Gideon snorted. “Easier than saying you accidentally enrolled in a beginner class—”
Megs picked up a fry and threw it at him. He dodged, and she folded her arms on the table. “I guess I could’ve told them I was failing while I was at it.”
Gideon’s eyes widened. “Have you not checked your grades?”
Megs picked up her burger. “Why would I want to look at that?”
Gideon laughed as she took a bite and mustard dripped onto her fingers. “Because they might have changed. You know, since you submitted assignments?”
Megs set her burger down and picked up a napkin. “You graded them already?” Her heart raced. She was suddenly desperate to log in but didn’t want to smear condiments all over her laptop. What if he’d given her a bad grade? She didn’t think it was possible since she’d done everything he’d asked in the assignments, and they’d been relatively basic.
“Well, please check them before our next class.”
Megs frowned. “Why?”
“So you won’t show up acting like a cat who just got their tail stepped on.”
“I’m sorry, did you just compare me to a domestic pet?”
Gideon dipped a fry and put it in his mouth. “I thought it was a good metaphor.”
“You thought wrong.”
Gideon grinned, and Megs’ chest warmed. She wanted to grab her tray and move to his booth. Instead, she picked up her milkshake. “What did you think of the dinner?”
“It was good to see old friends again. I thought the food was good.”
“Seems like you and Alli are close." She took another bite of her sloppy burger, the juices running down her chin as she watched him for a reaction.
Gideon didn’t look up. "What makes you think that?”
Megs debated making an excuse and picking some piece of the conversation that could’ve led her to that conclusion, but decided against it. “Alli told me you dated for two years and neither of you wanted to break up.”
Gideon coughed. “When did that conversation happen?”
“When we went to the bathroom.”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Is that why women go to the bathroom together? So they can gossip?”
“Absolutely. But it’s not gossip if it happened to her personally and she wants to tell me.” She’d been glad that Alli had been so forthcoming. It hadn’t taken much leading to pull that information out of her.
Gideon finished his burger and crumpled up the paper it was wrapped in. “We dated during college, but life took us in different directions. It happens.”
Megs nodded. “Were you sad about it?”
“Breaking up? Of course. She was the only long-term relationship I’d had at that point.” Gideon exhaled. “But last night wasn’t supposed to be about my dating life thirteen years ago.”
Megs couldn’t decide if that answer meant he still regretted the decision or not. “You weren’t thinking about it at all? It sounded like that was the first time you’d seen each other in years.” Megs had participated in so few relationships, that would’ve been all she was thinking about if her ex had appeared across from her.
Gideon stood and walked his tray to the trash can, then strode back to his booth but didn’t sit. He folded his arms in front of him. “Can we talk about something else?”
“Like what?” Megs sipped on her shake.
“Like what you think of the competition.”
“Considering I tried to quit at least three times?” She still couldn’t believe she hadn’t been successful.
Gideon laughed. “Matt’s not one to take no for an answer.”
