Megs waited for the other students to filter out, then gathered her things and approached the front of the room. “I’m so sorry. I arrived a few minutes late, and the doors were locked.”
Mr. Fletcher nodded. “It’s listed in the course expectations that—”
“I understand. It was my fault I was late, and I hoped I could make up the work.”
His lips drew into a line as he gathered his teaching materials. “I’m sorry, but we only have six classes. The expectations were clear—”
“And nobody ever has a medical emergency or something?” Megs started to panic.
Mr. Fletcher’s expression softened. “Was this a medical emergency?”
Megs swallowed. She was plenty of things, but a liar wasn’t one of them. She shook her head.
He exhaled and nodded. “I’m sorry. We’ll have another opportunity to take this course after the holidays.”
Megs searched her head for another solution, some argument that could make him change his mind. Hadn’t she just been patting herself on the back for being assertive? For finding what she wanted and making it happen?
“I need this certification, Mr. Fletcher. If there’s anything I can do—”
“I’m sorry, but part of being prepared for a job in this industry is learning how to be reliable.”
A stone settled in Megs’ stomach.Now she was being talked down to like she was some flighty teenager?She wasn’t great with long-term commitment, but when she accepted a position somewhere, she was reliable. How dare he judge her like that because of one missed class. Megs nodded and whirled before she said something she knew she’d regret.
Ten minutes.She’d been ten minutes late, and now she was being kicked out of this course. Megs wanted to scream as she stormed down the hall toward the main doors. Yes, she’d miscalculated, but was there no room for error in life? No flexibility? She either had to do things perfectly, or it was all a waste. Either color inside the lines or rip up the paper and start again. Did some people actually thrive living like this?
She punched through the main doors and charged toward her car in the parking lot. When she caught sight of a man with dark hair and glasses leaning against his vehicle looking at his phone, she slowed.What was Gideon still doing here?
He glanced up. “Hey.”
“Hey. Isn’t this pretty late for a professor to still be on campus?”
Gideon slid his phone into his pocket. “You seemed upset, so I thought I’d wait and make sure everything was okay.” He stood straight and crossed his arms over his chest.
He’d waited for her?“You didn’t have to do that.” She walked forward and stowed her bag in the passenger seat of her car.
“I—” He paused, and a muscle in his jaw flexed. “I contributed to you being late, I think.”
Megs rounded the front of her car and sat on the hood. “Are you saying you regret not breaking the rules and sneaking me in there?”
“No. But . . . I regret not asking for your number in the coffee shop the other day.”
Megs’ heart skipped a beat. She repeated his words in her head to make sure she hadn’t imagined them.Was this happening?Had he been just as attracted to her as she’d been to him that afternoon?
The fact that he’d come out and said it made her stomach swoop like she’d just driven over a surprise bump in the road. Her tongue felt thick. “I regret it, too. That you didn’t ask me, I mean.”
Gideon chuckled and ran a hand over his neck as he nodded toward the building. “What happened in there?”
Megs exhaled. “I was told I’d have to sign up for the next certification course. After the holidays.”
“Because you missed one class?”
One class.Not even the entire class, and she was out. Megs pushed off the hood. “Rules, Professor Adams. You, of all people, should understand how important they are.”
Gideon dipped his head as if to say,low blow. “I’m sorry, Megs.”
He remembered her name? She waved him off and turned toward the car door. “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”She wouldn’t figure it out.How could she? All she had was an audition recordingthat needed editing. No promise of a better job, no leads on an affordable apartment, and in three and a half weeks she was going to have to admit all of that to her mother.
Gideon cleared his throat. “Are you hungry?”
