into an aisle seat and pulling out her notebook.
I remember that Madeleine is waiting for me so I head up the aisle. Near the back of the auditorium I see Ronnie taking a seat.
“No napping this class,” I say to him. “I’ll need to borrow your notes.”
“Sure,” he says, smiling. He sits up straighter and takes out a notepad.
Outside, I see Derrick talking to Madeleine. Not talking exactly. She’s trying to twirl on her crutches and Derrick is filming her with a small camera. She’s laughing from her efforts, but I’m worried she might go ass over tea kettle on the icy bricks. I’m about to say something when he stops.
“Thanks, Professor Hare. Gotta go to class now.”
“Anytime, Derrick. And call me Madeleine ! Good luck with your project.”
Derrick ducks into the auditorium.
“What was that all about?” I say, retrieving her bags from a nearby bench.
“Who knows! Something to do with his year end project. Though why he’d want a woman trying to twirl on crutches is beyond me.”
“Definitely odd,” I say. I start walking toward her office, feeling dejected and frustrated. No more Thursdays. What will we do now?
“This way, Ava,” says Madeleine, turning down a different. “I’m going back to my apartment to rest. I arranged a sub for my next class. It’s exhausting trying to get around like this.” But she’s still smiling. After how sad she was last term, it’s refreshing to see her so happy.
“So who took you snowboarding?”
Her eyes twinkle behind her glasses and her mouth curves into a mischievous smile. “Oh, just a friend .”
I raise an eyebrow. “And this friend is worth a broke ankle?”
She blinks and smiles even wider. “Actually, yes.”
“But you can’t tell me who it is?”
She shakes her head. “Not that I don’t think you can keep a secret.”
She winks at me. Is she hinting at something? Or am I being paranoid now? I act cool and nonchalant as we navigate the stairs to the faculty apartment building. Madeleine’s face scrunches up with concentration as she makes her way slowly up the stairs.
Once inside, standing in front of the elevator, she says, “I’m on the third floor.” With a smile, she adds. “Same as Professor O’Shane.”
I freeze. I don’t look at her Does she suspect something? I can’t be sure.
The elevator doors open. She gets in. I don’t. I hand back her satchel.
“You’re welcome to join me for tea, Ava.” She gives me a meaningful smile.
“Um, another time. I should really get back to class.”
I hurry back to class. I hurry away from the faculty apartments. Did Madeleine see me leaving the apartment sometime last term? Does she know about me and Logan? More importantly, if she does, is she going to report it?
I am trying to cross one bridge at a time, but they seem to be crumbling beneath me.
***
When I text Logan the bad news about DnC’s loft he says he’ll ask Dr. T if he can borrow the Aston again. I don’t want to risk going back to the inn where Ronnie works, so it looks like our only other option is to head out toward the motels along the highway. The thought of that makes me feel cheap. Plus it means waiting until Sunday.
When we do finally find ourselves alone, after Logan picks me up in front of the Steady Drip and we check in to an indiscriminate hotel not far from the train station, I’m ready to relive the playful intimacy we had in New York. But Logan seems more distant. I wonder if he had a difficult time with his mother, but he says no. He’s just been working intensely on his novel.
“And I’m still waiting to hear from Lowell about those chapters. He’s taking his sweet time reading them.”
“He’ll be in touch soon, don’t worry.”
“I need this novel to be well received. I’ve already spent the publisher’s advance, and this teaching position isn’t that lucrative. Plus I’ve had some unforeseen expenses to deal with in New York.”
“Did the sublet fall
I remember that Madeleine is waiting for me so I head up the aisle. Near the back of the auditorium I see Ronnie taking a seat.
“No napping this class,” I say to him. “I’ll need to borrow your notes.”
“Sure,” he says, smiling. He sits up straighter and takes out a notepad.
Outside, I see Derrick talking to Madeleine. Not talking exactly. She’s trying to twirl on her crutches and Derrick is filming her with a small camera. She’s laughing from her efforts, but I’m worried she might go ass over tea kettle on the icy bricks. I’m about to say something when he stops.
“Thanks, Professor Hare. Gotta go to class now.”
“Anytime, Derrick. And call me Madeleine ! Good luck with your project.”
Derrick ducks into the auditorium.
“What was that all about?” I say, retrieving her bags from a nearby bench.
“Who knows! Something to do with his year end project. Though why he’d want a woman trying to twirl on crutches is beyond me.”
“Definitely odd,” I say. I start walking toward her office, feeling dejected and frustrated. No more Thursdays. What will we do now?
“This way, Ava,” says Madeleine, turning down a different. “I’m going back to my apartment to rest. I arranged a sub for my next class. It’s exhausting trying to get around like this.” But she’s still smiling. After how sad she was last term, it’s refreshing to see her so happy.
“So who took you snowboarding?”
Her eyes twinkle behind her glasses and her mouth curves into a mischievous smile. “Oh, just a friend .”
I raise an eyebrow. “And this friend is worth a broke ankle?”
She blinks and smiles even wider. “Actually, yes.”
“But you can’t tell me who it is?”
She shakes her head. “Not that I don’t think you can keep a secret.”
She winks at me. Is she hinting at something? Or am I being paranoid now? I act cool and nonchalant as we navigate the stairs to the faculty apartment building. Madeleine’s face scrunches up with concentration as she makes her way slowly up the stairs.
Once inside, standing in front of the elevator, she says, “I’m on the third floor.” With a smile, she adds. “Same as Professor O’Shane.”
I freeze. I don’t look at her Does she suspect something? I can’t be sure.
The elevator doors open. She gets in. I don’t. I hand back her satchel.
“You’re welcome to join me for tea, Ava.” She gives me a meaningful smile.
“Um, another time. I should really get back to class.”
I hurry back to class. I hurry away from the faculty apartments. Did Madeleine see me leaving the apartment sometime last term? Does she know about me and Logan? More importantly, if she does, is she going to report it?
I am trying to cross one bridge at a time, but they seem to be crumbling beneath me.
***
When I text Logan the bad news about DnC’s loft he says he’ll ask Dr. T if he can borrow the Aston again. I don’t want to risk going back to the inn where Ronnie works, so it looks like our only other option is to head out toward the motels along the highway. The thought of that makes me feel cheap. Plus it means waiting until Sunday.
When we do finally find ourselves alone, after Logan picks me up in front of the Steady Drip and we check in to an indiscriminate hotel not far from the train station, I’m ready to relive the playful intimacy we had in New York. But Logan seems more distant. I wonder if he had a difficult time with his mother, but he says no. He’s just been working intensely on his novel.
“And I’m still waiting to hear from Lowell about those chapters. He’s taking his sweet time reading them.”
“He’ll be in touch soon, don’t worry.”
“I need this novel to be well received. I’ve already spent the publisher’s advance, and this teaching position isn’t that lucrative. Plus I’ve had some unforeseen expenses to deal with in New York.”
“Did the sublet fall
Similar Books
