Page 13 of Professor Next Door

8. Galen

“What do you think, Galen, is she going to say yes?”

I was on the phone with John again, waiting on Tara to come over for dinner. I had spaghetti boiling, garlic bread in the oven, and a homemade sauce was simmering. Two glasses sat on the table with plates and cutlery, ready for us to sit down. I just needed Tara to walk out her door and over to my place. She was late.

“I hope so. Rikki loves her already. She’s smart, she’s funny, and her professors all say she’s a great student, one of their best. She’ll make a great wife and stepmother if she’s as devoted to that as she is to her studies.” I was trying not to bounce in place but the longer Tara didn’t show the harder it became.

“That’s all great, Galen, but what about her? Have you considered how she might feel about this?” John sighed. He never sighs. I paused for a moment before I answered him. When had he grown into a touchy-feely “have you considered her feelings” softy? And sighing? What the hell?

“She’s kind of sad, isn’t she? Maybe Rikki can take some of that sadness out of her.”

It was the first thing that popped into my head. Even when she smiled there was something about her that was reserved, as though she was pushing people away despite inviting them into her world. I couldn’t blame her, from the sounds of it her mom had rejected her and I doubt her dad even knew she existed. That was hard on a person, sometimes even harder to admit that it hurt like fuck.

I knew where some of her sadness came from, but still, quiet, sad, and shy—those were the words I’d use to describe Tara. For a moment I felt an unfamiliar ache in my chest, and I rubbed at the spot, wondering what the hell was wrong with me. Was that heartburn?

“Maybe I should have asked someone else? Someone a little more cynical about life. I don’t know, maybe this was a bad idea.”

I thought about her face, a face that was growing more beautiful to me every day, and wondered if what I’d asked of her was too much.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see then, won’t we? What? Wait a minute, Galen.” I could hear some rustling noises, muffled voices, and a female giggle before John spoke again. “I have to go, man. Call me later. A lot later.”

From the sound of his voice, I knew John was wiggling his eyebrows again. That man. Women just flocked to him. I told him goodbye and waited, looking out of the kitchen window. A knock at the door interrupted my staring and I went to see who it was. Tara hadn’t left her house so I knew it wasn’t her.

I opened the door, expecting a kid selling pizza kits that I could buy in the store for far less, or someone selling me religion, but Tara stood there, her eyes huge, her cheeks flushed, and clearly in a state of panic.

“Galen, I—I need to sit down.”

I took her hand quickly, putting a hand on her back to keep her steady. I kicked the door shut and led her into the kitchen and to a chair at the table.

“What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

Concern filled me as she waved an arm around without actually saying anything, and I wasn’t sure if it was just human compassion or something more that made me want to hold her close. The thought that it might be something more concerned me. I couldn’t have feelings for her, she wasn’t my type! It was just human compassion, that was it.

I poured a glass of wine for her before I realized something.

“Tara, how old are you?”

“What? I’m twenty-one. Why, is it important?” She took the chilled white wine from me and took a large gulp.

“I just thought I should ask before I gave you alcohol, even wine.” I can be a jerk about a lot of things, but giving alcohol to minors wasn’t something I’d do.

“It’s fine, I’m old enough. Yes.” She looked up at me with the kind of eyes that could break a man. Naked vulnerability mixed with anxiety, but also bravery and conviction. A rather odd mixture that made me lose my train of thought.

“Yes, what?” I sat down beside her, wondering why the room was turning so hazy. I was lost in her beautiful eyes that pulled me closer to her, drawing me in.

“I’ll marry you.”

I was too lost to notice what she’d said, drawing nearer.

“Oh, that’s nice.”

Her lips drew my attention, bare of any lipstick or gloss. They were full, sensual, and just the right kind for nibbling at. They crooked at the corners as she smiled, her body suddenly relaxing as I moved a little closer.

“I’m glad you’re so excited. I think something’s burning.”

She sat still, waiting, her breath held as I moved closer. My eyes went back up to hers, locking in place as her pupils dilated and she waited, her lips barely parted, waiting for me to…

“Shit, something’s burning!” I shot out of my chair and swiftly moved to the stove, pulling pasta and sauce off the burners, staring down at the mess of charred food in the bottom of the pans. “Dammit!”