Page 74 of Bad Professor

They think right. But I’m not about to confirm or deny.

“Okay, then. No,” I say. “I’m not getting back together with your father.”

“Ever?” Jordan wants to know, the hint of hope evident this time.

“Sorry, sweetie. I have no plans on ever getting together with your father.” I smile to add a note of softness to my firm reply.

“Because you’ve met someone,” Jade guesses.

I hesitate. It can’t be this easy. “Actually… well…”

“You’ve met someone?” Jordan demands.

“Now who’s yelling?” Jade kicks Jordan’s hip. “We’re okay with this. We talked about it.”

“You talked about me meeting someone?”

“Of course. You’ve been so happy lately that I figured it was because of a man.” Jade sounds scornful and excited, like only sixteen-year-olds can sound. “Where did you meet him?”

“At school?” Jordan wants to know. Thankfully, she seems more relaxed thanks to the casual way her sister is handling it.

“Actually… yes. He works there.”

“You’re dating a professor?” Jade laughs, and my heart skitters to a stop. I can pretend at school and keep the truth from friends, but there is no way I’m going to be able to lie to my daughters.

“He works there,” I repeat.

“Are you actually dating him, or just want to?” Jordan wants to know. “Do you like him, or do you like him?”

“I’m dating him,” I say in a gentle voice, still unsure of the reaction I’m about to get. “I’ve known him for about two and a half months.”

“You’re… wow.” Jade looks amazed, her casual responses vanishing at the first sight of her mother who has a new man.

“Can we meet him?” Jordan asks. Jade looks interested as well.

Wow. I did it. I told them about Dexter and they’re…

They’re fine.

My smile widens. “Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. He really wants to meet you both. His name’s Dexter.”

39

Dexter

“How old are you?”

“What do you do?”

“Are you divorced?”

“Do you have kids?”

The questions from Tilly’s daughters come fast and furious and I haven’t even been in the apartment for fifteen minutes.

I have never felt fear like this before.

Tilly called an hour ago and invited me over to meet the girls. I wasn’t ready; she had planned to talk to them tonight, but nothing else was supposed to happen. If things went well, there might be a chance that I would meet them Sunday, but nothing is for certain when teenagers are involved.

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