Page 4 of The Marriage Deal
Jess chuckled nervously."Of course, you are not a fraud. You missed evidence that had come out before youcouldverify it for your book. It happens."
"I. Did. Not. Miss. Anything."His gaze darted to me."What is she doing here?"
I was busy putting away the class materials, hoping not to wade into the sketchy waters Jess had swum into, but she had somehow dragged me along with her."She, uh, wanted a letter of recommendation."
"Oh, really?"He crossed his arms, staring at poor Jess."From a fraud?"
Jess stumbled on her words."I don't mean—I mean…"Her eyes darted to me.
"She was being facetious. Come on."I waved him off."I thought that interview didn't bother you one bit."I echoed the same words he said to me the day after the infamous clipdropped and went viral on History Internet. Iknewbetter. He had been coping when he said that, but that didn't mean I couldn't use it against him.
His gray eyes narrowed into slits."You're not doing your friend any favors, Miss Edwards."Next thing Iknow, he was shoving his papers and his laptop into his vintageRuitertassenbag, slinging it over his shoulder, and marching away.
"Elle!"Jess stared at me helplessly.
Shit. The man was as prickly as a hedgehog. Levicouldbe hard to predict sometimes. Hecouldplay along or hecouldnot, depending on the mood of the day. Or the phases of the moon, even. I finished collecting the rest of the materials and put them into my own, less fancy, well-worn laptop bag."I'll fix this!"I shouted at Jess and rushed after him.
Levi's strides were long and quick, and contrasted with my small, albeit faster strides, were faster and tough to keep up with."Professor Hawthorne!"I shouted as he turned around a corner and into a large hallway where a bunch of students were coming out of their classes. Great. I bumped and brushed into people until he disappeared into the crowd. When I finally caught up with him, he had reached his office, and I was out of breath.
"Professor Hawthorne,"I said again."Please help her out."
Levi had his back to me as he unpacked his bag, taking out his laptop and papers and placing them on the office table. He marched to the other side of the desk, sat down in his chair facing me. He didn't look mad, but that's how he always was. Heknowshow to put on a mask of indifference that can fool the uninitiated, but Iknewhim. He was still hurt by what the student had said.
"Why?"
I shrugged."Because she's such a hardworking person and deserves a permanent position with good pay. She has foot-in-mouth disease, but she's a good friend."
His features softened. Somehow, I had gotten through."Tell her to send me a copy I can sign."
"Really!"I didn't expect it to be this easy.
He flipped open his laptop."If I repeat myself, I might withdraw the offer."
"Of course,"I said, taking a couple of steps back."I will tell her to send it immediately."
Just as I was about to leave, Levi said,"Iheardyou're having an important dinner tonight."
Damn, even the grapevine had reached him. I nodded.
"I hope you, uh, enjoy yourself."Odd. He didn't sound happy. Did I detect a tone of bitterness in his voice?
"It might be nothing, honestly. People have turned it into something it's not. I wouldn't read too much into it."
His eyes seemed to widen with…hope? I was obviously seeing things. Why would he be hopeful that Wyatt won't be proposing? Or was that a sick satisfaction in anticipation of my misery if he doesn't propose? Levi didn't like that Wyatt and I were a couple. He probably thought I was a gold digger after his friend's money. I had seen the way he had looked at us when Wyatt and I were together. Hecouldbe hard to read when it came to certain things, but not how hefeltabout Wyatt and I. The derision he had for us was clear.
"Still,"he said."You can leave early for the day."
"You don't need to—"
"It's an order. I don't need you today. I can do the rest on my own."
"Thanks."It wasrare for him to extend such sympathy, so I took it without looking the gift horse in the mouth. Whoknew?He might change his mind again. I went to my office, grabbed my stuff, and went home.
Me: Professor Phantom has let me off early today.
The message was delivered, but Wyatt did not read it. Which was better anyway, because he was going to be in for a surprise when hesawme. The drive home was short. Wyatt's place was closer to the campus than the place I used to stay at. Eventhough he was a full-time professor and was eligible for campus accommodation, like Levi, he preferred having his own place. The campus accommodations were nice for most professors, but Wyatt preferred something fancier.
Wyatt's car wastherewhen I arrived. Great. In my rush togetinside, I didn'tnoticeanother car that should have given me pause."Wyatt?"I called out as soon as I entered.Therewas a familiar blue coat in the coat closet. Billie's? She was here? Wyatt had been helping Billie with her PhD thesis, so I guess it wasn't surprising, but something was unsettling in seeing an item of hers here. I trod through the apartment looking for them, hoping to find them in the living room, but instead found two empty glasses of wine and a bottle. Really? I lifted the wine bottle.It wasa quarter full. Drinking while working? Wyatt is too lax sometimes.
