Dear Professor(40)
If I told myself that enough…
What I really needed to do was call the owner of Dalton Cam Girls and finally ask for some time off. I’d never asked and was owed some, so two weeks would be enough. She’d pay me twenty-five percent of projected earnings for the period and I wouldn’t have this type of temptation—and, hopefully, fourteen days would be enough to get myself out of this sticky situation.
I grabbed my phone and dialed Nisha’s number. It rang through to voicemail, so I left her message with my request. I hoped she’d get back to me today so I wouldn’t have to pretend tonight…
I jumped as my phone rang shrilly. Nisha’s number was on the screen. That saved the waiting game.
“Hey,” I answered.
“Darcy! I’m sorry I missed your call. Rory decided his poop was better on his wall than in his diaper,” she explained, referring to one of her two-year-old twins.
I’d have been grossed out if my brothers hadn’t been two once. “No worries. I remember that gross stage.”
“No kidding. Thankfully, Ellie hasn’t taken the same approach to her bodily outputs,” she finished on a sigh. “So, to answer your message—yes. Please do take a break. You deserve it.”
I let out a relieved breath. “Thank you.”
“But…I can’t let you start until tomorrow. I don’t have enough time to schedule one the girls and change up the feeds. My in-laws are arriving this afternoon for some ‘family time,’ and all traces of Dalton must be removed from my house. I’d give my father-in-law a heart attack if he found out.”
Fuck. “Okay. What am I scheduled for tonight?” Please let it be private. Please let it be private.
“Hold on for two seconds. Ellie, you can’t put the dog’s bone in your mouth, sweetie.”
I fought my laughter as a wail of defiance sounded down the line. From Ellie, not Nisha, although I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that it had been from both of them.
“Right,” Nisha said after a door shut. “Sorry. My new nanny was as useful as a paper grocery bag in the rain. I’m between childcare and multitasking to the high heavens today. Here we go—you’re on public.”
Double fuck. “I bet there’s no way to change to private, either, is there.”
“Nope, sorry, hon. You can go solo or have a partner. It’s up to you, if that makes a difference.”
I didn’t think Jordan would approve of either, but what could I do? “Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out. Nine, right?”
“You got it. Hey, Darcy? Is everything okay?”
“Sure. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed with my applications, schoolwork, and stuff. I need to focus some on those.”
“Of course. If you need to talk, you know where I am.”
“Thanks, Nisha. I’ll let you get back to the twins.”
“If you need more time, that’s okay. Keep me in the loop, yeah?”
“Absolutely.”
“Talk to you soon, hon.”
The line clicked off, and I lifted my shoulders to my ears before dropping them with a heavy sigh.
How was I going to work my way through this?
He had to figure out how to turn those fucking e-mail notification pings off. They were the most annoying thing he’d ever experienced, especially when they came while he was fending off Carly Banks and her rapidly growing attachment to him.#p#分页标题#e#
That was his fault, too. He knew better than to mix work and pleasure. That said, the woman just didn’t understand the term “one night only” after an alcohol-fueled staff dinner.
“Come on, Jordan. It’s just dinner.” She leaned forward on his desk. Her white blouse was undone lower than normal, and the shadow of her prominent cleavage fell over his desk.
He navigated his mouse to his e-mail and clicked on his inbox. “I have two classes handing me papers this afternoon. Unfortunately, I will be grading all weekend.”
She pouted. “Are you sure I can’t help you relieve your stress?”
He rolled his shoulders and glanced up at her. “That’s why I have a masseuse.” And a well-meaning mother with an affinity for natural oil remedies. He’d have to check the tracking on that new package she was sending him…
The e-mail ping that had so annoyed him ten seconds ago was from Darcy. His stomach twitched and tightened at the sight of her name on his screen.
Carly opened her mouth, but he held his hand up to silence her for a moment.
To: jkeat@gmail.com
From: darcy_h345@gmail.com
Subject: Houston, we have a problem.
Dear Professor,
I need to speak with you ASAP.