Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
EMMA
Levi: Have fun and don’t worry about us. Happy birthday, Kami.
Jake: Make sure to get fucked up!!!
I snort at Jake’s text.
Me: Happy birthday, bestie. Can’t wait for Tuesday <3
I start typing up a message to send to the Scooby Gang group chat to see if Levi or Jake is willing to go out and do something this weekend. Levi and Stevie usually invite Jake and me over to their apartment when we don’t have any other big plans.
As I’m about to hit send, a perfectly manicured hand waves in front of my face. I look up to find Samantha smiling down at me, and I swear I see a twinkle in her eyes.
That’s weird.
“Hey, Samantha,” I say, putting my phone down.
The office is hectic as usual on Fridays, but I’ve turned in my work and have nothing to do except read and text while waiting for Grayson’s decision.
I even had time to help Ben with his work, where I saw how he, Amelia, and Oliver fixed all the pictures to line up with the articles.
“Hey, Em!” I raise a brow. I’m not very close to Samantha.
She seems nice and is a great journalist—one of the best—but she’s part of the clique made up of writers who’ve been here the longest. They can be snobbish at times.
My only friend here has turned out to be Ben.
As much as I love writing, it’s been a bit lonely not being invited to go out for drinks or dinner after we’re done with work by the other writers.
“How’s the article on Professor Hayes going?”
Okay, this makes more sense. I was wondering when she was going to ask about the piece that came from the interview she was supposed to do. I was trying to avoid making any enemies at the paper, but I have a feeling she’s the envious type.
Leaning forward, I nod and say, “It’s going okay, why?”
She shrugs. “Just curious…and I heard he was superhot.” She waggles her eyebrows.
I laugh. “He’s not terrible to look at.”
Samantha shoves my shoulder lightly. “Emma! Look at you. I only hope he says yes to the feature.”
My eyebrows turn inward. “How do you know it’s a feature?”
“Everyone does.” She waves a hand around the room. “Everyone overhears everything here. I swear, there’s no privacy.”
Nodding, I lean back. “Makes sense.”
She smiles widely again. “To be frank, I came over here to ask if you wanted to join me and a couple of the other writers for a late dinner next Thursday?”
My ears perk up at the invitation I’ve been waiting for, for weeks. Maybe she isn’t envious after all. Even if she is, it’s still a chance to get to know the other reporters on the paper.
“Dinner?”
“Unless you have other plans,” she quickly adds.
I snicker. “It’s one of those rare days where I don’t have plans yet.”
Samantha giggles. “It’s fate.” My grin grows. “We’ll be at the new French restaurant in town at eight thirty on Thursday, then.”
Wow, fancy place.
“Simone’s?”
She nods. “That’s the one.” Someone calls her name from the other side of the office. “Gotta go, but I’ll see you next week.”
“Cool.” As she walks away, I check my inbox one more time before leaving and see an email that has me staring at the screen, my heart in my throat.
From: Prof. Grayson Hayes
Subject: Article
Tapping one heel under the table, my hand hovers over the mouse, and I wait until I’m brave enough to see the entire message.
Ms. Haywood,
I’ve considered your offer and agree to the profile under these conditions:
You can attend one lecture and one lab.
You may visit the soup kitchen once.
No photo shoot.
You may ask me any questions and complete the above tasks within a month.
Professor Hayes
I can practically feel the smoke fuming out of my ears. This is what he thinks the deal’s going to be? It’s complete bullshit.
Time to bring out the big guns.
Good afternoon, Professor,
Thank you for getting back to me and for providing your well-organized conditions. However, to write an article that does justice to both of us, I’ll need a bit more flexibility.
Here is my counteroffer:
You let me sit in on five of your lectures and five of your labs.
I’d like to visit and volunteer at the soup kitchen for four days.
A one-hour-long photo shoot.
Two and a half months.
Best,
Ms. Haywood
I lean back and smirk as I hit send. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it, Professor. I don’t need the full two and a half months, but I’ll take it down, making it seem like he at least has that in his favor.
Five minutes pass, then seven, then ten. Still no response.
Crap, I was too aggressive.
I did go up a lot in the number of days, but heck, I was right about his conditions being too strict. Little does he know that it’ll be the surefire thing that’ll lessen.
Right as I’m getting my stuff together to leave, a ping sounds, and another email comes in.
I understand where you’re coming from, Ms. Haywood, just as I’m sure you understand where I am as well.
Here’s my next offer:
Two classes and two labs.
Two days of visiting and one day of volunteer work at the soup kitchen.
A half-hour photo shoot.
A month and a week.
Professor Hayes
I let out a surprised laugh. All right, that’s much better, but still not quite there. However, it seems I loosened him up with my email. Now it sounds like a real negotiation. This time, I don’t bother with the pleasantries.
Four lectures and labs.
Three days for both visiting and volunteering at the soup kitchen.
Unfortunately, the photo shoot has to be an hour long due to setup.
A month and a half.
Ms. Haywood
Not a moment later, there’s a short new message.
You sure are a stubborn little thing, aren’t you?
My face heats at his comment. He isn’t wrong. I am stubborn, but that doesn’t seem like something a professor would say.
That wasn’t a no.
A minute passes, and in my inbox sits a very clear response.
Fine.
Shit. Crap. Oh my God. I did it…but it was way too easy, and nothing is ever this easy for me.
Whatever it is he might have up his sleeve, I’m too close to closing this deal to say anything besides what’s necessary to seal it. So, I respond with what I need to, while my heart almost leaps out of my chest as I hit send.
What does your schedule look like?
Ms. Haywood
My lectures are on Wednesdays from six until seven thirty p.m., and my labs are on Thursdays from four to seven p.m. Come to whichever one you want.
Professor Hayes
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Blood rushes through my ears, and each thud grows louder as my nerves race. His schedule aligns perfectly with mine. I stand up, ready to take the final step in sealing my fate for the rest of the semester by telling Amelia the good news.
Anxiety still courses through me after talking to Amelia, so I decide to start a small group chat with Levi and Jake. I prefer to leave Kami to enjoy her birthday and sex anniversary in peace.
Me: I need to get drunk, no questions asked.
Levi: Bar or my place?
Me: Bar and please bring Stevie.
Levi: I gotcha -Stevie
Stevie doesn’t drink due to her medical condition, and Levi only gets tipsy. I’ll be a handful for them tonight.
Jake: See you in King’s Wolf in two hours, Ems. Tequila shots are on me!