Chapter Five
Hazel’s head bowed diligently over her new laptop. She’d been working with Cartwright for almost a month now, burning the candle at both ends to put in her best effort in her classes and at the assistantship, but there had been a clear winner for her attention. Every week, in addition to shadowing Cartwright in his business meetings (or watching, in the case of video conferences) they sat down to discuss the book.
These sessions were the most invigorating part of her week. The way Cartwright spoke when he came up with a new idea… The look on his face as he listened, intently, to her research… She didn’t even mind when the meetings ran over, or that sometimes he asked her to come with him after class to keep talking about the book.
Oh, they still argued during class, but it was different. Hazel found herself smiling when he said something she disagreed with, and she could see the expression on his face when he knew she was going to challenge him. Her hands still shook, and her heart still pounded, but now, she didn’t mind it. She knew that after class, and after their squabbles, they would be going out to dinner to talk in-depth about her research and his experience, and how they could bring both of these together most productively.
“How is it going over here?” Cartwright leaned over her shoulder.
“I think I have the outlines for each chapter down. I’ll upload to our drive so you can look over them when you have a minute. That way, I can work on each chapter as we finish our content discussions for that section. Oh.” Hazel clicked save and looked back at Cartwright. “I also finished the introductory chapter. We’ll have to edit it after the book is finished, but it’ll be a good, solid anchor for us as we proceed.”
“Right. And I have the preface done, if you would like to look over it.”
Hazel smiled, feeling her cheeks growing pink. She couldn’t help but love how he was asking for her approval on something. Of course, it would be nearly perfect. The parts of each book that had come out under his name, that were beyond reproach, had been the prefaces he wrote for each and the personal anecdotes that illustrated his business principles.
“I’ll get to it tomorrow,” she replied.
“I wondered if you wanted to come out with me to the club? You can see an out of office business meeting in person.”
“Is this alright for the club?” Hazel looked down at her outfit—another crisp pantsuit.
“It’s fine. The heels might be a bit tricky on the course, but we can get you something appropriate.”
Hazel nodded and began to pack away her notes. Cartwright put a hand on her shoulder.
“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to. I don’t want anything to make you uncomfortable. And I do know that you have other classes.”
Hazel stilled; she couldn’t help but enjoy the firm warmth of his touch. “No, I want to be there. I don’t work tonight.”
“Excellent. I’ll have Vicki get you some shoes.”
***
In addition to the shoes, Ian acquired a burgundy golf hat for Hazel. He placed it on her head before they entered the club and smiled down at her. She looked adorable, so excited to be a part of this, even if she had complained a bit on the way that doing business deals on the golf course systemically excluded others from being a part of the conversation.
“Where would you suggest we hold out of office meetings? At a nail salon?” Ian asked.
“Why do you need to do business out of the office? Doesn’t that open you up to a host of problems?” Hazel countered.
And so on. He would have picked the conversation back up, but Jenkins and Huang were already in the lobby, so he approached them and introduced both to Hazel as his associate and co-author. Hazel, as always, blushed a little at the attention, but she kept up her part of the conversation. As they made their way out to the course, it occurred to him that she was speaking up much more than he’d expected. In the actual office, she spoke to him, and to assistants and other low-ranking employees, but she hesitated around the conference table.
“I think I discovered why meeting out of the office is necessary,” Ian whispered to her as Jenkins and Huang chatted about their children.
“Oh?”
“Some people are just more relaxed in a social setting. It allows all parties to open up more than they might otherwise.”
“Yeah, but only if they can get access.”
“Then I suppose the fight is not to keep people from golfing but to make sure as many people as possible can get access.”
She tilted her head back, curious, like a little bird, and looked at him with a slow blink. “Do you really believe that?”
“It seems like the most logical conclusion to our conflict.” Ian touched her back and guided her down the course. She stiffened, slightly, and he moved his hand. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine. It’s just…” Hazel swallowed. “It’s nothing. I appreciate being here. I’ve learned so much.”
“I’m pleased. And I think you’ve brought something to this book project that I never would have gotten from my other writers, unfortunately. Not that they couldn’t do it, but they wouldn’t think to ask, and neither would I.” Ian paused, letting Jenkins and Huang walk ahead of them. “I’d like for you to continue to work for me after this semester. I believe we’d both get a great deal out of it.”
“I mean, I’d love to, but I have to do my Capstone Internship next semester. I don’t know that I’ll have time to do both on top of finishing my coursework.”
Ian rolled his eyes. “You could do your internship with me.”
“No, I can’t.” Hazel shook her head and laughed softly. “It’s for the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major, and it has to have something to do with a program that benefits the community in some way.”
“Women work at my company,” he suggested. “You could do your analysis of how women feel about working for Cartwright & Benton.”
Hazel lowered her head and covered her mouth. He looked down at her with a frown.
“Do you find that amusing?”
“You don’t want me to analyze how women at your company feel about their jobs.”
“Why not?”
Hazel sighed and crossed her arms. “You have quite the history of scandal, Dr. Cartwright. Do you really want me asking questions about your employees and stirring things up?”
“Do you really think I harass my employees? I have certainly dated plenty of women, and I have had—” Ian paused to cringe. “Two failed marriages. But I don’t come on to my employees.”
“You don’t? Not ever?”
Ian raised a brow. What was she insinuating? Did she know how attracted he was to her? She didn’t act as though she did, most of the time.
“If you don’t want to work for me after this semester, simply say so, Hazel.”
“I do. I just have to work for the Atlanta Area Women’s Center. I already turned in my Capstone proposal.” Hazel bumped her shoulder against Ian’s. “Don’t be mad. I like this job. I just want to graduate, too.”
“Hm.” Ian fixed a glare on her, but then looked away and started walking again. “Maybe we can work something out. I don’t think the book will be finished by the end of the semester. You have midterms now, and finals of course.”
Hazel groaned. “No, I do. I have an Intersectionalities paper due on Friday.”
“Then why in the world are you here with me?”
Hazel shrugged and tugged on the front of her hat. “The happening club wear?”
Ian scoffed. He caught up to Jenkins and Huang, who were looking back at them curiously.
“If you’ll pardon us, my associate needs to get going,” he told them.
“What?” Hazel objected.
“Go write your paper, or I’ll fire you,” Ian said. He was only half teasing.
Hazel rolled her eyes. “I have the research done already.”
“Of course you do, you little speed-reader. Just go. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”
“Fine.” Hazel stepped towards Jenkins and Huang to shake their hands. “It was good to meet you. Keep this one on his toes, won’t you?”
“We definitely will,” Huang said.
She walked back down the path, hurrying just a little.
“Nice,” Jenkins said.
“What?” Ian clenched his fist. “What did you say?”
“She’s something,” Jenkins added. He folded his hands on top of his golf club and shook his head. “Wish I could have a sweet thing like her following me around every day. And she’s in your class, too? Boss and teacher. I bet she’d do anything you wanted.”
“She argues with me constantly,” Ian objected. “Hazel isn’t the type of girl to do anything she doesn’t want to do. And I won’t have you insinuating that she’s the type of girl who would do something inappropriate just to get ahead.”
“No, no,” Huang said. “I think it’s just that she seems to admire you a good deal. As for what she wants…” He walked over to the tee. “Who could say. I bet she knows how to take it, if you know what I mean?”
Ian did know. And while he was fairly good at taking what he wanted as well, he’d always been very cautious not to let himself want things he couldn’t have. He had a reputation, yes, but he had never been one to take advantage. He’d lured Hazel into his web, but couldn’t bear to bring any harm to her. His hands longed to hold her, his lips to touch hers, but she was still his student. Her admiration meant everything to him, and he wouldn’t lose it for a wild night, no matter what.
***
Hazel returned home from the library to the sight of Natalie on the sofa with Hawk, who had his feet up on their coffee table.
“Hello, twin,” he said, stretching his arms over his head.
“Hi, twin. What’s up?” Hazel dropped her bag by the table and flopped down next to him.
“Mom says she can’t get a hold of you.” He scratched his hair. “Everyone thinks you’re dead.”
“I’m not dead. I’m working. I can tell why she’d mistake that for deadness, since she’s never seen it happen in any of her other children,” Hazel drawled.
“Oh, my God.” Natalie whistled. “Ouch.”
“I work. I take care of the house,” Hawk argued. “Anyway, can you call her before she buries herself in passive aggression, or whatever?”
“I’ll call tomorrow. I’m too tired right now.” Hazel rested her head on Hawk’s shoulder. “I haven’t seen you in forever either.”
“Fast life in the coding world. I’m still trying to sign on a writer.”
“What about the artist?”
Hawk shrugged and snatched the remote from Natalie. “Artists are easier to get. And cheaper. They’ll do extra work just to get better exposure.”
“That’s awful. People should be paid what they’re worth, even if—”
“Dammit, Hawk, why do you have to get her started?” Natalie groaned and glared at Hazel. “Do you know what an awful day I’ve had? Give it a rest, Mother Teresa!”
“Whatever.” Hazel closed her eyes. “I’m going to nap now. I’ve written so much this week I think I’ve induced some kind of hyper-aggressive carpal tunnel.”
“Just wait,” Natalie said with false cheer. “Midterms next week.”
Hazel curled her knees up to her chest and moaned. “Nooo, I’m dying this week, so I don’t have to do it.”
“See?” Hawk said, rubbing Hazel’s shoulders. “This is why you college nerds are dumb, and I’m a genius.”
“Get a job, Genius,” Hazel shot back.
Logically, rationally, Hazel knew she should cut back on her time with Dr. Cartwright. They’d done enough planning on the book that she could write independently most of the week… but that would mean less time listening to Cartwright’s stories, less time basking in his admiration, less time with her heart racing from his casual touches. Obviously, the same man who had appeared on the weekly tabloids for years, enjoying affairs with models, actresses and socialites in every country he visited, could never really be interested in plain Hazel Greenwood—try-hard and annoying social activist.
The only thing she had going for her was the scholarly backing she could offer his book. Otherwise, she was just another girl following him. Just another woman who he could use and discard, if he so chose. He hadn’t chosen to do so, however. Cartwright had made it very clear that not only wasn’t he interested, but he wouldn’t think of having a relationship with an inferior.
Perhaps, it was for the best, but it made her heart ache.