I knocked on the doorframe. He looked up from the stack of papers in front of him, plucking an AirPod from each ear, a gesture that he had probably made a million times before. This time, however, I watched the easy smile fall from his face as the earbuds toppled from his fingers. His mouth hung open and he straightened in the chair.
“Rose?”He sounded unsure.
I stood straighter too, glad I had put on my good jeans and a tight T-shirt today. “Hey, Bradley,” I said, smiling a little. “I guess I can call you that now, can’t I?”
Bradley’s eyes moved over me slowly, darting from my face down to my body and back.
I closed the door behind me. I knew he’d be more open to this conversation if we couldn’t be overheard.
He seemed to come back to himself, sighing a little. “You’ve always called me that.” He smiled. It was the same one I remembered, but there were laugh lines around his mouth now.
“Yes, but now I’mallowedto.” I stopped in front of his desk. “Turns out it isn’t as fun.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” he said, dazed, as if staring at a ghost.
I pretended to count on the tips of my fingers. “Seven years. Give or take a few months.”
Bradley just blinked.
“Time flies when you’re getting old,” I said, reading his thoughts.
His eyes narrowed. “Do I look as old as I feel?”
“Absolutely.”
“Well, you on the other hand look incredible.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I’d walked into the room. “How old are you now?” he asked, trying to do the math. “Twenty-six?”
“Twenty-five,” I said. “But age is just a number.”
Bradley didn’t say anything, just ran his hand over his face. “I forgot how much you used to say that,” he groaned.
“Come on,” I teased. “Don’t be a revisionist. You used to like it.”
Bradley sighed. “What are you doing here, Rose?”
“I’m trying to find my sister, Hazel.” I stared him down to see if there was a flicker of anything. Any indication that he was still interested in me.
His face softened at my words. “I heard about that,” he said. “I’m so sorry. Everyone here’s really broken up about it. I would’ve reached out, but I didn’t know if you’d want me to.”
I stared at him, trying to read his expression. What had I been expecting? That I would say Hazel’s name and his eyes would turn hard, revealing he had something to do with it? It was stupid.
“Was she your student?” I asked. It was a detail I should have already known. Something I should have asked her but that never occurred to me.
Bradley nodded. “She’s in my English class. Hazel’s a good kid.”
I stiffened. My sister, who looked so much like me.
“Do you like her the way you liked me?” I asked.
I stopped breathing as I waited for him to answer.This, I realized. This was what I’d come here to find out. Why I knew I had to come inside the second I’d seen his car.
He shook his head quickly. “No. There’s no one quite like you, Rose.”
That wasn’t a conclusive answer. I stood back so I could watch his face carefully as I asked my next question.
“So, you don’t sleep with all of your students then?” My voice was even, not aggressive. I even added a small smile to keep him relaxed.
Bradley’s head snapped back in surprise. “Please keep your voice down,” he whispered tersely, his eyes darting to the closed door. “But to answer your question,no.” He looked hurt, my words coming out of left field. “Of course not. My god. Is that what you’ve been thinking?”
