Undercover Professor (14 page)

His chest tight, his breath came in little huffing gasps.

He was wrong. Her life had moved on. She wasn’t missing him or loving him or even thinking about him. She was marrying Dell after all. Dell was perfect. Dell didn’t lie, or cheat. Dell, the nice guy, who won the girl.

A framed photo sat on her desk. Dell, with his arms wrapped around both Becca and Lucy in a big hug. A half-eaten cake sat in front of them. His vision fogged and he dropped his head in defeat, wanting to block out the image of this perfect, beautiful woman. The woman who was meant to be his.

“Nice photo, isn’t it?” Lucy asked from the doorway. He spun at her voice, forgetting for a moment that he wasn’t supposed to be in her office.

A coworker in a suit glanced between the two of them uncertainly.

“It’s okay, Jerry. Drew is an old friend of mine. We’ll finish this up tomorrow?”

Jerry nodded and left them alone. She stood, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, but a polite smile on her lips.

He studied her, desperate to catalog any changes. She wore a tasteful black suit with black heels and a gray button-down. Her hair had more light streaks in it.

“Lucy.” He sighed her name. “You look lovely.”

She tilted her head in acknowledgement. “You’re looking well also.”

He shrugged. They stood awkwardly for a moment.

She moved farther into the small office, brushing close as she circled him to drop a leather notebook and pen on the desk, pushing the magazines into a messy pile. His body screamed at him to touch her. He clenched his hands at his side, moving to lean against one of her guest chairs.

“So regional manager, huh?”

“Yes. After I graduated I applied right away. They’ve been really good to me here.”

Hope lifted in his heart. But those wedding magazines sat just a few inches from her fingertips. “I thought the Sports Authority headquarters were in Austin.”

She glanced at him curiously. “You checked?”

He felt his cheeks warm. Yes, he had checked. He had tried to predict her moves after she was done with school. But he thought she’d stay in Milwaukee to be close to her family, or possibly go to Austin. “I did.”

“Oh. Well, I felt I could do more good being hands-on here. I don’t need a big corporate office anyway.” She smiled her sideways smile.

“And how’s Dell?”

“He’s fine. Thanks for asking. I saw your presentation for Comic-Con.” She glanced down at her hands. He didn’t see any ring.

He watched her, not able to form any words in response. He didn’t know what to say. She was here, in town. His town. But she wasn’t his.

“Just on TV, my friend is a big fan of yours. He recognized me and made me spill our story.”

“I’m sorry. I used your photo without your permission and I shouldn’t have. I just, I needed to make it real. For myself.”

She waved off his apology. “Nobody really knew about it back home. Although out here you’re a little more famous. I heard about it the moment you brought your watch in to be fixed.”

That was nearly a week ago.

“You’re new in town, why didn’t you call? I could show you around some. We can at least be civil. Maybe like friends, right?” He was proud his tone sounded friendly, not begging.

She nodded. “You’re right, I should have called. With the move I’ve been swamped, but I’m sorry.” Her hair fell forward, and she tucked it back behind her ear. His gaze kept jumping from the pile of wedding magazines to the photo of her with Dell.
Or maybe because she was busy with a new life and a new fiancé, you idiot
, he reminded himself.

He tilted his head to the Rolling Stones poster. “I see you kept it.”

“It’s the nicest gift anyone ever gave me.”

His gaze flew back to hers and she watched him steadily. “Oh.”

He glanced again at the bridal magazines and realized he needed to go before he threw himself at her feet, begging. For anything. For everything. His willpower was only so strong, and he was at the breaking point. She was here, with Dell. Planning a wedding. Period.

“I should go. My watch clasp is probably fixed by now.” He couldn’t force his feet to turn and propel him out the door.

She nodded.

“Great to see you again, Lucy.” He offered her a wobbly smile, positive she could see everything written in his face.

“You too, Drew.”

He turned, glancing back one last time before he headed down the hall and tried to get on with his life.

“You know,” she murmured quietly, “it’s Becca’s wedding, not mine.”

He rushed back into the room. “No. I didn’t know.”

She smiled at him impishly. “I figured.” She came around the desk and he braced himself on the back of one of her chairs, trying not to rush and take her into his arms. She was teasing him—that was a good sign, right? His tongue felt thick, his brain tingled again. Like a limb that had fallen asleep and was waking back up with pins and needles.

“Were you just going to leave like that?” She moved to face him. “After all the strings I pulled to get here, and you were just going to walk out?”

He opened his mouth to say something, anything. Choked laughter bubbled forth instead. She smiled at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“That photo is from my graduation party. Dell proposed to Becca that night. She framed the picture for me when I left.”

He couldn’t even glance at the photo again, not caring, just waiting to hear what she said next as if his whole life depended on it. Somehow this moment would change the direction of his entire life.

“Drew.” She put her hand on his cheek and he closed his eyes to savor the feeling of her touch. “It’s going to take me a bit to get used to calling you that. And I should have called you that a week ago, the minute my plane landed. Hell, I should have called the second I realized I was so in love with you I was coming out here.”

“Why didn’t you?” His voice was ragged.

She shrugged and gave him a heartbreaking tentative smile. “Scared. New job, new town, new life. I suddenly worried you didn’t feel the same anymore.”

He shook his head dumbly, as if that were possible.

“But, maybe, if you’re free, we could get together for a drink, and maybe, if you’re free, we could start over?”

He swept her up into his arms. Finally, her words sank in and he could move. His whole life spread in front of him, warm and beautiful and wonderful with Lucy. His Lucy. “I have to warn you, I’m never going to let you go. Never again. That was your last chance.” Her body pressed to his like a golden memory from days gone by. “I’m never going to let you go. Lucy, please.” He had no idea what he was begging for, it just spilled out of his mouth.

She laughed but he could hear the tears in her voice too. “Never. Never again. We have too much to catch up on. Never again.”

He leaned back to capture her mouth in a kiss and a promise, wiping the tears from her cheeks, running his hands down her back to reassure himself she was real and solid and back in his arms again. Forever.

* * * * *

About the Author

December Gephart spends her free time dreaming of tropical beaches and European cities but her reality is Wisconsin with her husband, daughter and naughty dog. She enjoys a good bottle of red wine, deep-fried cheese curds and singing along with loud music so nobody can hear. She blogs at
www.decembergephart.com
.

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ISBN: 978-14268-9463-3

Copyright © 2012 by December Gephart

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