Epilogue
OLIVER
One Year Later
“Oh, hey, Professor,” my wife calls out across the campus green, grinning widely from where she’s perched on a bench. She holds out a coffee cup as I approach, and I take it gratefully, giving her a kiss before I take a sip.
“God, I needed this after that class,” I say with a laugh.
“None of them as well behaved as your favorite student?” she teases, bumping me with her shoulder when I sit beside her. “Can you believe this time last year, we were pretending to be nothing more than a Professor and a dedicated student?”
I raise a brow at her. “You mean, this time last year you were getting told off by the Dean for calling me Professor Hotty and stalking me on social media?” I tease, and she tips her head back with laughter.
“Well, he can’t tell me off anymore. I’m well within my rights to announce that my husband is – the hottest professor on campus,” she says, increasing her volume as she says the last part, causing a few nearby people to turn their heads.
“You’re just as much trouble now as you were then,” I tease back, squeezing her thigh.
“You love me for it,” she laughs.
“You know I do,” I agree, lowering my voice to add, “But just because you’ve graduated now doesn’t mean I won’t bend you over a desk and spank you for misbehaving."
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” she flirts back, winking.
“You said you had news?” I ask, wrapping my arm around her waist and tugging her a little closer.
I know I’m at my place of work but it’s impossible not to touch her when she’s right beside me.
Besides, it’s not like we haven’t done much, much worse things on this campus.
Or, much better things, depending on how you think about it.
“Oh, yes!” she says, perking up. “You remember the interview I had with the director I met at your show?”
I nod, thinking back to the art show and the photos I’d submitted.
They turned out excellently, and received a lot of praise from my peers and the other artists, but I refused to sell any of them even if I could’ve made some damn good money from the way people were talking.
But instead, they hang privately in our house, reminding us of the journey of our love.
“Well, he called me today…” she says, drawing out the tension. “And he wants to hire me!”
I quickly set my coffee cup down on the bench and then jump up, picking her up and spinning her around.
“That’s incredible, gorgeous,” I say, beaming with pride, as I set her down. She’s grinning from ear to ear.
“Right?! I’m so excited,” she says, bouncing on her feet. “And the pay is insane. Way more than I ever thought I’d make this soon.”
“I’m so fucking proud of you,” I tell her, pulling her back to me and kissing her, not caring who sees us.
“So … well,” she looks down, “it’s just a pity I had to turn him down.”
“Huh?”
She places one hand delicately over her belly, and looks up at me sideways. “I also confirmed today that your dream of a future with a child is going to come true.”
“Wh – no!” We lock eyes. No words, just our longest hug ever. I never want to let go of her.
Finally, after the world starts spinning again, we both slowly unwind our hug and she dabs at her eyes, “Maybe,” I whisper, “there’s a demand for pregnant models.”
Her elbow digs deep into my ribs, and we both laugh out loud.
Now we have some important planning to do.
Emma is so much more than just my hot muse, my partner, my wife.
I let the magnitude settle in for a quiet minute as we sit there together on the campus where it all began.
“Professor, Daddy,” she mumbles quietly to herself.
“I’m wondering if the Library is still open? ”
The college bells begin to peel.
The End
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