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She considered his words. While true, once they got their degrees and moved into the world where companies hired them to do their accounting, they might run into these situations. They needed to know how to handle it. This was the kind of thing that landed people in jail. She tore a piece off the fritter and stuffed it into her mouth, once again wondering if she made a mistake in her choice of major.
Almost halfway into the summer extended session at the University of Georgia, she felt at her wits’ end. It didn’t help that homesickness lay heavy on her heart.
She couldn’t imagine how bad it would be if she had to take all the non-major courses before delving into her accounting program. At least by taking general education classes through the Dual Enrollment program her counselor recommended during her junior and senior years in high school, she was on track to enter her junior year in the fall instead of starting as a freshman.
Other than school trips, she hadn’t left Rosebrook Valley much without her mothers. She thought moving only four hours away wouldn’t be so bad. That she could gain some independence at nineteen. But she didn’t expect the aching loneliness.
She wiped her fingers on the napkin and pushed the paperwork over to Monique. “Noah’s right. It’s not on us if he commits fraud or whatever. We’re not actually working for him. We got the numbers. Professor Landers only needs that.” She yawned.
Rachel set down her coffee. “What else is left?”
“I need to put the spreadsheets together for Mr. Kay’s business, and then you can work your graphic magic for the PowerPoint, and we’ll be good to go,” Monique said, tucking the papers into her backpack.
“So we don’t need to meet anymore?”
Rachel threw a balled-up piece of paper at Noah. “You’re not getting away from me that easily, handsome. We still have to get together to study for our next test.”
Noah tilted his head, his brown curls falling over his eyes. “We do?”
“You weren’t there last week, but Professor Landers said the tests after the midterm project is over has group sections based on the previous things we’ve done together.”
Noah glanced at Charlotte. “Looks like we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
She shrugged. “Looks like it.”
She glanced at Rachel, who frowned and quickly looked away. Rachel’s crush on Noah was obvious, but he appeared either oblivious to her feelings or unwilling to upset her. At twenty-six, and working on her second degree, Rachel was older than all of them. Charlotte couldn’t help but wonder if the age gap was the reason for his disinterest; Noah was nineteen, same as her.
Some people were into an older woman and younger man, but from her experience, it was the other way around. She shuddered at the memory of all the older men propositioning her when she worked at the diner through high school and for the following year.
A dream job, it was not.
Rachel stood and tossed her empty cup in the trash. “We should get together and have dinner to celebrate wrapping up this nightmare project.”
Noah looked up at her. “We’re not finished, though.”
“I know.” Rachel toyed with the ends of her straight black bob. “but we’ll be finished by the weekend. Why not then?”
“Where do you wanna go?”
She shrugged. “I’m up for anything.”
“I’m gonna need loads of alcohol after this is over,” Monique quipped. “Why don’t we go to a bar instead?”
“We could go somewhere like Applebee’s. There’s a bar there, and we can eat as well. I don’t drink,” Rachel said.
“You don’t?”
“No.”
“Well, that settles that,” Noah said. “You like Applebee’s?” He looked at Charlotte.
“I’ve been a few times. It’s alright.” She liked their chicken wonton taco appetizer.
Monique looked at her phone and stood. “Let’s talk more about this tomorrow. I’ve gotta get going. Jayden’s here to pick me up. Do you need a ride to your apartment? It’s been raining.” She looked at Charlotte.
“No, I’m good. The bus stop isn’t far.”
“Will you be in class tomorrow?” Monique shifted her attention to Noah, putting her backpack over her shoulder.
