That particular night, though, I had an urge to show off. Maybe I was just feeling particularly enamored with Frankie and Asher and pleased that our new arrangement had fallen into place. Perhaps I had spent one too many evenings telling myself I had to hide from what we were doing, and I had finally tired of it, ready to stand proud.
Or maybe it was the simple fact that I knew Dorothy Pearson would be there.
“She’s going to flip,” Asher said as walked in. He kept adjusting his tie, then running his hand over his smooth face. “You can’t blame me if she fires you.”
“She can’t fire him because of tenure,” Frankie explained, opening the door to the bar.
“That’s true, although I would like her to know that I am not embarrassed or afraid of her,” I said as I walked inside with my guys. “Anyway, she’ll need to keep up appearances, so she won’t make a scene.” I smiled to Asher. “Just know that she’s having a miserable time, deep inside.”
“I can drink to that,” he answered with a grin.
I looked around the large, open bar, dotted with faculty members of all disciplines. Soft jazz music played over the speakers, and waiters paced around slowly, replacing drinks and taking empty glasses away. A thrill shot up my spine to be here with Asher. When I caught a glimpse of our group in the mirror, my eyes trailed over my gray suspenders and checkered shirt, across Frankie’s cardigan and to Asher’s slim build and his tattooed arms.
How many people are going to think he’s my former student?I wondered.How many people are going to look at us and laugh when they realize we’re together?
But then the crowd parted, and I saw Dorothy Pearson, the same moment as she saw me. Her eyes turned to ice, and I straightened my back. I rested one hand on Frankie’s back and other on Asher’s and felt a swell of pride.
You stopped caring what other people thought a long time ago,I reminded myself.
I didn’t care about anyone else’s opinion when I fell in love with another man, a geeky, clumsy guy with a heart so strong he glowed. And I didn’t care when I decided to pursue the academic subjects that interested me, instead of following in the set path.
And I most certainly didn’t care now, when Asher showed up and told us that he needed us.
“Let’s get a seat,” I said. “There’s a good table right there at the top of the stairs.”
“Prime realty,” Asher teased. “You really do want everyone to see your hot young thing, don’t you, Daddy Rory?”
I chuckled as I led the guys up toward the stairs. “I’ll probably never come back to one of these cocktail hours. Might as well give them a good show.”
Frankie grabbed a cocktail napkin, then held it over his face like he was hiding from the paparazzi. “Please, no pictures. If you have any questions, please reach out to our publicist. Her name is Marlene Dietrich, and she’s a poodle.”
Asher plopped down in the table, then leaned forward, planting a quick kiss on my cheek while he purred under his breath. “Just in case anyone was trying to figure it out,” he said with a wink.
I looked up and burst out with a laugh when I saw my chair’s wide eyes. I might well have to pay some sort of price for this, but I was having way too much fun to care.
“Hey now,” I said, nodding to Frankie. “Fair is fair.”
Asher laughed, then planted a wet one on Franklin’s cheek. The waitress came around, greeting us with a warm smile, and we all took a glass of wine.
“I think we’re getting more approving stares than anything else,” Frankie said, glancing around the bar quickly.
Asher nodded. “The other poodle publicists are definitely gossiping,” he said. “But the buzz is good.”
Frankie giggled that Asher had picked up his joke, and I nodded. “If I see any of the colleagues I’m actually friends with, I’ll make sure to introduce you,” I said.
“Just Mrs. Pearson,” Asher said. “Who cares about her anyway? Did I tell you when we were kids, she used to steal from the college?”
I coughed on my shiraz. “Pardon me?”
“Daryl told me about it,” Asher said. “Something about a research fund and a vacation she takes to Hawaii every winter.”
“Huh,” I said, glancing at her across the room. “I suppose that explains why she’s such a tightwad with the rest of the budget.” I turned back to Asher. “Are you sure?”
“That whole family is crooked,” he said. “My feeling is all rich people are, but those ones especially.”
I slipped the information into my pocket, figuring a discreet question to someone at the college who I trusted could get to the bottom of it without stirring anything up, especially if this time Daryl had been lying. “I will admit,” I said. “There are crooked types in academia, same as everywhere else.”
“And some of the good ones drive getaway cars,” Frankie said, poking Asher on the shoulder. “It’s a mixed-up world.”
Asher laughed. He looked satisfied with the compliment as he glanced between us.
“So what do you say?” he said. “Should we toss back this wine and hit the road? You might think I’m good, but tonight, I’m ready to act bad.”
