Read Crane for Free Online

office door before Ireland could accuse Amber of being some sort of voodoo mind-reader or an android—but she was convinced the girl was one or the other.
    “Your first office visit!” Amber’s shoulder s raised with her high-pitched squeal of delight.
    Ireland stared for a beat, her glance fl icking around the narrow office as she tried to figure how she would maneuver to the door around Amber, who seemed to be firmly planted. Unless she learned to crawl across the ceiling Spidey-style in the next five seconds, it wasn’t going to happen. With no other choice, she leaned in toward Amber to whisper, “One of us should get the door.”
    “Oh! Allow me!” Amber gushed . Turning on the heel of her brown shoe, she led with the black one to take the stride and a half to the door.
    Opening it a crack, she peeked out, then glanced back over her shoulder to whisper in a soft but urgent tone, “It’s Principal Edwards and a student.”
    “You can let them in,” Ireland whispered back.
    The door squeaked o n its hinges as Amber pulled it open and took a meek step into the background.
    “Miss Crane, do you have a second?” Principal Edwards asked with a painfully forced smile.
    “Absolutely.” Ireland wet her lips anxiously as her gaze darted from the principal to the student and back again.
    Amber snuck out, and quietly shut the door behind her. Principal Naomi Edwards folded her hands in front of her, her voluptuous figure putting strain on the buttons of her eggplant-colored blazer. Beside her stood a cute, golden-haired teen whose arrogant swagger and cocky leer made him look like a stand-in on a CW show.
    “Miss Crane, this is Mason Van Brunt. It seems he couldn’t get through the first day of school without being sent down to see me.” The principal’s full lips pursed while she cast a disapproving glance at the disinterested teen. “Which makes a consecutive four for four of his high school career. This time he sexually harassed our fifty-year-old PE teacher, who also happens to be a Tai Kwon Do instructor.” Out of the corner of her mouth, she muttered, “You’re lucky she didn’t kick your teeth out the back of your head.”
    Snorting his amusement, Mason tipped his head to peer up at her from under one hitched brow. “What can I say, I appreciate a well-maintained G.I.L.F.”
    Principal Edward’s forehead puckered in c onfusion. “A gilf?”
    “Grandma I’d like to—“
    “And that’s enough out of Mason!” Ireland rocketed out of her chair, cutting off the teen’s off-color comment.
    “ Anyway ,” the principal continued, shooting Ireland an exasperated eye roll, “Mr. Van Brunt’s parents have been notified, and they are on their way to collect him.” She handed his file off to Ireland, then stabbed one French manicured finger at the chair, gesturing for him to sit. “Until they arrive, I thought you two could get acquainted, maybe even figure out what demons lurk in him that make him act a fool at any given moment.”
    Mason didn’t argue, but flopped down in the chair. Principal Edwards gave Ireland a quick nod and mouthed the words “good luck” before pulling the office door shut behind her.
    Ireland suppressed a nervous gulp. Sure, she’d taken the necessary classes, had done all the specialized training, and on paper was more than qualified for this job. However, this wasn’t a case study she would be graded on. This was the real deal. Stalling for time, Ireland leaned back in her chair and cracked open Mason’s file. She didn’t have to read long to get to the disturbing parts. “Ya know, it’s hard to pick which offense in here is the most disturbing, but … I think I’m going to go with sexually assaulting the statue of the school mascot. That one has to be my favorite.”
    “What can I say …” He shrugged with what he probably thought was a flirty grin. Truth be known, it landed closer to stroke victim. “My charms are an acquired taste.”
    “Yeah, the