Paige went to find Jack in his office the next morning. They’d begun walking together to their class each day, but she was a half hour early and she wasn’t sure if he’d be in a meeting. He was. Instead of returning straight to her office she went to check her mailbox—although she’d done that earlier when she first arrived on campus—hoping Andi would be free, but Andi was with Dr. Nair, taking copious notes about something.
Paige was disappointed. She felt unsettled. She wanted a diversion, a distraction, anything but time alone, trapped with her thoughts.
“You came looking for me?” Jack asked, entering the mail room.
She turned, smiled, even as tears came to her eyes. She turned her face away, blinked hard, not wanting him to see. She didn’t like to cry and being caught crying was a fate worse than death.
“I, uh,” she cleared her throat, forced a smile, and faced him. “Ashley isn’t in a good place at the moment. I don’t think we’re going to be able to do dinner soon. I’m sorry.” And she was, she realized. There was nothing more she’d rather do today than escape school, escape her responsibilities, and just sit with Jack somewhere under the stars. Just the two of them.
“Come to my office,” he said, taking her hand and tugging her out of the mail room and down the hall.
In his office he closed the door, locked it, and hugged her close. Paige leaned against him, her cheek on his chest, thinking she’d needed this more than she knew. He was strong, and warm, and she felt safe. Loved. “I get overwhelmed,” she whispered. “I’m sorry.”
His arms tightened around her. He kissed the top of her head much like she’d kissed Ashley’s the night before. “Stop apologizing,” he said, his deep voice pitched low. “We’re supposed to have emotions.”
“I just worry I’m starting to depend on you.” She laughed and tried to make it a joke, but it sounded pathetic to her own ears.
He drew back, sat on the edge of his desk, and brought her forward so she was standing between his knees. “Is that such a bad thing?” he asked, holding her hands.
She looked into his eyes, saw kindness, concern, and her throat ached, a lump there. “In just a month we won’t be teaching together anymore.”
A shadow flickered in his eyes. “I’ll miss it.”
“I will, too.”
“But I’m still going to be here. I’ve another semester here.”
And what then?she wondered. What would happen then? But she didn’t ask. Instead she stepped even closer and she kissed him, a deep lingering kiss. When she ended the kiss, she felt as if her heart were there in her throat, and her eyes. All she wanted was to burrow back into his arms and stay there. “If we can’t do dinner, maybe we can have lunch here on campus next week?”
He ran a hand over her braid, smoothing it down her back. “Or just make out here in my office.”
Paige laughed, as he’d meant her to. Still laughing, she stepped away. “I suppose we should get ready for class.”
He winked at her. “Always the grown-up, aren’t you?”
She made a face. “You are, too, Dr. King. You can’t fool me.”
* * *
There was no lunch the next week; Jack’s and Paige’s schedules didn’t mesh. But there were brief kisses behind closed doors, and conversation to and from class. It wasn’t enough for Paige, but she didn’t know how to make Ashley happy and herself happy at the same time. Jack was heading to San Diego for the weekend as friends of his were in town for a few days. Sunday was Halloween and Elizabeth asked if Paige and Ashley would want to join them for a pre-trick-or-treating dinner. Paige declined, knowing already that Ashley wanted to just watch movies at home.
They stayed in that evening, having lined up two scary movies to watch. Ashley had made sure they had the appropriate snacks for a Halloween movie fest. There was popcorn and a box of Red Vines. However, during the first movie, Ashley seemed more interested in her phone, scrolling almost constantly through Instagram, mentioning parties her friends in New York were attending, showing Paige elaborate costumes, and talking about how fun New York was on Halloween. Paige never knew what she was supposed to say and tried to sound pleasant but also noncommittal.
Ashley had been home ten days now but hadn’t done much of anything but watch TV, do workouts in front of the TV, worry she was gaining weight, worry she was breaking out, worry that she didn’t have a dream anymore.
“Why don’t you see if anyone is hiring a barre instructor here?” Paige suggested in between scary movie one and scary movie two. “You’re certified. You could get a part-time job—”
“Nobody wants someone for just a month or two. There’s really no point in that.”
Paige digested this. Apparently, her daughter was planning on staying through Thanksgiving, possibly Christmas. That might not be a bad thing since Paige would be away from the end of November through the first two weeks of December. At least she’d have someone to water her plants and pick up her mail. “Have I mentioned that Elizabeth has invited us to her house for Thanksgiving?”
Ashley closed her eyes. “I love Elizabeth but I don’t want to go. It’s too loud, too many people, too much fuss.” She opened her eyes, looked at Paige. “Can’t we just make a res and go out somewhere, the two of us?”
Normally it’s what Paige would do with Ashley, but Jack had been invited to Elizabeth’s for Thanksgiving, which made Elizabeth’s the place Paige wanted to be this year. “You could meet Jack.”
“Even more reason why I don’t want to go.”
Paige struggled with her disappointment, and hurt. “That’s not very nice, Ash.”
“I’m sorry, Mom, but you’ve taught us to be honest, and I don’t think Jack is right for you. He doesn’t live here. He’s not going to stick around. You’re just going to get your heart broken again. I would think after Dad, you’d want to avoid men.”
Paige wanted to protest that Jack was different, but was he? Every now and then Sheila’s words came back to her, and Paige pictured the revolving door of women. And then there was Camille, always looming in the background. The fact that Jack had spent seven years with her was pretty significant.
But Paige was looking forward to meeting Oliver and getting to know him a little bit. She’d wondered what kind of dad Jack was. It’d be interesting to see Jack and Oliver together. She wished she’d thought of inviting Oliver to dinner, but of course clever Elizabeth thought of it first.
* * *
The first week of November was gorgeous, the weather glorious all week long. Bright blue sky, a perfect seventy degrees, not a cloud in sight. Paige was spending more time on campus now that Ashley was home. She found it harder to get work done with the TV always on in the living room. But there were positives to being in her office at Orange. Andi was always just down the hall, good for a quick chat, Greg for a laugh, and Jack . . . well, Jack for hugs, kisses, and inspiration because just looking at him, being near him, did her heart good.
“When are we going hiking?” he asked, standing in her door Thursday afternoon, before her last two classes. She really hoped next semester she wouldn’t have such long Tuesdays and Thursdays. She felt numb by the time she wrapped up the day.
She took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “This weekend?” she suggested because she was ready to escape her apartment and Ashley’s unhappiness. “I need a good hike. I haven’t exercised in forever.”
“Let’s go Saturday. I’ll pick you up at eight.”
Paige groaned. “Not that early.”
Jack grinned, flashing white teeth. “That’s not early, babe.”
“But it’s the weekend. My weekend.”
“Fine. Eight thirty.”
“Jack.”
He wasn’t the least bit sympathetic. “Drink some coffee. You’ll be fine.”
* * *