Me: He’s a good looking guy. Is he single?
Jace: He’s very married. And his wife is very pregnant. It’s a good thing this is an encrypted chat, or someone might see these texts and start calling you Professor Homewrecker.
Me: Speaking of texts… I blocked you on Tinder after sending my last message. But it would probably be best if you deleted the Tinder exchange on your end.
Jace: You’re that paranoid?
Me: Usually not, but you’re the one who made me download an encrypted texting program.
Jace: I didn’t make you do anything, Professor Carrington.
Oh my God, the way he called me Professor Carrington stirred something inside me. He was my student, and that made thisnaughtyin all the best ways.
Me: Still though, it would probably be best if you deleted those messages. It would suck if there’s some big Tinderleak in the future, even though I covered my ass with the final message I sent.
Jace: I’d love to cover your ass, so to speak.
Me: Very funny. But you’ll delete the Tinder exchanges on your side?
Jace: I’ll take that under advisement, Professor.
Jace: You know what? I kind of like having some leverage over you. It balances out the power dynamic since you functionally control my future.
Me: That sounds awfully close to blackmail.
Jace: I would never do that.
Jace: Hypothetically ;-)
Me: My interest in something happening after May is rapidly declining. Hypothetically.
Jace: Go watch the Stranger Things finale and get back to me. Have a nice night, Professor.
I wanted to be annoyed with Jace being uncooperative, but I also couldn’t stop smiling at the text thread.
“Nothing can happen,” I said out loud. “As long as nothingactuallyhappens, then this is fine.”
I wasn’t sure if I believed it.
11
Lila
On Monday morning, I walked into my first class expecting to see a banana or a bunch of grapes. But it was much weirder than that.
It was a can of tuna.
While unpacking my laptop, I casually glanced at the note that was tucked underneath the metal tin.
If you don’t like fruit, maybe protein will win you over. I have a great recipe for tuna salad. Say the word and I’ll make you dinner.
-J
I had to stifle a laugh. I actually loved tuna, and survived college on homemade tuna fish sandwiches.
But I wasn’t going to admit that to him.
Class went well, even though I could feel Jace’s intense gaze staring out at me. When my lecture was over, he took his sweet time packing everything up, which meant he was the last student to leave.
