Page 69 of The Odds of Happily Ever After
“Maybe. But also I needed to check if it really was you who texted me.”
“What do you mean?”
“You offered to help me study. Doesn’t that go against your morals as a professor or something?”
My brows pulled together. “Why would it? I don’t teach macroeconomics. In fact, it’s a separate department.”
“But you minored in it.”
“Which makes me a good resource,” I said. “It’s not unlike you getting a tutor.”
“I guess I’ve just gotten used to keeping you separate from my school life.”
“Is that the real reason why you didn’t take me up on the loan?” It still didn’t sit well with me that she’d chosen to take onstudent debt when I had given her a much better alternative, and so had Jason.
“I meant what I said about wanting to do this on my own. But also, I didn’t want to complicate things with you, especially since you always stressed that line between us as student and professor. I didn’t want . . .”
Her voice trailed off, and I waited for her to continue, not wanting to presume to know what she was thinking.
“I didn’t want to owe you anything,” she finally said. “And I never want you to think I’m using you for your money or your position.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Now more than ever, I wanted to turn back time and knock some sense into my past self for my mistaken assumptions about Luna. I’d never made a worse judgment call in my life, and all I wanted to do was set things right.
But how could I when she wouldn’t accept my help?
“Are you mad?” Her voice came out soft, hesitant.
“No. I wish you’d let me help, but I understand wanting to do things on your own,” I told her. “And just to clarify the matter—I never thought you were using me, Luna.”
She sighed. “Good. I’m glad.”
“If anything, I’m the one using you for social media advice.”
Her laughter eased the tension in my body. “Anytime. I’m still waiting for your post, you know.”
“We’ll see.”
“By the way,” Luna said. “There was another reason why I called.”
Her slow delivery prickled my skin. I straightened my back. “What is it?”
“You know how Jason’s coming here for finals in December?”
“Yes.” He’d already scheduled dinner with me two days after his arrival.
“So, he and Ate called when I was on my way home.” She sounded breathless, and I predicted what she’d say next. “He’s booking me a flight to Manila! We’re flying out together after we finish all the school stuff.”
Her excitement had me smiling, even as the implication of her news sank in. “That’s great, Luna,” I told her.
“Right? It’s his early gift to Ate, so our family will be complete for Christmas. Can you believe it?”
It was a genius move on Jason’s part—a sure way to please not just Tala, but their whole family. I had to give him credit for that. “Easily. He could hire a private plane and fly you wherever you wanted.”
“Ha! If only he didn’t care about his carbon footprint,” she said, laughing. “I’m so excited. It’ll be our first time all celebrating together in . . . what is it, eight years?”
“I’m happy for you. That’s motivation to get through finals.”
“Exactly! What about you, any plans for Christmas?”
