Page 41 of Confusing Hearts

The owners accepted the offer on the spot. Since it was a cash transaction, closing was scheduled for fifteen days later. I could hardly wait to tell Jenna, but I was determined to keep it a surprise.

Two more weeks dragged on and Jenna showed signs of equal frustration, since we had not had a single moment alone. It weighed heavily on both of us, but I knew it would be coming to an end soon.

Collette dropped off my new keys the day before closing. The money was already secured in escrow and closing was essentially a done deal.

“The last of the stuff the owners wanted has been removed from the property. Anything remaining conveys to you,” she informed me.

“Can I get in tonight even though closing isn’t until tomorrow?”

“Yes, it’s all yours. Tomorrow’s just a formality of signing the paperwork, since it’s a cash transaction.”

We said goodbye and I thanked her profusely, staring down at my house key in disbelief.

It was Wednesday morning and I was late for class. Worry hit me as I entered the room, only it wasn’t coming from me. I should have sat in the back, sneaking in as inconspicuously as possible, but Jenna needed me. I made my way down to the front, as the professor’s back was to us as he worked a problem on the whiteboard.

I was already sitting in my usual seat, next to my mate, when the professor turned around. He simply nodded my way and kept teaching. Getting through the next two classes was going to be hell. I was so excited to take Jenna home, our first home together.

She wrote something on a piece of paper, and then slid it over to me that asked,are you okay?

I wrote back,never better,and added a little smiley face then slid the paper back to her.

Anita was watching us closely, so I ignored further attempts at interrogation.

When the class finally ended, I headed out and Jenna ran to keep up.

“What is with you today?” she demanded. “First you’re late to class. Now you’re ditching me?”

My eyes widened as I turned to her. I wanted desperately to pull her into my arms, but I saw Anita walk out of the class and look curiously in our direction.

“Just keep walking,” I told her. I made no attempt to reach out to her as I wanted. I didn’t even talk to her again until we were in our class. Then I turned to her. “I’m so sorry. Anita’s been hinting to Matt that she thinks something’s going on with us. I didn’t think you wanted even her to know.”

“That’s why you were late this morning?”

“No, I’ll tell you all about that at lunch,” I assured her. “But that’s why I was trying to rush out of our last class and not linger. I didn’t mean to make you feel it was because of you.”

She relaxed visibly. “My afternoon class cancelled today. Maybe we could actually get away for a little bit today?”

I grinned from ear to ear. My mate was missing time alone with me, too, though little did she know I had already solved that problem. Now I just had to wait and count down the seconds until our classes ended. Of course, that meant they both dragged on for what seemed like forever.

With five minutes left in our photography class, the lights dimmed as the professor showed us pictures from the Renaissance period, I checked the time on my phone one last time. There were five minutes left in class. I grabbed up my things and headed out, sending a text to Jenna as I did.

I heard her phone ding and chanced a look back at the confusion on her face when she answered it before leaving the room and then sprinted across the campus.

CHASE- faculty parking lot at the back, as soon as class ends.

Jenna sent back a thumbs-up emoji. By the time she arrived, I had made it across campus, picked up my Jeep, and was waiting. She came out and looked around, standing on her tiptoes and straining in search of me. I honked the horn and waved her over.

“Whose Jeep is this?” she asked as she slid into the passenger seat.

“Mine,” I told her.

“You’ve had a car this whole time? Why are we just now using it?”

I really hadn’t thought about that previously. There were many places off campus we could have gone to get away. I just shrugged guiltily.

“Sorry, until now I just didn’t think about it.”

“Why were you late this morning? I was worried.”

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