Page 130 of Wish You Were Mine
And just like that, my chest tightened.
Because I knew what else they would have heard.
The aftermath. The headlines. My mother’s arrest. How quickly our name stopped meaning what it used to. How fast people’s perception of me changed once they knew the kind of woman I’d been raised by.
A drug addict. A woman in prison for killing half her family.
I felt Lucy shift beside me, just slightly. Like she’d sensed it, too. The moment right before the conversation turned.
I kept my eyes on my glass, bracing for it.
The subtle distance. The silent judgment. The pity.
But then, President Archibald’s voice cut through.
“I’m sure your father would be very proud of the man you’ve become,” he said, his tone softer now. “Everything you’ve accomplished—it’s awesome to see such a passion for one’s vocation, especially from such a young professor. I know Dean Harris thinks the world of you and that’s no small feat.”
His words hit harder than I expected. I had to blink a few times before I looked up, trying to pull myself together fast enough to nod.
“Thank you,” I said, appreciating his kindness after all the years I’d spent wondering if anything I did would ever be enough to outshine the shadow my mom’s mistakes had cast. The black mark on my father’s once-respected name.
President Archibald’s expression shifted, the corners of his mouth lifting like he was ready to steer the conversation somewhere lighter. “Though I suppose the real test of your teaching skills is whether our Lucy thinks you’ve been doing a good job.” He turned his sharp blue eyes toward her. “So what do you say,Luce? Would you agree with Dean Harris’s glowing review of your professor?”
She froze for just a second, like she hadn’t been expecting to be put on the spot. Her gaze flicked to mine briefly before she found her voice.
“I’d say it’s pretty fair,” she said. “I’ve actually been able to understand most of what he’s taught so far, so…that’s a plus.”
“Definitely.” Her dad chuckled. “Especially considering how frustrated we all got with your chemistry assignments in high school.” He looked at me with a sheepish expression. “I’m afraid neither my wife nor I were much help when it came to science. Poor Lucy was on her own.”
“Yeah.” Lucy rolled her eyes fondly. “It was pretty much a disaster.”
“Well, she’s been a great student so far.” I smiled, hoping it wasn’t obvious how great of a student I thought she was. “No complaints from me.”
Definitely not.
40
OWEN
I’d just startedmy car after my dinner with the Archibalds and was waiting for it to warm up a bit when my phone buzzed in the cupholder beside me.
Theo’s sister: Do you have plans for the rest of the night? I was thinking we should maybe touch base about what happened last night.
I stared at the message, my pulse instantly picking up speed.
Because I knew exactly what she was talking about.
Our kiss.
The moment when I’d officially crossed over the line and kissed my student.
Not just kissed…but passionately made out with in her brother’s pantry.
Me: I was just planning to hang out at home. And since I can’t exactly be seen going to your place without raising suspicions…do you want to come to mine instead?
Me: You know, unless we’re going full sketchy and meeting in a dimly lit parking lot somewhere.
When I looked up, her parents’ car rolled past mine, and there she was—Lucy in the backseat, her profile illuminated as my headlights caught the window. Her head was tipped back slightly, lips parted in a quiet smile, like she’d just laughed at the ridiculous parking lot joke I’d texted her.
