Using a spatula, she transferred all the cookies to a few massive sheets and stuck them in the oven then turned to look at me. She put a hand under my chin and tilted myface upward. “Have I told you how beautiful you are lately?”
I grinned and pulled away. “Okay, Aunt Vera. That’s enough with the ego boosting. You want me on the register when we open?”
“Yes, please.”
I walked to the front of the bakery, which was filled with the familiar, enticing smells of freshly baked goods and perfectly brewed coffee, and got to work.
Chapter Seven
On Monday, just after noon, I approached Professor East’s office and forced myself to take a deep breath before entering.
My art class before lunch had allowed me to relax a little, helped along by a few self-deprecating jokes from Yasmin about how figure drawing was going. Now, I felt prepared to go in with a completely open mind and no expectations.
The door to the science instructor’s office was propped open when I arrived, so I cautiously took a step inside.
“Ah, you made it. Welcome, Ms. Whelan.”
I was about to return the greeting when Professor East stepped to the side, revealing another person behind him.
I instantly straightened my shoulders and swallowed. I hadn’t expected anyone else to be here, so the sight of the young man standing in front of me immediately sent my nerves rocking again. And then my stomach dropped as I realized I recognized him.
It washim.
The mystery guy I’d seen that night in the forest outside the Evergreen Academy gate was here—in Professor East’s office. The one I’d thought about many times since and who I’d occasionally wondered if I’d conjured up in some kind of delusion.
The fact that he was real and standing in front of me sent my thought process out the window. So much for being cool, calm, and collected.
“Allow me to introduce you to Callan. He’s a student at Evergreen Academy. He’ll be accompanying us to the campus today.”
Callan nodded in acknowledgement of the introduction, but his hands didn’t leave his pockets, and his eyes didn’t leave my face. His dark hair was a little unkempt, and he had thick, near-black lashes that I hadn’t been able to see at night. He was a handful of inches taller than I was, and he had the lean muscle tone and defined jaw of someone who was very active. There was an easy posture in the way that he stood, but his eyes were a little too discerning as he gazed at me. What did he think he saw?
I swallowed. He had, after all, seen me sneaking around near his campus over the summer. Had he reported that to Professor East? Did I dare hope he didn’t recognize me from that night? Ithadbeen dark.
I tried to keep my expression smooth. I’d see how he let this play out before acknowledging that I recognized him.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Briar,” I said, trying to keep a frog out of my throat as I levelly met his gaze. Callan gave me a nod of acknowledgment before turning to look at Professor East. I followed his lead.
“Let me just…” Professor East closed his laptop and slid it into a dark brown bag then slung the satchel across his body. “Okay, let’s go.”
We walked in silence to the parking lot, the trees that dotted the entire campus providing welcome shade on the warm September day. Professor East stopped in front of a white van and pressed a button on the keys. He opened the sliding side door for me, and I climbed inside. Callan slid the door closed behind me, and he and Professor East got into the front seats.
Once I’d buckled my seat belt, I noticed some unusual things about the van. The front dashboard was covered in little mosslike plants, and a seemingly live string of pearls plant hung in a crocheted holder from the rearview mirror. The van smelled strongly of pine and lemongrass.
Oh no. Thiswasa hippie cult.
“Professor East tells me you’re… unfamiliar with the academy,” Callan said from the front passenger seat as Professor East eased us out of the parking lot. Callan hadn’t mentioned our interaction. So either I’d gotten lucky and he didn’t recognize me or remember it, or he wasn’t going to out me to Professor East just yet.
“I’d heard of it, since I grew up here. But I don’t know much about it, no.”
“Of course. You’re a local.” I thought I heard a tone of amusement in his voice, and I racked my brain through our interaction that night in the forest. Hadn’t he called me “local” then too? Was this his way of telling me hedidrecognize me? I was glad he was facing forward and couldn’t see whatever emotions were playing out on my face.
“Born and raised,” I said, shifting slightly in my seat.
“We don’t have many locals at the academy,” Professor East added. “Our students come from all over the country, as I think I mentioned before.”
I wanted to ask them more questions but decided it was best to wait and see what was in store for me at the academy.
Professor East received a phone call, and he answered on a headphone, seeming to have a normal conversation with a fellow faculty or staff member at SCC. Callan and I both sat in silence, our gazes mostly set out the window.
