Page 17 of Oops, My Professor Got Me Pregnant!

Now, though, she slid out of bed and headed for the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth and got ready for the day, she swung between excitement at the day ahead and nerves about what she would have to do.

Lauren had been in Paris for almost two weeks now. And they had been two wonderful weeks. After moving into her new apartment, she had spent her days exploring the city. She returned to her old haunts from her time here almost a decade ago, then branched into new places she’d never seen before. Finally, Lauren was starting to get a feel for the rhythm of her new city, from the public-transit schedule to the ebb and flow of spoken French in cafés and restaurants.

It had been lovely to have a little time to decompress after many years that had felt constantly full-on. However, as time passed, Lauren realized that she needed a little more to her life than exploring. And she needed a distraction from Nico, whom she still hadn’t been able to get out of her mind almost two weeks later. She still thought she saw him around the city sometimes, but it was never really him.

Which was for the best.

Anyway, Lauren knew she needed more. She needed help bringing her French to the next level. She needed friends and companions for her adventures. And it wouldn’t hurt to have a little extra income to supplement her inheritance.

So, she had begun searching for a job. Today, she would be interviewing for an assistant English teacher position at a local college. A little research had shown that the college worked with both university-aged students and members of the community who wanted to improve their English. Lauren would be working with an experienced head teacher who could help guide her into the new world of academia — and she’d even get free French lessons at the college as part of her benefits package.

If she got the job, of course.

Still torn between excitement and nerves, Lauren made her way the six blocks to the college. That would be another benefit of working there — it was a short walk from her apartment through a leafy park and a few quiet residential streets, then along a bustling road. Lauren wouldn’t mind starting her mornings with this commute. It was very different from the twenty-minute drive to the bank she’d made every day back in Nebraska.

She arrived a little early and took a turn around the campus, which was modern but with a classic flair, before going to the room where she’d have her interview. After a few minutes of nervous waiting, a young brunette peeked out from the interview room.

“Lauren Chapman?”

“Right here.” Lauren got to her feet and crossed to the woman for a handshake.

“Nice to meet you.” The woman took her hand and shook it. “I’m Céline Gaumont, the head of the English department. Please, come on in.”

Lauren followed Céline into the conference room and took a seat.

“So, Lauren, I’ve looked over your CV and it seems you haven’t worked as a teacher before.” Céline must have noticed that Lauren looked worried, because she hurried to continue. “That isn’t a problem. I just wondered what brings you to Paris and to teaching.”

“Sure.” Lauren took a deep breath. “Well, I came to Paris because I love the city. There’s just an energy here that’s unbeatable, both a vibrancy and a sense of history.”

“I know what you mean.” Céline nodded eagerly. “Paris is unlike any other city on earth. Although I’m biased, of course, since I’m from here. And what brings you to teaching?”

“I love people,” Lauren began. “My favorite part of all my past jobs has been interacting with and helping other people. At my most recent job, I trained a few new employees, and I found it very rewarding to watch them grow and succeed in their new roles. I know that teaching is very different from helping people with bank transfers, but I also think that approaching it with the goal of working with my students would be helpful. And I love to learn, which I think is an important part of teaching.”

Céline nodded again “I like that. A lot of teachers feel like they have to know everything to be good at their jobs, but I agree with you. I think some of the best teachers approach it as a learning experience for both themselves and their students.”

“I agree. All my favorite teachers have been the ones who treated me like an equal, or at least a valuable member of the conversation.”

“So far, so good.” Céline smiled. “Now I’ll move on to a few more specific questions. How do you feel about classroom management, like getting your students to focus and pay attention?”

For a moment, Lauren wasn’t sure she had an answer. But she took a deep breath and spoke from her heart. “I think students pay attention to things that interest them, and anything can be interesting. By making the topic personal, funny, or in some way engaging, I think you can really inspire interest. For instance, I had a professor in college who would give fun interactive quizzes at the end of class with prizes for the highest scorer, like a piece of chocolate. I know I paid attention in that class. I would hope to do something similar with my students.”

“I think you’d like my teaching style, then.” Céline grinned. “Although it can also be important to be tough with your students if you notice that they’re not giving their best effort over a few lessons.”

“Definitely.”

“Can you tell me a little more about how your work history has prepared you for the role?”

The interview went on for about twenty more minutes, and Lauren felt better and better with each question. She and Céline clicked really well, often building off each other’s ideas until it felt more like a conversation than an interview. By the end of the meeting, Lauren almost felt that she was talking to a friend.

“I have a few other candidates,” Céline said as they finished up. “But honestly, I doubt anyone would be a better fit than you. Despite your inexperience with teaching, I love your enthusiasm and your approach, and I think we would work well together. If you’re interested, I’d like to offer you the position.”

“Wow, really?” Lauren felt her mouth drop open. She hadn’t expected the interview to go this well.

“Really.” Céline chuckled. “Of course, if you need a little time to think about it?—”

“No, I think I can accept now.”

“Wonderful. I’ll have our HR department draw up the paperwork and speak with you about visa requirements. Barring any unforeseen issues, when would you be ready to start?”

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