Page 217 of The Texas Sterling Collection
“Pearson is quite talented,” Declan added. “And it’s not opera.”
“Definitely not opera,” Rod chuckled. “I wish I had his knack for the guitar.”
“You don’t play?” Declan asked.
“No, it’s one instrument I never learned. Wyl tried to teach me, but got other ideas.” He took Wyl’s hand and winked at him.
Wyl blushed. “Yes, well, a certain professor unexpectedly affected me.”
Rod squeezed Wyl’s hand. “I need a loo break.”
“Me too,” Wyl said.
They stood and walked toward the Men’s Room.
“Sorry if I embarrassed you, babe,” Rod whispered as they maneuvered through the tables.
“It’s okay,” Wyl said. “We ended up together, and that is what counts.”
“Boy howdy!” Rod said louder than intended. Heads turned as they walked past.
As they neared the men’s room, Wyl leaned over and whispered to Rod,” Are you okay? You seemed a bit tense back there.”
“I’m fine,” Rod whispered back as they entered. “But Declan and Ailbe make me uneasy. The more I’m around them, the less I trust them, especially after my nightmare and hearing about the murder. Something about their demeanor screams career criminals.”
They stood side by side at the trough while doing their business.
Wyl bumped Rod with his shoulder. “Like I said, they need us, or we wouldn’t be here. We actually have the power now.”
“What?” Rod shook, tucked, and zipped.
Wyl stowed his manhood and buttoned his fly. “If we are out of the picture, their success is jeopardized.”
Rod washed his hands. “Keep reminding me of that.”
“Remember, no matter what happens, I’m on your side.” Wyl washed his hands.
They dried their hands and returned to the table.
“I was telling Declan how impressed I was with how you handled the crowd in your presentation,” Ailbe said. “You did equally well with my students. I was amazed by the volume of questions.”
“Gee, Ailbe, you know how to butter a guy up.” Wyl risked a stab at what he figured were Ailbe’s ultimate plans. With an engaging smile, he said, “It sounds like you want something else.”
“Now that you mention it, I wonder if you could help me.” Ailbe sported a coy smile.
Uh-oh. Here it comes.Rod wiped the Guinness foam from his upper lip. He studied his beer glass, avoiding eye contact with everyone at the table.
“Help with what, Ailbe?” Wyl raised one eyebrow.
“I have this massive course project to grade. I escalated the due date to give me time to finish, but it is complex, and I could use assistance. Would you be willing to look over the projects?”
Ailbe had a pleading tone to his voice that Wyl didn’t buy for a minute, but he kept a smile on his face. “I never graded schoolwork. I’m not sure I know how.”
“It is quite simple. Review the coding written by the students and determine if it will work. For a man with your skills, think of it as similar to reading a primary school essay.”
Based on his review of Fergus Rafferty’s work, Wyl knew he could quickly uncover any errors in the coding. It would also allow him to inspect the entire project. Unlike looking at only one piece, he could piece together the whole project and the intricacies of Ailbe’s plan.
“Since you put it that way, maybe I can help out. Rod has extensive experience grading student work, so he can help me. When is the project due?”
