“She’ll work it out.” She quickly cast Brandi’s problems aside, “Here, take a look at these. We can’t use them, Tim, and they have to go back.”
“Couldn’t you have done this without having paged me? You teach here and use these, too. Send the requisition back to the company with my signature and they’ll…”
“It would get done faster if you contact the company, since you’re the overseer of the project.” She was seething and it showed, even though she tried her best to rein in her anger. “I’m sorry, Tim. I didn’t mean to…”
“Monica, what’s the real problem today? You don’t normally act this way when an order is wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong; I just got upset about this damn book order.”
“There’s time, and don’t get so mad about it. We’ve never had this problem with Ameriquick before. Calm down.” It surprised him that Monica had not seen signs of Brandi written all over his face. He always felt hot and rushed after seeing her. If Monica ever found out what had happened between the two of them, he knew his goose would be cooked. The university would find out.
He signed the requisition and returned it to her. “Is the rest of the equipment as we ordered?”
“Yes, thank goodness.”
The peeved look was still on her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
She slouched into the chair and gave him a little forgive me smile. “I’m fine, Tim, just sick of fighting with Myron over wedding plans. I’m really sorry about snapping at you.”
“It’s okay. Better to have someone who stays on my butt than to have someone who doesn’t care. Right?”
“Yeah, and thanks for not ripping my head off. I know about your brawls.”
“In the past, and I never hit women, Monica.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“I’m trying to stay away from the bars.”
“Good boy.”
“I do need dinner. Want to come?”
“Not tonight, Tim. Myron and I are going out.”
“Good, that might be what you two need; get the friction off your backs.”
“It wouldn’t hurt you to go out once in a while with a nice young woman.”
“I’m done with relationships, Monica.”
She stared at him. “It’s too bad you think that way. Love is an awesome thing.”
“Yeah, for everyone but me.”
“One day you’ll change your mind, when the right person comes around.” She gathered her books and walked out.
Brandi immediately reentered his mind. The right woman for him was Brandi Miles, though he thought he could never do her justice. He hadn’t known why he had broken down and impulsively invited her to the conference with him. Yes, he knew she could benefit from the information, but he would be spending that time with her. His heart was being pulled in two directions, and there was no middle ground.
CHAPTER 5
Justin’s was one of Eric and Brandi’s favorite places to dine while they were together, and he figured it would be just as good a place to make up.
Brandi, on the other hand, didn’t know she was there to make up with him. He had been so nice to her, she figured the least she could do was meet him halfway. Their conversation let her know that he still hadn’t matured enough to even consider reconciliation.
When Eric went to refill his soda, he saw Tim sitting at a corner table. He smiled devilishly when he returned to Brandi. “He managed to find you, didn’t he?”
“Who?”
He pointed to the back of the restaurant. “Your boy Dr. Polaris is sitting back there. What’s he doing following you?”
She saw Tim cutting into his steak. “He is not following me. This is a public restaurant.”
“He has it bad for you, Brandi. He’s always smiling and looking at you during his lecture.”
“You’re imagining things. Besides, what would you have him do, hold a knife under my neck while growling at the class?”
“Other cavemen do; why not him?”
“He’s our professor, Eric; he’s supposed to be friendly. He is not a Pleistocene man, which is how you’re beginning to sound.”
“He certainly is that, and you hover around him every possible chance you get, like you’re waiting for him to knock you over the head and drag you into a cave.”
“I told you he’s helping me with my papers, and that’s all it is.”
“Let a tutor help you.”
She looked at him as if he had finally turned into the caveman he had accused Tim of being. “I already told you he can give me a better perspective on my papers, since he’s teaching the class. Why can’t you understand that?”
“Because there’s more to it than that, and you know it.”
“I don’t know or care what your problem is with him; I can only assume it’s that D you got on his last test. Don’t take it out on him.”
“Why are you protecting him? You’re into white dudes now?”
“Don’t go there. It never solves anything. All it does is bring out ignorance.” She threw her napkin on the table. “I need a bathroom break, if that’s okay with you—master! You and I are going to try and have a normal conversation when I return; if not, you can leave right now. Understand?”
He pushed his plate away. “Oh, I see how it is. You would never talk to white boy Floyd that way. And here you go basically flying in the damn air to get to him, but I had to work my butt off to get you to come here with me tonight.”
“Exactly where is all of this coming from? I’m not the one who messed up our relationship. Dr. Polaris did not sleep with my girlfriend. You did. So get off of his back!”
“Bringing that up again?”
“Darn right. When or if you become Mr. Perfect in my life, then you can talk to me like this. Other than that, don’t push it. I didn’t come here to get into this with you.”
“Then tell me this, Miss Brandi, queen of the freakin’ universe, who did he sleep with? Better yet, who would he like to sleep with? Yeah, he looks like the type to get some of that black blood and sip on it until he’s drunk from it. Then perhaps go home to his pretty white wife and do it all again.”
“Drop dead, Eric!”
As Brandi hurried away from him, he realized he had put his foot in his mouth. That wasn’t the way to get Brandi back in his life—if that was to ever happen again.
Getting away from Eric consumed her, but as she approached Tim’s table, all thoughts of Eric vanished. “Dr. Polaris, I thought that was you.”
He stood, taking her hand. “Miss Miles, how are you?”
“Fine. Eric and I were out and decided to come in. I saw you and wanted to say hello. Thanks again for helping me with the paper.”
“No problem.”
“It was an A, exactly what I need.”
“The paper was actually very good. It flowed, and I like how you centered on Moll’s personality, helping the reader understand her instead of her tactics.” He looked across at Eric who was staring at him. “Are you two okay with one another? I’ve heard you two going at it a few times before.”
She shrugged. “He and I disagree on everything, it seems.”
“Are you two dating?” He backed off realizing he was digging too deep. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ask that.”
“No, that’s okay. We were dating. He has issues to work out but he’s…well, he’s Eric. What can I say?”
His eyes cut to Eric’s. “Just be careful. He has a bit of a temper.”
“What do you mean?”
“He didn’t make the final cut for the basketball team, and he walked out, slamming the door and mumbling obscenities. I chalked it up to his immaturity.”
“I’m sorry he did that to you.”
“What for? It wasn’t you.”
“I don’t know what Eric’s deal is, but his words and actions have always gotten him in trouble. Anyway, I should let you finish your dinner. I wanted to say hello.”
“Glad you did.”
When Brandi returned from the bathroom, Eric was gone.
Tim stopped her. “Brandi, I saw Eric walk out after paying the bill. Is he waiting for you in the car?”
“I don’t know. We didn’t make any arrangements.”
“Check it out. If he’s not there, come back and I’ll take you home.”
She smiled, “He’s there, Tim. Eric wouldn’t do that.”
“You’re right. Enjoy the rest of your evening, and I’ll see you in class Tuesday.”
Moments later, Brandi walked back into the restaurant alone. She walked to Tim’s table and slid into the booth.
Tim knew what the deal was. “He’s gone, isn’t he?”
“You were right. I may need that ride after all. I can call my father if it’s a problem, though.”
“It’s not a problem, Brandi.”
She watched as he ate, stuffing everything the way most men do. Still, he managed to look incredibly sexy.
It was as though he read her thoughts, and he deliberately wanted to block them before they got the best of him. “You want a soda or something?”
“What I want is to strangle Eric. Thanks, I don’t care for anything. Don’t hurry with your dinner.”