Page 54 of Love Legacy

I comb through my memories, trying to think back to the professors I had as a freshman. My jaw drops once I make the connection. “No fucking way, T. You’re hooking up with Professor Hottie?”

Dr. Samuel Bennett, a.k.a. Professor Hottie, was one of the most talked about professors among the female student body population at Pinebrook University, and not for reasons related to his teaching abilities. The man was one of the youngest, full-time professors at Pinebrook and very attractive. I might be gay, but even I can appreciate that he’s extremely good-looking. His upperclassman elective classes often end up being at least seventy-five percent female because a lot of them will request his courses just to spend the class ogling him. Theia was living every female student’s fantasy.

Theia slaps a hand over my face, effectively silencing me. “God, Sage, you’re such a big mouth,” she says, looking around to make sure there was no one she recognized around us. “Yes, Sam and I have been… seeing each other for a little while now, and I’m going to spend a significant portion with him for Winter Break.”

I follow her as we head into Braserie Dearie, hanging back as she searches the racks. “I have so many questions, Theia! Like when did this start? How did it happen? Why aren’t you coming home for Christmas? Does he treat you well? How’s the sex? And ‘Sam,’ you’re on a first-name basis now?”

She holds up a hand to stop my incessant questioning, laughing at my curiosity. “Yes, his first name is Samuel. Dr. Bennett seems so formal now, especially since we’re closer topeers now. I guess it technically started on Halloween,” she says softly, her face dropping.

“Wait, wasn’t Halloween the night that—”

“That Aaron tried to assault me? Yep. I know Maeve told Naomi what she saw, and Naomi talked to you about her concerns, but what you guys don’t know is the man that saved me that night was Dr. Bennett. He pulls late nights at his office on campus a lot and I was trying to walk back to my townhouse. We crossed paths, and he helped me home.

He was very respectful, but he helped me shower and change, and made me some food and water. When I woke up the next morning to a PB&J and iced coffee, he had also left a note, just saying that he was sorry for whatever I went through, and if I ever wanted to talk, I had his cell phone number now.

He was my secondary advisor in undergrad, so I felt comfortable speaking to him. Going for coffee led to nights grading assignments together, and then dates at my place, and then one night, we just started hooking up. And it’s been fantastic. Like seriously, better than anything I ever had with Aaron. And not just the sex, but he treats me better than that jerk ever did. Seriously, I’ve been missing out on so much.”

I grin widely, pleased to see my sister happier than she’s been in a long time. “Theia, I’m so happy for you! You’re practically glowing.”

She smiles, picking out a couple of lingerie pieces from the rack. “He makes me this happy! So I wanted to get a little something for him since we’re spending the holidays together.”

“So what’s the deal with that? Why aren’t you coming home?”

Theia sighs. “Because Aaron’s going to be there and I’m trying to avoid him at all costs. I’ll drop by for a few hours on Christmas Day, but the less time I’m in Trenton, the better. Sam’s daughter is spending Christmas with him, and then she’s spending the rest of the break with her maternal grandparents. So once sheleaves, I’ll go over there, and we’ll spend the rest of the break together.”

“Wait, so how old is he exactly? How old is the daughter? What about the mom? Is she still in the picture? Are you a side piece?”

She shakes her head, laughing. “No, I’m not a side piece. Sam is forty-three. His daughter Hannah is eleven years old. His wife, Lily, passed away about five years ago from breast cancer. So, no mom in the picture, but Lily’s parents are still a big part of their lives, from what Sam has told me. They’ve been trying to get him back out into the dating pool for a while. They just want him to be happy.”

I smile. “Sounds like he’s found that with you, even if he is eighteen years older than you.”

Theia winces slightly. “Don’t remind me of the exact gap. I try not to think about the fact that he’s close in age to Dad.”

I laugh. “Please let me know when you guys are doing the ‘meet the parents,’ I’d love to have a front seat to that exchange,” I say as Theia goes up to the register to check out.

Theia laughs. “Yeah, like hey Dad , meet my new boyfriend that you probably partied with in college. And no, Sam, I don’t have daddy issues. It just so happens that you’re close in age to the people who birthed me.”

“Does he know?”

“Does who know what?”

“Sam. Does he know that your age gap is that large and that he’s close to Mom and Dad in age?”

Theia smirks. “I’m pretty sure he does. I jokingly called him Daddy once and then he had a brief mental breakdown because of our age difference.”

I gasp. “Theia! Do you have a daddy kink?”

She laughs. “No, but I think we accidentally discovered that Sam does,” she says, moving her eyebrows suggestively.

“You’re so bad,” I tease, giving her a little shrug as we exit the store.

“That’s enough about me though. What about you? Nervous for Naomi to come out to her parents?”

“Is it weird to say that I’m nervous for her? Like I don’t know why I’m nervous. I’m not the one that will be sitting down with Jackson and Adora.”

“Are you worried that Naomi might pull back if things go really bad with them?”

“Maybe, deep down, that’s what’s causing my nerves because I guess there’s always a small chance that could happen, but realistically, I don’t think she will. Her relationship with her parents was already rocky because she decided to come to Pinebrook. I think she’s already shown that she’s willing to follow what she wants rather than just blindly following her parents’ wishes.”

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