On the way back toward the boathouse, I asked Aiken about his mom.
“This is all hearsay,” he explained. “Bruce, the dairy farmer, said my mom had to be bailed out of jail a few times during college for some sort of protest. Shortly after’s when she got involved with the church. That’s when she must’ve met my dad.”
“At the Bible study?”
He nodded.
“Fast-forward…my grandparents passed away a while back, but before they did, they seemed relieved that my mom had left. Again, according to Bruce. No one knew where she’d gone, but my grandparents didn’t seem too bothered.”
“Hope you find her. I really do…I wonder if she had a nickname or something. Maybe she’s on Facebook with a nickname?”
“I don’t know. I finished with the dairy farm’s site, but I can ask Bruce.”
“If she went to the college, maybe they have some records. You should go by the registrar’s office.”
“That’s not a bad idea, and guess what? I can take my hot professor for lunch when I do.”
“Your hot professor?”
“Damn straight. You better not be anyone else’s hottie teacher.”
“Oh God, you’re making me regret this day.”
“Nah...by the way, those shorts do things to your legs. Makes my mind wander.”
I thought the same of his light hair reflecting the sunlight, his skin a deep bronze.
After we docked the boat, he pulled me in tight. “Wasn’t this nice? You shouldn’t spend all day Sunday locked up with your papers.”
“It was nice, but when we get back, I really have to work.”
“Can we make out at your back door?”
He didn’t give me a chance to answer. His lips met mine in a closemouthed kiss, leaving me wanting more.
The whole car ride back home, I regretted saying I had work to do.
“Well, now you can go inside and let your mind wander away,” I said as we pulled up in front of our houses. “My legs and I are going to get comfy in my chair with a glass of wine and a million papers waiting to be graded.”
It was an extremely poor attempt at flirting.
Obviously, I needed practice, because Aiken let me do just what I said I was going to do.
