My editor grins when I finish the story. “Did you look up his parents’ names?”
Searching the room for anyone nearby, I see that almost everyone has left in the last ten minutes. “Yes, and it turns out that his mom has written two books, worked on four nature documentaries, and has been featured in multiple papers and magazines such asNational Geographic. The woman is a legend, we were just too young to pay attention to the people behind the camera to notice it.”
She scoffs in shock. “And his dad?”
“Beloved heart surgeon who comes from a long line of neurological and general surgeons. No drama anywhere as far as I’ve seen with either of them. I haven’t had much time to look into his siblings, though.”
Amelia sighs, and her shoulders relax. “Thank fuck this is going well, Emma. I was nervous you wouldn’t find anything, but this is good. The classes, the fact that his parents were interesting people, and one of them is famous?” She snaps herfingers. “See if you can get a short interview with that woman from the soup kitchen who’s known him for years.”
“Marina?”
“Yes. She can tell you some fun stories and maybe get comfortable enough to tell you more than that.”
I force a smile and nod. “I’ll try my best.”
I like Marina and don’t want to use her for this. I’m uncomfortable using any of Grayson’s family members unless they come to me. She did offer to share some stories when we met, so if fun stories are all I get and I can’t use most of them, I’ll take it.
“You’re free to go, Haywood.” Amelia shoos me away. “Good work this week. Get some rest and have a great weekend.”
I tell her the same thing and walk to my desk with some extra pep in my step. After packing everything into my purse, I leave with no heels on today, but sneakers for a change, wanting to squeeze in a quick workout before spending the evening and part of the night at Stevie and Levi’s place, eating pizza and goofing off.
I need to let loose, and who knows, maybe we’ll end up heading to the Kappa house and their VIP room in the back that only Jake can get us into.
My phone vibrates in my pocket.
Scooby Gang:
Levi: Em, can you bring that huge shareable closed ice cream container I know you have for dessert?
I roll my eyes. This is what happens when you have close friends who come by your dorm at least once every two weeks.
Me: Fine. Are we going to the Kappa house tonight?
Jake: If you guys are up for it, then hell yeah!
We all respond with a yes.
Kami: Em, don’t forget that your parents are visiting, so you can’t drink too much.
Shit! How did I forget about them coming for lunch tomorrow? We’ve had it planned for two weeks.
I’ve been so busy with everything here that I haven’t had achance to go to the city, so my parents, being who they are, are visiting me. We’ll go to the casual farm-to-table restaurant like we always do, and they’ll order their usuals. Then we’ll go antiquing, and they’ll head home.
The perfect day in my eyes.
As much fun as everything I’m going to do today and tomorrow is, I can’t help but think about the blue-green-eyed man I haven’t seen in two days and how I won’t see him again until Tuesday.
We don’t have any other way to communicate except by email, and even those are connected to the school network, which is constantly monitored.
I’ll have to ask him for his number on Tuesday and hope we can start communicating better instead of leaving everything up in the air.
Even then, it’ll be hard to get.
Why? Because not only will Ben and Amelia be at the photo shoot, but Kamila invited herself along to see the “hot professor” again. Not that she said those same words to Cameron.
But now, I’ll have an extra pair of eyes watching Grayson and me closely.
Fuck my life.
