Page 18 of Autumn's Coming

Chapter Seven

Autumn

Poor guy.

I hadn’t even looked at our professor yet. I hadn’t expected a business class to be run by such a hardass, but here we were.

I scribbled notes frantically in my notebook, trying to keep up.

This was the last class I needed to finish my master’s degree. I just had to pass this, and I was done. I could find a real job, quit waitressing, and move on with my life.

The instructor got quiet, opening his laptop bag.

I lifted my head.

I gasped out loud.

It was him—the guy from the club, the one who’d given me my first tip.

The one who’d made me feel so sexy.

He opened his laptop and typed on it for a moment before lifting his head.

Our eyes met.

“I, um—” He paused, reached for a bottle of water on the table, and took a drink.

I lowered my head.

He probably didn’t recognize me.

And even if he did, he probably didn’t feel the same now, in normal lighting. I didn’t have makeup on. I was in jeans and a hoodie, worn-out sneakers. Nothing glamorous.

But still—how was I going to survive this class? What if he came back? It was bad enough that I’d spent one night grinding on a stage in front of the professor. Last night, he’d said he’d come back to see me. If he followed through with that, I’d have to drop the class.

I couldn’t face him like that every day.

I sank down in my seat, head bowed low over my notebook.

Just focus, I told myself. Focus on the lecture, not on him.

Class ended an hour later. I was sure that my anonymity had held up; he hadn’t noticed me at all, hadn’t called on me for anything.

It was a blessing. I hated talking in class, anyway.

Everyone else started to pack up, so I followed suit. I had to hurry, anyway; I needed to make it to the pub for the lunch shift, and then I had another night at Bounce ahead of me. My car was packed with all of my clothes for my different jobs, but I didn’t have much time to mess around. I needed to get going, fast.

Footsteps came toward me.

I glanced up.

Oh, no.

It was him.

He looked at me for a moment.

His expression was blank. I couldn’t tell if he knew who I was or not.

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