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“Really?” I asked, not trusting that this was actually going to be dropped.
“Yes,” Professor Brereton replied. “You’re an excellent student, and your work is exceptional.”
“That sounds about right,” Amory replied. “If you want to get a milkshake—aka what you call a coffee—from the cart, we need to hurry up. Can’t be late for your next class.”
Perhaps it was shock or just sheer bewilderment, but I nodded my head. Amory waved a hand for me to walk in front of him, and my legs began moving, thankfully, as we headed for the door. I kept going, not stopping until we exited the building completely and were several feet from it.
Turning back around, I gawked at him. He just stood there, all relaxed, in his snug-fitting blue shirt that matched his eyes a little too well, faded jeans, brown leather belt, and boots.
“What was that?” I asked under my breath, not wanting anyone to hear us.
He leaned slightly closer to me. “It’s called saving your ass. At least, that is what most would consider it to be.”
I shook my head, and a short, unamused laugh fell from my lips. “That—how—I was—where did you come from? Were you the one who told? Why were you here?” My head was filled with a surge of questions and emotions. I didn’t know what to think or feel.
His dark brows drew together. “Me? You think I told someone? Why the fuck would I do that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. But you were right there. Barging in and scaring the man with the mention of your dad’s name—which, by the way, I’d also like an explanation for. None of what just happened makes sense.”
Amory reached for my books. “Here, let me carry these,” he replied, taking them from my arms. “Let’s walk so you can get your caffeine, and I’ll answer your accusatory questions—even though they sting.”
I pointed to the building behind him. “You were in there. What would you have me think? That you swooped in like Superman and saved me? Sorry, I’m not that naive.”
He chuckled. “No, you’re definitely not that. I take it, you won’t believe that I came to charm you? Waiting outside your class when you exited. Take you to get a coffee as I walked you to your next class.”
I shook my head. “Too much of a coincidence.”
He nodded toward the path. “I’ll talk as we head in the direction you need to be going. You’ll have to stop me when we reach your building though. I don’t know which one it is.”
He started to walk, and I fell into step behind him because he had my books. He was right; I didn’t need to be late. After what had just happened, walking into a class last would make me stand out. Although I wasn’t sure my heart could take another class today. I might need some time to accept that I wasn’t headed for jail after all.
“Truth is, I did come to charm you. You were on my mind all weekend, and I wasn’t ready to give up on getting you to agree to a date with me. I had it all planned out. Show up, perhaps make you laugh. Spend some time with you between classes. It was a well-laid-out attempt.
“But when you didn’t come out of the building when the class mass exited, I decided to see if you were inside. I thought perhaps I’d gotten your class wrong today. I parked a few cars over from your Vespa, so I knew you were here. When I reached the door, I looked in and saw the professor scowling at you with disapproval, and you were pale. I also knew the professor speaking to you when you weren’t a student enrolled in this college was bad.” He sighed, then paused to look down at me.
“My father is not only a Howison College alum, but it was also his endowment that built the football stadium. He golfs regularly with the president of the college. I’ll need to make a call to my father as soon as I get you to class and let him know what just happened so that he can help out and do some damage control, but his name was enough to shut down the professor from whatever he was about to do. Momentarily. He’ll hit a wall when he goes higher up with this, and that will be the end of it.”
It all sounded too easy. I didn’t trust easy.
“How can you be so sure? You think you can just call your dad and he’ll help me out? A girl who is sitting in classes here that she doesn’t pay for and doing assignments for other students at a price?” Saying it aloud made it sound even more unlikely. I was screwed.
“Technically, what you are doing is a self-audit. Many colleges even allow it. You might be sitting in them for free, but you aren’t getting a degree or credit for the courses. As for the work you are doing at a price, I’d call that using your skills, working with your strengths; it’s enterprising. My father respects an entrepreneur.”
I let out another laugh and shook my head. He was dead serious. There was no teasing laughter in his expression. He believed what he was saying. I, on the other hand, didn’t have as much faith in his father. That, and my heart rate still hadn’t returned to normal. I needed to go home and regroup. Decide how to proceed.
“If you are full of shit, then you are really good at the delivery,” I told him.
The corner of his mouth lifted into a crooked grin. “Thanks. I think. But I’m not full of shit. Just so we are clear.”
Whatever. My head was starting to hurt. I had to accept he’d been there at the right time and gotten me out of a bad situation even if it was temporarily.
“I’m not going to go to the next class. My head is pounding, my heart is still racing, and I need to think. Thanks for coming and for what you did back there. I can’t imagine I am worth the effort you are putting into trying to get me to go out with you. I must warn you that I’ll probably be a disappointment. Whatever you think about me is a lot less interesting than the reality. But you did save me, and I owe you one. So, text me later—tomorrow, whenever—and I’ll give you that date so you can see that chasing me isn’t worth your time.”
His smile deepened, and it was hard not to simply gaze at the man. He was gorgeous. Over six feet tall, muscular, broad shoulders, a square jawline that made his aristocratic features seem more masculine. Otherwise, he’d be entirely too pretty.
“Deal. I’ll walk with you to your Vespa,” he replied.
Since he was parked near me, there was no reason to argue with him about it. We were going in the same direction.
