Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
Alis
“That’s all for today. Make sure to grab a hard copy of the syllabus on your way out if you don’t already have one, and don’t forget to complete this week’s reading before our next class.
” I disconnect my laptop from the lecture hall media before shutting it down and gathering my things into my messenger bag.
Not bad for my first time teaching in a decade.
Teaching is home for me. Until this morning I didn’t realize just how displaced I’ve felt since I left school.
Maybe displaced isn’t the right word. I’ve just focused so much of my energy on other people for so long.
Now that I’m doing something for myself, it feels like I’m breathing new air, seeing brighter colors.
I don’t regret leaving school to raise Sunny. I don’t regret moving home, working at the bookstore, or living with my parents. I needed time after Belle died — not just to adjust to motherhood, but also to grieve my best friend.
Sliding my messenger bag over my shoulder, I turn to walk toward the door when I see Brody sitting in the front row near the podium.
He has an athletic build, which I find strange for an English major.
Today he’s wearing a light blue button down with the sleeves rolled up his forearms and khaki pants that hug his muscular thighs.
Brody really is a good looking guy. He’s also twenty-five, so just …
no. If ever the day comes that I meet a man I want to spend the rest of my life with, I highly doubt he will be younger than I am.
I had to grow up at warp speed when I became a mother overnight, and considering men tend to mature much slower than women, I doubt I’ll meet a younger man I’d want as my life partner.
Brody’s sporting a half smile and he quickly scans my body before he meets my eyes. “Hey.” Does he really think I didn’t notice him checking me out?
“Hey. I didn’t hear you come in.” I hope I sound friendly and not flirty. I really don’t want to give this guy the wrong idea.
“Yeah, your students were filing out when I slipped in so you probably couldn’t hear me over the commotion. Ready for your tour?” He stands from the seat and gestures for me to walk ahead of him.
“Sure. Sounds good. I thought this morning we planned to meet by the gazebo?” I ask innocently as I pass by him on the way to the door.
“I know we did, but I remembered you mentioned teaching this class before our tour and I decided to fetch you here instead.” I can’t see his face, but I’m positive his tone is flirtatious.
Also, did he just say ‘fetch’? Am I a pail of water?
Who uses the word ‘fetch’ outside of talking to a dog?
Bro, you are definitely not going to make ‘fetch’ happen.
Regina, you’d be so proud of me right now.
We exit the room and turn down the hallway toward the exit. I am stuck in my head right now, assessing his flirtatious tone and strange word choice, so we walk in uncomfortable silence. I think he’s waiting for me to say something. I turn and look up at him and he’s already looking at me.
“So, uh, where do we begin?” I ask, adjusting my bag strap and plastering on a fake smile like I’m not an awkward turtle.
For the next hour Brody guides me around campus, pointing out the different department and classroom buildings, the library, the small plaza that includes a Barnes then decided to stay for grad school.”
“Cool.” I have no idea what to say from here. Why can’t I be better at carrying a conversation? It’s not difficult with Dexter. Shut up, brain!
Awkward silence settles between us as we continue walking around campus until I pull my phone from my pocket to check the time.
“Shoot. I’m sorry to cut this short, but I gotta run.” I look up at Brody apologetically. “I have to meet someone in ten minutes across campus and I don’t want to be late.”
Brody looks confused. “Meet someone? I thought we were supposed to have lunch at Nico’s after the tour?
” Ah, shit. I knew I forgot something. I saw the email from Deborah about meeting with Dexter — no, Dr. Belanger — yesterday and said yes without even thinking about lunch with Brody.
Then, once I realized I was double booked, I made a mental note to tell Brody this morning in class.
That mental note apparently flew right out of my brain as soon as it entered.
“I’m so sorry, I forgot to tell you earlier.” I hope he can see the sincerity in my eyes. “I’m grading for a few different professors this semester and one of them needs to meet with me at 11:30 today.”
Brody relaxes and looks relieved that I’m not ditching him just to get out of spending time with him.
Then, he gives me a soft smile and pivots toward east campus where the Languages and Literature offices are located.
“No problem. I’ll walk you. We can grab lunch another day. Which profs are you grading for?”
“Matthews, Miller, and Belanger.” Brody’s eyebrows raise. “Damn, woman. That’s a load, yeah?”
I laugh. “It is, but it’s not too bad so far. I only have to teach for Matthews — the other two just needed a grader.”
Brody still looks concerned at my workload rather than appeased.
“Seems like working for Matthews would be a fulltime job in itself. I can’t imagine adding two more profs on top of that.
And Belanger — doesn’t he teach French? That can’t be easy.
Don’t let them take advantage of you, okay?
You don’t want to burn out in your first semester. ”
His concern is sweet, but also unnecessary.
“I appreciate you looking out for me, but I promise I have everything under control. I’m only taking one class this semester so I could pace myself while readjusting to grad school.
I don’t have much of a social life, so it’s not like I’ll be neglecting any friends with the extra work.
Besides, Miller only teaches online courses and most of her stuff is automated.
And Belanger only teaches a few classes so it’s not really a burden. ”
Brody laughs and kicks a pinecone off the walking path and into the grass.
“Ok, Miss Badass. I think you underestimate how difficult grading for a foreign language prof can be. I graded for Dr. Morales before he retired and working through student translations was exhausting. Don’t come to me for help mid-French translation because I can’t even count to ten. ”
“You speak Spanish?” I ask, readjusting my messenger bag strap so it doesn’t cut into the side of my neck.
Brody shrugs his shoulders. “Kind of, yeah. I’m not fluent or anything but I can read it well. I’ve never been able to hear it, you know? So conversational Spanish is a no-go. As long as you can read French, I’m sure you can pull off grading for Belanger.”
I don’t want to lie and pretend like French is a challenge for me, but I also don’t want to embarrass Brody by brushing off his encouragement as if I’m somehow better than he was as a foreign languages grader. I settle for a middle ground.
“I should be good then,” I say and smile up at him. I elbow his arm playfully. “I’ll definitely vent to you if it turns out to be une prise de tête. Misery loves company and all.”
Brody chuckles as he shakes his head. “I have no idea what you just said, but I’m assuming it’s French.”
“I’d hope so, otherwise I’m grading for the wrong professor!”
We laugh and talk some more, eventually making it to the Languages and Literature building.
Just as I’m about to pull open the door and bid farewell to Brody, he reaches around and opens it for me, ushering me in before closing it behind himself.
Oh, so when he said he’d walk me he meant all the way to Dr. Belanger’s office.
Just what I need — to show up with another man.
As we enter Pod A, I find Deborah kneeling in a supply closet behind her desk. I don’t want to startle her, but by the way she’s huffing and talking to herself I deduce she needs help finding something. I set my bag down with a thump to signal my presence before speaking.
“Do you need help finding something, Deborah?” I ask. She sits up suddenly, smacking the top of her head on the shelf above her. So much for not startling her.
I rush around her desk and squat next to her inside the closet, placing my hand on her arm while she rubs her head with the other. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry I caught you off guard. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Oh, Aurora. It’s so nice to see you again. I know I have a package of paper plates somewhere in this closet, but they seem to have sprouted feet and walked away.”
“Paper plates? Do you need them for a meeting or something? I can grab some from the store after my meeting if you need them today,” I offer. “And please, call me Alis.”
“Alis, yes. We should contact IT and have them change the name on your student email account so it’s easier to remember. And you are so sweet for offering, but I actually need them for your lunch meeting that starts in,” she looks down at the watch on her wrist, “four minutes.”
As I help Deborah back to her feet, I hear Brody’s voice just as he presses up against my back and reaches over my head to a higher shelf. “Found ‘em.”
He grabs the unopened package of paper plates and hands them to Deborah before the three of us exit the walk-in supply closet.
“Oh! Brody! So nice to see you.” Deborah beams at him affectionately. “How are you, dear? How’s Rebecca? I haven’t seen that girl since before summer break. She didn’t graduate, did she?”
Brody rubs the back of his neck, suddenly looking very uncomfortable. “It’s nice to see you, too. I’ve been good. And no, Rebecca won’t graduate for another year and a half. I actually haven’t spoken to her in a few months, but I assume she’s well.”
Deborah gives Brody a sympathetic smile and pats his arm. “I’m sorry to hear things didn’t work out.”
Before Brody can respond, Dexter walks out of his office and sees our trio talking in the waiting area. More specifically, he zeroes in on Brody standing to my right. He tightens his jaw before forcing a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.
Walking toward us, Dexter extends his hand in greeting. “Brody, I didn’t expect to see you today.”
Brody accepts his hand and offers a warm smile. “Dr. Belanger, it’s great to see you, sir. I was just showing Alis around campus when I found out you commandeered my lunch date for a work meeting.” Seriously, Brody? Date? Why the heck would you say that?
I laugh, awkwardly, not sure what to say in response to Dexter’s penetrating gaze and quirked eyebrow. Even his frustrated face is hot.
Brody releases Dexter’s hand and turns to place a hand on the small of my back. We’re touching now. Why are we touching? Quirked eyebrow gone; I feel the full force of his glare. Still hot, though much more intimidating.
“I’ll see you later, yeah?” Brody slowly moves his hand, grazing his fingers a bit before completely backing away. He no doubt felt how my body tensed as soon as he made contact. I try to smile at him and nod, but I’m pretty sure I just look constipated.
“Um, yeah. See you later.” I grasp my messenger bag strap tightly, rotating my grip back and forth to channel the nervous energy into my hands instead of my words. Brody winks at me before saying goodbye to Deborah and heading out of the pod and back into the hallway.
I look up at Dexter, and he looks pissed.
He has no reason to be. We aren’t dating — he’s one of my bosses for crying out loud.
He’s a professor, and I’m a student. And if I decide to date anyone else it’s really none of his business.
I thought I drew the line in the sand and he had decided to respect my boundaries.
Based on the possessive, jealous look in his eyes, I was mistaken.
Awesome. This meeting should be loads of fun.