Page 60 of Bewitch

He snorts. “You probably have both parents in your life.”

“And a silver spoon too,” I say. “My mom is a bit of a helicopter parent, or at least she was. I’m in college now, so there’s some distance… but only some, considering she’s on the college board, but that’s maybe a blessing in disguise.” I wrinkle my nose. “Do you ever wish you had more time for everything? Because there’s this one thing I want to investigate on campus, but I keep forgetting about it because I have so much going on. It’s important, though. Potentially.”

“If it’s important, then make time for it. Before you know it, it’ll be too late.”

“I know. I need to.”

“What’s it about?”

“One of my friends mentioned that a janitor gives her the creep. I want to check out and see if it’s an isolated incident, or maybe there’s something there.”

“You want to investigate something like that?”

I nod.

“Do you think that’s smart?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“It’s just… heavy.”

“I want to write about it potentially.”

“You better make sure you have your facts then.”

“That’s maybe some of why I haven’t gotten to it. I don’t want to risk screwing it up. But if there is something there and I delayed and something happens to a girl… I need to just do it already.” I rub the back of my neck. “How do I even go about doing this?”

“Maybe just report it to your mom and let her handle it.”

“I told her already, but she needs proof too, and I don’t want him fired without cause, so…”

“This doesn’t seem like a good idea. Can’t you investigate something like…”

“Like what?” I prompt.

“I don’t know,” he admits.

“See? And this is important. I just… It will affect the janitor’s life, and I want to make sure that I’m not wrong.”

“Don’t screw up then.”

“Thanks,” I say dryly. “I wasn’t planning on screwing up, but that advice of yours? Spot on. You should be a counselor.”

He chuckles. “To some extent, I am. Some of my clients will talk to me all about their lives and problems. I don’t say much, and they’ll work through their issues themselves.”

“So I should tell you all about my issues?”

He just eyes me.

I whisper, “That’s your cue to tell me I don’t have any.”

Lucas shakes his head, but he’s smirking, and this time, it’s a playful one that makes my panties absolutely melt off me.

“You have issues all right.”

“I do,” I agree, “and you’re one of them.”

“Because I’m keeping you from that party? Go on. Get out of here.”

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