A Modern Love Christmas Read online

  “How do you know, Coach?”

  I open the door and wait for him to walk through.

  “Because I was you at one time. And another piece of advice?” He waits for me on the other side of the door. “Don’t go listening to your friends. They usually give shit advice and, honestly, you usually get a lot more experience with a girlfriend then by flipping around with multiple girls. Teenage boys have shit for brains. Don’t listen to them.”

  I really don’t want to know how far he’s gotten with Becca. Especially with Phoenix and Sedona being the same age as Elijah.

  “Well, we have…” He looks up at me sheepishly.

  “That’s a conversation I don’t want to hear and no one else should either. Don’t be a dick and kiss and tell.”

  The bell rings. “Go to class.”

  He turns around. “You mean assembly.”

  “Assembly?”

  We walk out into the hallway where everyone is filing toward the auditorium.

  “Yeah, remember Principal Miller had the baby?”

  Shit. Now I’m running my fingers through my hair. All the teenage angst this morning had me forgetting that we all have to meet the new Principal of Lake Starlight High School this morning. The last principal I’ll ever be under because next year I’m heading to the college level—I hope.

  “Yeah. Go. You don’t want to be late.”

  “Thanks Coach…for everything.” He jogs down the hall, catching up to his friends.

  I turn to go through the back entrance since I’ll have to sit in a chair in front of all the students so that we appear as a united front for the new principal. A symbol that says we have their back.

  I run smack dab into Fay Murphy, the office assistant.

  “Hey, Fay.”

  “I’m so happy I found you.”

  She seems a tad flustered, and her face has that beet red overlay she gets when Principal Miller used to reprimand her for not refilling her stapler. It’ll be a nice change around here without that dictator. Let me tell you—pregnant women do not like it when they have to give up coffee—something we all paid the price for.

  “What’s up?” I start walking because we’re going to be late if we don’t hurry.

  “We need you to introduce Principal Radcliffe.” She peers behind me and then pushes up on her tiptoes to whisper in my ear. “Dick, I mean Vice Principal Ealey, called in this morning. I think he was still…”

  Fay doesn’t have to finish the sentence. Dick Ealey went through a very public divorce last year and has been spending a lot of his time at the Lucky Tavern drowning in a helluva lot more than his sorrows.

  “Why me?”

  She hands me a piece of paper. “The kids look up to you and everyone thinks that the kids will welcome Principal Radcliffe if you introduce her.”

  Her. Another woman.

  Hopefully, this one is well caffeinated and not pregnant. We’ll all stand a better chance that way.

  I accept the piece of paper, looking over what I need to say.

  “Fine.”

  I’m not scared of public speaking. I’ve got two teenage girls at home. You don’t know a hostile environment until you’re trying to break up a fight between those two.

  “You’re the best, Austin.” Fay squeezes my forearm and walks down the hall.

  My footsteps slow as I read over the new principal’s bio. What the hell is a Yale graduate doing in Alaska at Lake Starlight High School? I fold up the piece of paper, after skimming over her education. I can wing it from there, besides the kids could care less about what’s printed on that sheet.

  Heading into the auditorium, I search out the new face of our principal, but I know everyone here.

  “She’s running a tad late, so if you could stall, I’ll tap you on the shoulder when it's safe to announce her,” Fay informs me.

  “I’m not a zoo keeper.”

  Fay laughs.

  I will not miss this part of my job next year. I sure hope when I decide to stroll in during second period, Principal Radcliffe doesn’t raise a paddle to my ass.

  Before I realize it, I’m in front of the podium, clearing my throat. My gaze searches out Sedona who rolls her eyes and looks away. I have no fucking clue why she’s so embarrassed of me. I mean, look at me. Six foot two, two ten, short and neat haircut. I work out four times a week, hike, bike, ski. My muscles aren’t from just the gym…

  Okay before I keep sounding like a male seeking female want ad, let’s get on with how my day went into the shitter in a matter of twenty minutes.

  I tell a few jokes, and the kids loosen up a bit. Maybe I should rethink the whole college baseball coach thing and go for standup comedy, I’m pretty good at this.

  Fay taps my shoulder and thank God because I’m running out of material. I pull the paper out of my back pocket and clear my throat one more time.

  “Alright everyone. We all know that Principal Miller has left us to enjoy her new baby and so we’re welcoming a new principal into our school. Our new principal for the remainder of the year is Dr. Radcliffe. She graduated from Yale with her doctorate in education. She comes here from the lower forty-eight, so make sure you give a big Alaskan welcome!” About half the kids in the auditorium clap while the rest of them stare at the stage with an expression that only a bunch of unimpressed and uninterested teenagers can manage. Time to grab their interest and get them to buy in. “Principal Radcliffe’s hobbies include streaking during football games, ferret racing, and taking surveys for money.”

  The kids roar with laughter finally looking like they’re interested and want to be here. Fay steps up and nudges me.

  “Sorry,” I mumble an apology. “We’ll bring Dr. Radcliffe out to explain her hobbies more in depth.” I turn from the podium at the sound of heels clicking across the stage.

  This is the part where my mouth drops open in surprise and my testicles jerk up seeking out protection.

  See the auburn-haired woman walking right toward me?

  The one who looks as pissed off as Sedona did when I honked my horn in the parking lot this morning?

  Yeah, that’s my new boss.

  The new Principal of Lake Starlight High School.

  I don’t believe in kissing and telling, but I’ll tell you—this is the first and only principal I’ve ever given an orgasm to in the backseat of my Jeep.

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  About the Author

  Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

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  Also by Piper Rayne

  The Modern Love World

  Charmed by the Bartender

  Hooked by the Boxer

  Mad about the Banker

  The Single Dad’s Club

  Real Deal

  Dirty Talker

  Sexy Beast

  Hollywood Hearts

  Mister Mom

  Animal Attraction

  Domestic Bliss

  Bedroom Games

  Cold as Ice

  On Thin Ice

  Break the Ice

  Charity Case

  Manic Monday

  Afternoon Delight

  Happy Hour

  Blue Collar Brothers

  Flirting with Fire

  Crushing on the Cop

  Engaged to the E
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