Page 32 of Baby for the Professor
Jackson drove through Bel Air, a beautiful neighborhood next to the campus, on our way to the McDonald's. Houses with spacious lawns, many of them were even gated.
I didn't want to speak, so I kept my eyes on the street.
"Do you like this neighborhood?" Jackson asked.
I scoffed. "What a question. Who wouldn't like it? It's the best neighborhood in LA."
"Would you like to live here?"
I rolled my eyes. "I would never be able to afford it."
He laughed. "Never say never."
Minutes later, we arrived at a McDonald's that still had a playground. Aiden finished his lunch unusually fast because he was hungry and eager to play at the Playplace.
When Aiden was playing at a climbing tower with a slide, Jackson asked me, "Are you okay? You don't seem to be enjoying yourself."
"Yeah, I'm fine." I forced a smile. The man was doing his best to please his son. The least I could do was hide my concerns. “I’m always sluggish on weekends.”
“I see.” He wrapped a hand around my shoulders and stroked my arm. “Is your job demanding?”
I resisted a shiver by cracking a lame joke. “Not really. Not as demanding as my econ professor.”
Jackson chuckled and said in a low voice, “Let me know if you need extra time for your assignments, love.” He leaned in to kiss me, making me blush like a little girl.
I pulled away slightly, conscious of other parents’ stares.
Jackson got the message and behaved himself. He focused his attention on our son for the remaining time at the playground.
When we headed back to our car, he said, “You know what, I think Aiden really inherited my love for tennis and also my talents."
I stifled an eye roll. "It's just his first time playing the sport. How can you tell?"
"Exactly. The first time and he's already shown potential. Monica said the same. She suggested I bring the kid with me for our weekly practice."
The mention of the name annoyed me. "Out of the question," I said without a pause. "I don't want to stress him out."
"What do you mean stress out? It'll be fun and good for him."
I was going to argue when Aiden spoke. "Yeah, Mommy. I want to play tennis with Daddy and Monica. I like her!"
Shit. What the hell did the woman do to my son? Panic flashed across my chest and I had to take a deep breath to calm down.This isn't going to work.A voice in my head said.
"Are you and Monica, er, close?" I asked after I placed Aiden in the car seat.
"We're just friends," Jackson said with a shrug.
"Did she help you to get the job at UCLA?"
"Well, she talked me into applying for it and she was on the hiring committee. So I guess it helped."
"Sounds like it."
"Why're you asking?"
"Nothing. Just curious."
He reached to squeeze my hand. "We're no more than friends, I assure you."
