I shrug. “I don’t know. I didn’t get much chance to talk to her. She seemed a little annoyed I was there.”
“She hot?”
I shrug again. “Not really. I mean, I guess she was pretty enough. She looked young, but she was dressed kind of frumpy.”
Kelsier frowns. “No tight pencil skirt? No black stilettos? Not even a blouse where her breasts are straining against the buttons, begging to be set free?” he asks, his tone growing more disappointed by the word.
I chuckle. “Dude. No, none of that. You got a teacher fetish I don’t know about, Kels?”
He cocks his head. “Let’s just say I had a professor in college that made me want to come to class every day and sit in the front row.”
“Let me guess,” I say as we enter the weight room. “You got an A in that class.”
“Fuck no. I got a C,” he says. “I couldn’t stop imagining her lips around my dick. I didn’t hear a word she said all semester.”
Ash
Two hours later, Kelsier and I are done with weights, and we’re showered and ready for lunch. We’re just heading out when I hear a voice call my name.
We turn to see the PR guy, Cedric, hurrying toward us. He’s a slim black man with closely buzzed hair and a chinstrap beard. He’s wearing a suit with just the vest and not the jacket.
Cedric stops in front of me and Kelsier, and we look down at him. Normal people always seem so small after I’ve been in a room full of pro hockey players. Our defensemen average 6’3”, and Kingston, our starting goalie, is 6’7”. The shortest forwards on the team are 5’10”.
“What’s up, Cedric?” I ask.
He looks uncertainly at Kelsier, and I assume he has news about the doc that he’s wary about sharing in front of others.
“He knows about the doc if that’s what this is about,” I tell Cedric.
He frowns but then nods. “We heard back from Dr. Mackey,” he confirms. “She agreed to work with you. We’re just waiting for her toreturn the signed contracts after the university’s lawyers look at them, then you can go ahead and meet with her.”
My heart soars at the news. I know she hasn’t done anything yet, but just the thought she might be able to help makes me feel lighter than I have in days. Shit, it’s like the girl I just asked to the prom said yes.
“Awesome, man,” Kelsier says, giving my arm a light punch.
“Wait, is she supposed to come here, or should I go to her office?” I ask Cedric. “I assume I still shouldn’t be seen in public with her?”
Cedric sighs. “There’s only so long we’ll be able to keep this under wraps, but for now try to stay out of sight. Going back to the university isn’t a good idea. Maybe go to her place or yours first? If she insists on somewhere public, you can meet her here, but be discreet. The more people who know about her, the more likely the story is to get out.”
“Will do,” I say, and Cedric hurries off.
I pull out my phone and text the doc.
Ash
Heard you agreed to work with me. Thank you
Ash
PR dude says we should stay out of public places. Come to my place Thursday night after dinner? Is 7pm too late?
I text her the address, and I see the three dots jump around as she types out a reply. They stop, and I wait, but no text comes through. They start up again for a few seconds then stop. Still no response.
“She reply yet?” Kelsier asks.
“She’s typing, but she hasn’t sent anything yet.”
“Maybe she’s rethinking her life choices,” he jokes as I shove the phone back in my pocket, and we head for the food court.
