Dear Professor(90)
Being caught was now even scarier.
I twirled my pen as I sat through Professor Banks’s discussion on the greatest tragedies in romance. I couldn’t look at her the same anymore. All I saw was a woman who’d once slept with the same man I had—something you’d think I’d have been used to, but nope. Not this time.
I actually felt incredibly awkward. Like a nun at an orgy. I kept looking at her and seeing this whole other woman I didn’t know. I guessed that’s why relationships like that were all banned—how could you focus on your class if all you could think about were personal things regarding your professor?#p#分页标题#e#
Ugh. I was so screwed for the rest of this year.
The class ended, and I packed my things up, ready to meet Jake for lunch. I could feel Professor Banks’s eyes on me as I zipped my purse and put it on my shoulder, but when I looked in her direction, she was wiping off the whiteboard behind her desk.
I shrugged it off and left the room despite the niggle in the back of my mind. I was sure it was borne purely of paranoia. Now that I had everything to lose, including Jordan, I had to get a grip on myself. Nothing screamed suspicious more than suspicious behavior. That was why it was suspicious, after all.
Yeah—I definitely needed to pull myself together. I had more decisions to make than just whether I should send my application to Harvard today or tomorrow.
I had to decide what I was going to do about Dalton House.
He hadn’t mentioned it since our big conversation, but I knew there was absolutely no way I’d be on cam again as long as we were seeing each other.
My phone pinged with an e-mail notification, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Jordan’s name.
To: darcyh_345@gmail.com
From: jkeat@gmail.com
Subject: Dinner…
Darcy,
Meet me at Pete’s Diner at six. Unfortunately, I’m not quite up on the restaurants for dinner dates…
J
I laughed as I hit reply.
To: jkeat@gmail.com
From: darcyh_345@gmail.com
Subject: I suppose…
Dear Professor,
See you then.
Xoxo, Darcy.
I was still smiling as I walked into the cafeteria and spied Jake sitting in the corner.
It was a good day.
I hummed as I pulled up outside Pete’s parking lot. I couldn’t see Jordan’s SUV anywhere, but I was a little early, so I decided I’d go in, get a table, and let him know. My car lights flickered bright orange as I locked the vehicle and pulled my jacket around me tighter. December was getting closer, and it was starting to get stupidly cold.
I pushed the door to Pete’s open and welcomed the rush of warm air. Even if it was so thick with grease that I could practically taste it on my tongue.
I waited by the bar for a moment, looking over the booths and out the window. When five minutes passed and he hadn’t shown, I pulled out my phone and e-mailed him.
Why I still didn’t text him, I didn’t know.
To: jkeat@gmail.com
From: darcyh_345@gmail.com
Subject: Where are you?
Dear Professor,
You’re late. Getting a table.
Xoxo, Darcy.
“Excuse me.” I grabbed a server who couldn’t have been older than eighteen. “Do you have a spare table for two?”
“Uhhh, sure.” He scanned the room. “Right over there. The little, round one next to the booths.”
“Thank you.” I smiled and crossed through the restaurant.
My phone pinged in my hand, and the subject line was enough to give me chills.
To: darcyh_345@gmail.com
From: jkeat@gmail.com
Subject: Where should I be?
Darcy,
I’m at home, working. Where do you have a table?
J
I stopped, my heartbeat picking up. My phone started ringing, and I almost dropped it when his name flashed on the screen.
“Hey.”
“Was I supposed to meet you somewhere?” he asked, skipping a greeting.#p#分页标题#e#
I placed my purse on top of the table. “Yeah. I got an e-mail from you just before lunch telling me to meet you at Pete’s at six.”
“Uh… Darcy, I haven’t e-mailed you today.”
“Yes, you have.” I felt sick. “Right after twel—” I looked up as the familiar face of Professor Carly Banks came into my view.
Her lips were twisted in an ugly smile, and her eyes were cold.
Maybe I hadn’t been imagining that look after class.
“I’ll call you back,” I said slowly then hung up. “What a coincidence,” I said to Professor Banks. “I didn’t know many people knew about this place.”
“It’s on my way home.” She smiled sweetly. “I thought the same.”
I shrugged a shoulder. “Student budget and all that. It’s pretty cheap here.”