Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 138(@200wpm)___ 110(@250wpm)___ 92(@300wpm)
A woman who is not Kayla opens it as far as the lock chain allows. “Yes?” the older woman says with an arched, unwelcoming eyebrow. Is this Kayla’s mother? All evidence would point to that. They have the same eyebrows, nose, and general face structure, and so it has to be a relative.
“Ma’am.” I give her a chin nod. “I’m here for Kayla.”
“And you are?” The eyebrow remains elevated.
“Dr. Nathan Amherst.” I lift the cartons of coffee and donuts. “I’m bringing her breakfast. Can you tell her I’m here so that we can go?”
The woman looks me over like I’m an insect under a microscope and not one that she’s impressed with. “No. I don’t think I will.” She slams the door shut, leaving me with a shit ton of food and drink and no Kayla.
I debate whether I should knock again, but what’s the point? At some point Kayla will have to leave, and as long as I’m waiting she won’t be able to escape. Or, you know, she will remember we had plans and will act accordingly.
“Dr. Amherst! Dr. Amherst!”
I hear my name called out. I pause on my way to the car and see a young woman tripping toward me.
“Dr. Amherst,” she says breathlessly when she reaches me. “It’s me. Dani Nelson from your Soil & Crop Sciences class last term.”
I don’t remember her. I don’t really remember any of my students. Teaching is a necessary evil.
Her lips quiver and start to fall. “I sat in the front, three seats from the aisle. I wanted to get closer to you, but your class fills up so fast. I waited three hours to ensure I got to the front of the room and even then it was a close call.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you want to get close to me? Are you hard of hearing? I used a microphone while I taught.”
A burst of laughter escapes her. She places a hand on my arm and bends over as she chuckles. “No. No,” she says as she straightens up. “I could hear you fine. Gosh, you haven’t changed at all, have you?”
I have no idea what that means. The girl plucks the donut box out of my hand. “Ohh, I love Mo Bow’s monster donut. It’s so good.”
“Which one is that?” I should give that one to Kayla.
The girl points to the blue donut with the cookie crumble. “It’s supposed to look like Cookie Monster.”
Sometimes my students talk in a language I don’t fully understand. I just let it go.
“Cookie Monster is a puppet on Sesame Street. Didn’t you watch that when you were a kid?”
I’m sure I didn’t. As a kid, I was reading textbooks and preparing for high school. I don’t share that with the student, though. “You may have a different one.” The monster donut will go to Kayla since it is the superior donut in the box, but this girl can have one of the dozen as a gift for clueing me in to which pastry is the best. Kayla will love this donut and the coffee and there will never be another word of resignation again.
Six
Kayla
I stare at my Aunt Milly in shock. I can’t believe she just shut the door in Nathan’s face. I don’t even know why she’s here. All I know is that she used the emergency key to get in my place early this morning. My mom probably sent her to make sure I went to work today. I’d been going back and forth all night about whether I should call in sick, resign, or put my big girl panties on and go to the office. I told my mom most of what happened between me and Nathan, but I left out some of the juicier details. She is my mom, after all.
“I thought you wanted me to go in?” I am still surprised that Nathan showed up this morning. I thought once he had time to think about everything that he’d realize this was a problem. My mom doesn't seem to see a problem with any of this. She was laughing and telling me how adorable Dr. Nathan Amherst is. Adorable? That is not a word I’d pick to describe Nathan.
“Was that really the doc?” Milly asks, looking shocked. “He’s hot. No wonder you couldn’t keep your hands off him.” Yeah, my mom definitely sent her here.
“Tell me about it.” I let out a long breath. He hits all the right spots for me. I was hoping that once I met him and put truth to some of the rumors about him that my crush would be stomped out. No such luck. Instead it was only heightened by the way his lips felt on mine and how he had made sure that I was taken care of all day. Him showing up with food this morning didn’t help either. That man is always trying to feed me. Another point in his favor.