Page 10 of Pick One
“A Professor—” She slid her reading glasses on to consult a paper on her desk before quickly sliding them off again. “—Osman Kheir from Hannabury. Apparently there’s a full professorship open in their math department, and you’re the leading contender for it. He wanted a reference, and of course I was happy to give it.” She shook her head, and her face broke out in a smile. “John, why didn’t you tell me you were applying for this?”
“Oh.” I tapped my metal coffee cup nervously against the doorframe. “Well.” I cleared my throat nervously. “It’s hardly a done deal. I, ah, I applied for the position nearly a year ago. My brother-in-law Andy works in the math department at Hannabury, and he gave me a heads-up that the opening was coming, so I was the first guy in the door, so to speak. But at the time, they were hoping to promote from within, and I haven’t heard anythingofficialsince then, so I’m pretty sure nothing will come of it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “That’s not how it sounded to me at all. Professor Kheir indicated that the spot is yours for the taking. And Hannabury is closer to your family, isn’t it? Your parents are still up in Vermont, and your sister’s family?”
I nodded, my palms dampening slightly. “My mothers have a hobby farm up in Keltyville. And Molly is pregnant with her second now. But really, Marie, I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the Hannabury job—”
“John, we both know Covington won’t be able to offer you a comparable position for…” She shrugged helplessly. “A long time, if ever. And positions at Vermont colleges like Hannabury are incredibly rare, what with so many schools going out of business. This is the career opportunity of a lifetime—”
“Yeah, I know,” I agreed. “But there are, you know, a lot of factors to consider. So…” I forced a smile. “Don’t tell anyone in case it doesn’t work out, okay?”
She stared at me for a moment like I was an equation she couldn’t solve. “What does Teagan say about this?”
“Oh, ah…” I licked my lips. “I’m not sure. We haven’t really talked about it. He’s… you know…”
Beautiful. Fascinating. Compelling. Genuinely kind. Fiercely intelligent. Entertaining as fuck.
Also sexy.
I am not going to have sex with my roommate.
“He’s busy,” I concluded, which was also true. “He’s finishing up his degree next semester.”
“Yes, I know.” She smiled warmly, which was most people’s reaction whenever Teagan’s name was brought up. “The last time he brought you lunch, he complimented my new glasses, told me about an amazing hair salon his friend opened, and gabbed to me for ten minutes about his thesis.It sounded fascinating.”
I returned her smile because I couldn’t help it. “It really is. I know nothing about T.S. Eliot, and I didn’t reallywantto know either, but when he talks about it, I get interested against my will. It’s annoying.”
Marie laughed. “You’re proud of him.”
“Of course.” I shrugged. “He’s amazing.”
“And what’s Teagan going to do after he graduates?”
“He’s hoping for a high school teaching contract for next fall. Probably substitute teaching otherwise. And he does creative writing, too—like, he and my sister are working on these children’s picture books that I think could really take off because he’s an incredible storyteller, and I keep encouraging him to query an agent, but—” I coughed lightly. “Anyway. He’s got a million things he could do. I want him to pick the one that makes him happy.”
Marie nodded, then tilted her head. “Forgive me for asking such a personal question, but you and Teagan… Are you two…?”
The look in her eyes made it clear what she meant, and I felt my face go hot. “Us? Oh. Nah. No. We’re not… together. We’re roommates. Best friends. Platonic. That’s all. That’s… that’s plenty.”
I’d been telling myself that for eleven and a half months.
For two semesters, five visits to my family, and a summer road trip to the beach in Maine so terrible that it had already become funny.
For fifty-one weekly loaves of sourdough that Teagan had made me faithfully, exactly as he’d promised. Even during the blizzard that snowed us in over spring break. Even when I was ready to crawl under my mattress and hide during final exam season. Even during the sweltering summer months, when sweaty tendrils of Teagan’s bright red hair had fallen out of his topknot to plaster against his neck as he worked the dough in our tiny kitchen.
And one of these damn days, if I kept saying it enough, it was going to sink in.
I am not going to have sex with my roommate.
“Ah. I’d imagined, with how close you are… “ She shrugged, a little disappointed. “Well. Never mind. You know I’m here if you need to talk about career goals or anything. Covington and our students would be sad to lose you, but our loss would be Hannabury’s gain. You know that, right?”
“Sure.” I nodded woodenly. “Have a great weekend, Marie.”
I checked my phone as I raced down the hall toward the stairs and saw the text string I’d missed.
Teagan:You’re still standing in the math department as you type this, aren’t you?
Teagan:Tell Marie and Botan and whoever else you’re talking to that I say hey.
