extinguished. She would make this costly move on her own without looking back.

After all, you only live once and that was the opportunity to see the world for what it was. If she stayed in Wasculoosa for much longer, those dreams she’d been thinking about wouldn’t become a reality.

When she finished talking with Lara, Genevieve grabbed the brochure about her new place in Upper East Side Manhattan. Sure, the place was costing her a small fortune, but she had no real debts to speak of. Plus, she’d saved plenty of money over the years so this wouldn’t be terribly hard. Her parents were shocked about the price tag when they visited with her, but she reminded them of the huge purchase they’d made themselves.

Flipping through the small catalog, she eyed the picturesque windows and high ceilings. The condo had a huge lobby, decked out in grey and soft brown tones, as well as an indoor pool, a fitness center, and a small convenience store on the first level.

Even better, the place was already furnished which was worked into the price as well as the condo fees. Although she’d miss the furniture she’d collected over the years, Genevieve was excited to start over. With this kind of move, she figured why not wipe the whole slate clean? Other than the keepsakes and her wardrobe which also needed a slight upgrade, Genevieve would truly be starting from scratch. And with that, also came an attitude adjustment she believed she sorely needed in this new venture. She’d been ambitious with her career, but not in anything else. It was time for that to change too because with the transformation, Genevieve would need to act a little differently. Not by going too crazy but take a few more chances in her personal life that she wouldn’t have done before.

Besides, what fun would the change be if she didn’t take some risks? Genevieve needed a jumpstart to her