Single Dad Tutored A Child, Not Knowing The Mom Was A Millionaire Who’d Soon Love Him
The Heights of Lake View
When Zach opened the email later that evening after putting Emma to bed, he nearly choked on his reheated pasta. The address was in Lake View Heights, the most exclusive neighborhood in town.
People like him didn’t even drive through those streets unless they were delivering something. The next afternoon, after arranging for Emma to stay with Mrs. Peterson, Zach drove his 15-year-old Honda.
He drove through the imposing gates of Lake View Heights. He double-checked the address several times before pulling into the circular driveway of what could only be described as a mansion.
A security guard approached his car. “Mr. Larson, ID please.”
After verifying his identity, the guard directed him to park near the side entrance. Zach gathered his teaching materials, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his secondhand blazer and scuffed shoes.
The door opened before he could knock, revealing a small girl with auburn hair and serious brown eyes. “Are you the math teacher?”
“I am. You must be Lily,” Zach said with a warm smile. The girl nodded solemnly.
“Mom said you’re going to help me not be afraid of fractions anymore.” “That’s right. Fractions are actually friendly once you get to know them.”
A woman’s voice called from inside. “Lily, don’t leave Mr. Larson standing on the doorstep.”
Zach stepped into a foyer larger than his entire apartment. The interior was tastefully decorated in neutral tones with art that probably cost more than his annual income adorning the walls.
But what caught his attention was the woman descending the curved staircase. She was striking, tall, and graceful, with chestnut hair pulled back in a simple ponytail.
She wore what had to be designer jeans and a casual silk blouse. She extended her hand with a warm smile. “Mr. Larson, I’m Blair Wright. Thank you so much for agreeing to help Lily.”
Her handshake was firm, her eyes a clear intelligent green that seemed to assess him in an instant. Zach felt suddenly tongue-tied, which hadn’t happened since his college days.
“Please call me Zach,” he finally managed. “And it’s my pleasure. I love helping kids discover that math can actually be fun.”
Blair Wright raised an eyebrow. “If you can convince Lily of that, you’ll have earned every penny of your fee.”
For the next hour, Zach worked with Lily at a table in the morning room. This sun-filled space overlooked gardens that extended farther than he could see.
The girl was bright but anxious about math, freezing whenever faced with problems involving fractions or decimals. “What happens when you make a mistake in math?” Zach asked her gently.
Lily looked at him with those serious eyes. “I get it wrong.” “And what happens then?”
She blinked. “I… I don’t know.” “Nothing happens,” Zach said with a smile.
“You just try again. That’s the great thing about math. It always gives you another chance.”
From the doorway, Blair watched them with a contemplative expression on her face. When the session ended, she walked him to the door.
“You’re good with her,” she said. “Lily’s teacher mentioned you have a daughter, Emma.”
“She’s 10,” Zach replied, unable to keep the pride from his voice. He pulled out his phone to show her a picture of Emma with her science fair project.
“She looks like you,” Blair observed. “Same determined expression.”
“She’s a thousand times smarter than I am,” Zach laughed. “And just as stubborn.”
“Lily’s father isn’t in the picture,” Blair said suddenly, then looked surprised at her own admission. “Sorry, that was unnecessarily personal.”
“No, I understand,” Zach said. “Emma’s mom left three years ago. She decided family life wasn’t for her after all.”
Something flickered in Blair’s eyes, perhaps recognition. “Perhaps Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. would work best for Lily’s schedule, if that’s possible for you.”
“That works perfectly,” Zach said, already calculating how he could rearrange his other students. “See you Thursday.”
Driving home, Zach couldn’t help but wonder about Blair Wright. The diamond on her left hand had been substantial, but there had been no mention of a husband.
Her demeanor had been friendly but guarded, and that house spoke of wealth beyond his comprehension. Not that it mattered; she was a client paying him to teach her daughter, nothing more.
Thursday’s session went even better than the first. Lily had completed all her homework and seemed less anxious about making mistakes.
When they finished, Blair invited him to stay for a cup of coffee. “I’d like to discuss Lily’s progress,” she explained, leading him to a kitchen that would have made professional chefs envious.
As they talked, Zach learned that Blair ran her own investment firm, which she had built from scratch over the past 12 years. “I’m impressed,” he said.
“Honestly, building something like that takes incredible dedication.” Blair shrugged.
“It means a lot of late nights. Sometimes I worry Lily pays the price for my career.”
“Every parent feels that way sometimes,” Zach assured her. “We’re all just doing our best.”
Their conversation flowed naturally, and Zach found himself sharing stories about Emma’s latest exploits and his own journey into teaching.
It was only when his phone alarm buzzed that he realized they’d been talking for nearly an hour. “I’m sorry, I need to pick up Emma,” he explained, standing reluctantly.
“Of course,” Blair said. “Thank you again for working with Lily. She mentioned that you made fractions not so scary today, which is high praise from her.”
