Page 2 of A Twist of Faith
Dee swallowed the little taste of envy in her throat. PhD—check; iPhone—no. She had her priorities in order. Keurig machine and a new car before an iPhone. Surviving on coffee and microwavable mac-n-cheese through college deservedsomerewards.
“Emails will do for the rest of the time.” He returned his phone to his pocket and stepped to one of the bookshelves, examining the two lone items she’d randomly placed there: Her faithful plant, Despereaux, and herCalvin and Hobbesyear of quotes calendar.
His fingers drifted over the peace lily, which had survived all four of her moves in the past five years. If nothing else, the poor plant deserved a consistent owner, even if it couldn’t get a permanent home. Then he tilted theCalvin and Hobbescalendar up toward him. She’d just read the one for today as she’d unpacked it.
“So, is this a lucky underwear day?” Alex waved the calendar at her, condescending humor undeniable.
“A luckyunderpantskind of day.” The correction popped out before she could catch it.
His delayed reaction confirmed his disbelief. “You have these memorized?”
A swell of warmth burst into her face. She spanned the distance between them and retrieved the book. “Of course not.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
She cleared her throat and thumbed toward a plastic tote of books on the floor nearby in an attempt to divert his attention from her drowning embarrassment. “I haven’t even been to my rental house and … as you can see. I still need to unpack.”
“I noticed.” He turned abruptly, then sidled over to sit in the office chair.Heroffice chair. “Always work before comfort, right, Dee?”
She pushed a loose piece of her dark hair back into her bun and placed her father’s picture back on her desk as she tempered her retort. “Well, one of us has to work.”
He laughed and threaded his hands behind his head as he stretched back in her chair. “Being on your home turf is bringing out your country charm.” The green gaze took an impish turn. “Didn’t you grow up somewhere near here?
Placing distance between Alex’s cologne and her assaulted sense of smell, Adelina shelved a few books and rearranged her Calvin and Hobbes calendar. “Yes.”
“Quaint.”
Quaint?She turned. He had no idea about the Appalachian culture. Quaint described little of her experience within the folds of the rural Blue Ridge. Lonely. Hostile.
“There’s something about it.” His softened voice drew her attention back to him. He was staring out the window. “I never imagined a real place like Mayberry.”
Alex loosened his tie. The edges of his hair matted against his damp forehead.
Maybe the heat would send him all the way out of her office.
“What’s it like?” His expression took on genuine interest that put her on guard. He only sobered from the confident-rich-kid routine when he was serious about something—usually women. “You know? Coming back home.”
Maybe the heatwasgoing to his head? “This isn’t home for me.” Growing up in the culture singed any desire to return. The lure of the mountains beyond her window already had her heart palpitating a retreat rhythm.
Alex cleared his throat and stood, casting another glance out the window. “The town seems idyllic—something from a movie set. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I just thought maybe it was a good place to call home, that’s all.” The contemplative look on his face evaporated with his shrug. “Who needs to worry about home when we have our work, right?”
His declaration shook her. Was he right? Was her job all she had?
Alex flipped through a random phonology text on her desk. “And while I’m here, I need to get a copy of those last ten cases you completed.”
“My cases?” Her contemplation ground to a lurching halt. “Why?”
“I’ll need the information for my presentation at ASHA in November.”
The temperature in the room vaulted to volcanic proportions ...He wouldn’t.
“ASHA?” The annual speech-language pathologists’ and audiologists’ convention? “You’re going to presentmyresearch at the national convention?”
“Yourresearch?” Alex’s head shook, as if to console her. “You wouldn’t have your research had I not agreed to supervise it. I set you up for success with my contacts. My name is on all the documentation.”
Adelina placed her hands on her hips. “Your signature gives you the right to steal my work?”
“Supervisor clearly gives me specific rights, Adelina. You know that.”
