Chapter 5
FIVE
WARREN
The airport is crowded as hell. I wish I didn’t have a layover from our cruise port in Louisiana.
I should have left days ago to get back to campus to complete my lesson plans but getting Emma’s belongings from her ex’s house was a lot harder than we thought it would be.
Looking down at my bruised hand, I wish I’d kept my cool, but Emma’s ex-husband, Roy, made it hard. It’s been decades since I’ve gotten into a physical confrontation—the last time being when some kid pushed Emma when we were in the tenth grade—and thought those days were long behind me.
Luckily, after my punch landed, Roy got with the program, let Emma inside to pack her things, and let her leave without further interference.
We settled her in her new place hours away from her ex last night. I’d offered to stay a few more nights to make sure Roy didn’t pop up, but her best friend and his boyfriend live nearby and came over to stay with her.
I don’t like that she doesn’t live closer so I can protect her, but like she told me several times before I left, she’s a grown woman that can handle her asshat of an ex.
At least—
“Professor Bridge,” I hear and look over toward my gate. A smiling blond man hurries over to me.
He’s never been in my classes, but I think everyone knows who he is.
Chance Spencer, one of the best swimmers Meadowbrook has ever seen. He’s been in a few of Barb’s classes, but I haven’t had the pleasure. She tells me he’s really bright and studious, out of the ordinary for a man that’s both an athlete and in a frat.
Slipping my professional mask in place, I give him a bland smile and shake his outstretched hand. “Mr. Spencer. How are you?”
“I’m good.” He stuffs his hands in his jeans pockets and looks me over. “You got some good sun, huh?”
“Yes, I did, actually. My sister and I went on a cruise.”
“Nice. I love cruises.” He has more than enough money to take a cruise every day if he wanted.
He’s one of the wealthiest students at Meadowbrook, his grandfather a major donor with a building named after him.
“Your freckles are more prominent,” he says, pointing to my face.
My hand automatically goes up to my nose, dusting my fingers over where I have the tightest cluster of freckles.
“Is that bad?” I find myself asking, though it shouldn’t matter.
He’s a student. I shouldn’t ask if his comments mean anything.
I need to cut this conversation off now and find a quiet corner to work.
Rocking on his heels, he smiles and shakes his head. “Nah. They look good. Especially with the hair.” He tugs on the long strands, and I feel my face heat.
After being with Emma and her carefree ways, I haven’t gotten a haircut since I left Meadowbrook at the end of the semester, not even a trim. My hair now drifts a little past my shoulders when I ordinarily have it cut shorter.
Trying to push down the unexpected flattery, I say, “Thank you. How was your summer?”
His face shutters and the contrast is so sharp from his happy-go-lucky expression it’s like he’s a different person. “
It was fine,” he says. That’s it, no information about what he did or if he had a vacation himself.
We stand awkwardly for a few beats, people walking past us at a quick clip.
I open my mouth to tell him I have to go, but he talks over me and asks, “Will you get in trouble for being back late to school?”
Chuckling, I shake my head and say, “No, Mr. Spencer. If I’m late, I’m late. Nothing will happen.”
“You can call me Chance if you want.”
I dip my head in acknowledgement, but I don’t plan to call him anything else. Unless he’s in one of my classes, this will be our last conversation.
He jabs a finger over his shoulder. “Me and Thorne are sitting over there waiting for the flight to board. Want to join us?”
No is already forming my lips when I look over his shoulder and don’t see anyone. “I’m sorry, who?”
“Thorne…” he looks up at the ceiling and snaps his fingers. “Shit, I don’t know his last name. But he’s—” He stops talking when he looks over his shoulder and sees an empty chair. “Huh, guess he had to use the restroom. Anyway, want to—”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” an attendant at my gate says and Chance stops speaking to look over at her. “Thank you for flying Phoenix Airways. Because of mechanical malfunctions on your plane, your flight has been rescheduled for four thirty this evening.”
Groans sound from those assembled around my gate as I look down at my watch. Well, I have a free two hours to work on lesson plans I should have ironed out weeks ago.
But being around Emma makes me want to be blasé like her. She’s an artist and works when she wants, sometimes not waking up until well after noon. I didn’t go wild like she did, but I also didn’t catch up on any work while I was with her.
“Huh,” Chance says, shoulders drooping. “Guess we won’t be back home ‘til late. Come on, let me grab my bag and we can get lunch.”
“Oh, no,” I start, but Chance is already rushing over to where he left his backpack. I could easily walk off and leave him standing there, but I’d feel awful. He’s a nice kid, and he’s not really bothering me. I can finalize my lesson plans while we’re on the flight back.
When Chance returns, I gesture for him to lead me wherever he wants to go.
“Where did you go for your cruise?” he asks as we slowly walk toward the restaurants at the end of our concourse.
“Oh,” I say, not expecting him to make conversation. It makes me feel fluttery in a way I haven’t in years. “First we went to Puerto Rico, then St. Thomas, then a few of the other islands. Those are the ones we stayed the longest, though.”
“My dad has property in Puerto Rico.” I look up at him, wondering why his voice sounds hollow. “Anything not to pay his fair share.” He looks as if he sucked on a lemon, his lip curled in disgust.
There’s a story there, but it’s not my place to ask.
“It’s a nice place,” I say, trying to break the tension. “Lovely people.”
“Yeah, it’s beautiful,” Chance says distractedly as he looks around at some of the restaurants. “We can grab a burger or if you want to sit down, we can—Oh, Thorne! Hey!”
A slim but muscular man with black hair, tattoos covering every inch of visible skin except his face, and piercings in his lip, nose, and eyebrow stands at one of the restaurant doors, dressed in all black and looking over a menu. When his eyes land on Chance, he lets out an almost defeated sigh.
Thorne Zilman.
He’s been in one of my classes and, though he’s ridiculously smart, if I’m being honest, he scares me a little.
The vibes he gives off are intimidating, like he’s content to like you or hate you, depending on which way the wind blows.
He was nothing but kind—if antisocial—in my class, but the way he looks at people, as if he can see into their souls, is off-putting.
Like right now, his eyes rake over me, making me feel naked.
That thought has my cheeks heating again.
“Professor,” Thorne says when we approach him, his voice like silk. God, why is he making me feel…things when he only said one word?
“Mr. Zilman. Great to see you again.”
“Zilman!” Chance says excitedly. “I couldn’t think of your last name.”
Thorne flicks his eyes over to Chance. “Couldn’t think of my first name either.”
Chance’s cheeks turn pink, but he doesn’t drop his gaze or his grin. “Yeah, again, I’m sorry about that.” He looks over Thorne’s shoulder. “You planned to sit down here?”
“No time. Flight leaves soon.” Thorne looks down at his watch with a dip in his eyebrows.
“You didn’t hear the announcement?” I ask, and he switches his intense gaze to me. I swallow hard and finish with, “Mechanical problems with the plane. Flight was pushed back for a few hours.”
“Yeah,” Chance says, clapping Thorne on his arm. Thorne looks at the other man’s hand with a dry expression that Chance doesn’t see. “So we can all grab a bite. Come on, it’s on me.”
Thorne sighs, but shrugs and follows Chance. I look off to the side to find a place to sneak off to, but Thorne grabs my wrist and pulls me forward. “If I have to stay, so do you.”
With that, he drags me into the restaurant so we can eat with the most upbeat man I’ve ever met in my life.