Page 57 of The Lake of Lost Girls

I KNOCKED ONthe closed office door. The nameDr. Clement Danielswas engraved on a shiny brass plate below the frosted glass pane.

“Come in.”

I turned the doorknob and went in, pulling the door closed behind me.

“Hi, Dr. Daniels, I’m Jessica Fadley. I’m interested in auditing your 6:30 Introduction to Statistics class.” I sounded nervous. And who would blame me? If he didn’t sign off on the class, I was at risk of losing my scholarship and being kicked out of not only Pi Gamma Delta, but school as well. I needed the class credits to become a sophomore because I knew I could never ask my parents to pay for summer school to make up the difference.

His head was bent over his desk as he wrote, his sandy blonde hair unruly. “Leave it on my desk and I’ll see if I have room,” he answered dismissively, not even looking up.

“I really hate to bother you, sir, but can you sign off on it now? I need to arrange my schedule and return the slip to the registrar’s office before it closes.” It wasn’t usually in my nature to be pushy, but my future at Southern State University depended on it.

“I said leave it on my desk—” Dr. Daniels looked up and his words abruptly ended. There was a flash of recognition. This was the same man I had almost run into back in the fall semester.

He was also the same man I had seen in the car with Phoebe.

And he remembered me as well.

His hazel eyes met mine and there was a moment. He felt it. I felt it. It hung in the air between us. I was someone easily consumed by the desire for single, focused attention. Dr. Clement Daniels looked at me like I deserved his consideration. It was a heady feeling.

His full lips spread into a smile. “Here, let me see.” He held out his hand and I gave him the registrar slip, our fingers brushing.

He turned to his computer, his attention now on the screen, giving me a brief reprieve from whatever that had been.

This was Dr. Daniels. The same Dr. Daniels that had been involved with Phoebe and Tammy.

Yet I wanted him to look at me again like I was worth something.

I watched his face as he squinted at the computer screen, clicking his mouse. When he was finished he grabbed a pen and signed the paper, holding it out for me to take. “Here you go, Jessica. You’re all set.”

This time, I made sure to take the slip without touching him.

“So there’s room?” I asked.

Dr. Daniels sat back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap. He had the casual charm that I could see would be very appealing. He was classically handsome, with eyes that were both compassionate and heated. His mouth was full and seductive. His nose was straight and just about perfect. He reminded me of my dad in many ways. I understood why most of the female coeds on campus lusted after him. It was why it was so easy for Dr. Daniels, my dad, and all the men like them, to do what they did. Men like them made it easy.

“Of course, Jessica.” My name sounded like an invitation.

“Oh, well thank you.” I hefted my bookbag on my shoulder and turned toward the door. “I guess I’ll see you in class.”

“I make it a point to help students, particularly when they’re struggling.” His tone changed to that of a concerned teacher.

“Yeah, I guess my grades aren’t where they should be.” My face flushed with shame.

Dr. Daniels leaned forward and he was full of attentive kindness. “Freshman year is an adjustment for most students. The sudden independence can be tough. I’ve seen more than a few kids pass through this office right where you are.”

I found myself relaxing marginally. He had a soothing effect on my anxiety.

“It’s been hard,” I found myself admitting.

I thought of all the classes I had missed. The now-nightly drunken partying. Even Daisy had expressed concern about the change in me. What I couldn’t tell her was being wasted was better than having to deal with my thoughts. My memories.

Dr. Daniels stood up and walked around his desk. “Well, let’s work together and get you back on track.” He reached past me, his chest brushing against my arm, as he opened the door. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Jessica. We’ve all been there.” His smile hit a nerve I didn’t know was there. His confidence in me, his complete focus—it was a balm to a wound inside me that was oozing and raw.

I found myself wanting to lean against him as I would my dad. To let him comfort me and tell me everything was going to be okay. He was so close I could smell his aftershave and the mint of his mouthwash.

“You know, my classes aren’t easy. A lot of students struggle. If you find yourself having a hard time keeping up, I offer one-on-one tutoring.” He spoke softly, his voice altering almost imperceptibly. There was something there that I knew I should heed.

“Okay, I may take you up on that,” I said just as softly.

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