Chapter 34

The next few days were odd in their peacefulness. It was as though both Naomi’s and Sebastian’s wounds had closed up again, but this time the two of them had become stitched together in the process. Naomi felt so much more aware of Sebastian. Granted, she’d always paid a kind of peripheral attention to him, and she’d been growing increasingly aware of him over the past couple of months, but it had never been like this. Now Naomi felt attuned to him, found herself reading his moods in a way that would likely make Sebastian apoplectic if he knew.

Which is how she’d known something was off when he arrived at the office the following Thursday. She’d watched him grab a few books off a shelf and toss them into his messenger bag, along with a notepad and about five pens. He looked frantic, and as entertaining as that was, it was also an emotion she’d never witnessed on him. He proceeded to pull drawer after drawer open in his desk, rummaging through each. For what, she wasn’t sure.

The answer was simple. “Bookmarks.”

Sebastian, with his newfound holiday spirit, which apparently included random bouts of generosity, had agreed to speak at a local high school. Though he’d since forgotten. That was until his email dinged with the reminder, causing him to scramble to prepare something. He’d figured the bookmarks would be a hit since “kids like free stuff.” Beyond that, he had nothing planned.

Though she’d assured him it would be fine, she knew the opposite might be true. It could be a bloodbath, and while a perverse part of Naomi was interested to watch what would happen in a showdown between Sebastian and a group of hostile adolescents, another part wanted to be supportive. So she’d offered to drive him so he could spend the ride preparing for his presentation.

Shockingly, he’d said yes. And even more shockingly, he hadn’t made one joke about her being his chauffeur or Uber driver. She’d consider it a win.

And the fact that the students at Meadow Crest High School had been, on the whole, an engaged group of teenagers who were excited to meet Sebastian was a win for him as well. They had insightful questions (with the exception of a young man who’d asked if making a bestseller list had gotten Sebastian laid more often. The student had been ushered out of the room by the principal before Sebastian had figured out how to reply) and seemed genuinely enthralled while he told them how difficult, yet rewarding, publishing a novel could be.

The entire thing lasted about an hour, and Naomi hadn’t had to be more than a friendly face. Sebastian had done just fine, though he was perspiring a little heavily when he came over to her after the students filed out. Some refreshments had been put out, and Naomi and Sebastian were forced to make small talk with members of the school’s faculty and administration, including the two guidance counselors who’d invited him there. By the time they were able to politely make their escape, it was after three.

Naomi slipped into the driver’s seat of her car as he clambered in and slammed his door shut, releasing a deep groan. He closed his eyes and practically melted into his seat.

“You okay there, champ?”

“That was brutal,” Sebastian said without opening his eyes.

“It wasn’t so bad. You did well with them.”

“If that superintendent asked me to pose for one more picture, I was going to go postal.”

Naomi let out a chuckle. “You’ll be all over that school’s website within the hour.”

Sebastian shifted and she turned the key in the ignition. “The kids were great, though. Much more interested than I thought they’d be.”

“You need to give yourself more credit. You’re charming and interesting when you use your powers for good instead of evil.”

“That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” he said, his voice laced with faux sincerity.

“Don’t get used to it,” she warned.

Shifting the car into gear, she pulled out of the lot and got them on the road.

“You feel like stopping for something to eat? We’ll be getting the early-bird special, but I’m starving. I was still too nervous to eat anything from the spread they put out for us.”

“I didn’t eat any of it either. I tend to stay away from food that’s been left sitting out.” She shuddered at the thought.

“That was dramatic.”

“What was?” she asked, scrunching her face at him.

“Your body just shivered as if you were having a ’Nam flashback.”

“Ever gotten food poisoning from a buffet?”

“Can’t say I have.”

“Then you’re in no position to judge me.” The forty-eight hours following her trip to the all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet in her hometown when she was fifteen had made her question her belief in God. There was no way a supreme being would let someone suffer as much as Naomi had suffered. She hadn’t eaten at a buffet since.

“Where do you want to go?” he asked as she turned onto the highway that would lead them back toward the university.

“I don’t know. Somewhere casual where I won’t run into any students would be good.”

“Embarrassed to be seen with me?” Sebastian teased.

“Yes.” Sebastian shot her a look, causing her to laugh. “I have a hard time relaxing when students are around. I feel like I need to be in professor mode the whole time.”

Sebastian nodded and said, “I think I know a place that will fit the bill.”

He directed her the rest of the way, and fifteen minutes later they turned into a café that Naomi had passed numerous times but never tried. It was a bit upscale, which would likely deter any students. They walked in, Sebastian holding the door for her.

A smiling hostess sat them in a booth by a window that overlooked a pond at the rear of the café. There was a large weeping willow beside it, and Naomi thought how beautiful it would be in the spring.

“Your server will be right with you,” the young woman said before retreating to her post.

Naomi looked around at the well-lit space. There were only two other tables occupied, but she figured it would pick up when it got closer to dinnertime. “This place is really nice. Good choice.” Naomi slipped off her coat and rested it over the back of her chair.

Sebastian opened the menu and perused it. “I’ve never been here, but I’ve heard good things.”

Naomi opened her menu, her brain registering how comfortable she felt in Sebastian’s presence. If anyone had told her at the beginning of the semester that she’d actually enjoy being in the company of Sebastian Blake, she would’ve balked. And yet, here she was, completely relaxed and looking for the most expensive thing on the menu so she could bug the hell out of him for her own entertainment.

“Dr. Price, Professor Blake, great to see you. Welcome to Haven.”

And just like that, Naomi’s relaxation evaporated. “Colvin, hi. We didn’t know you worked here. What a small world.” A small, cruel world. Naomi glanced over at Sebastian, who hadn’t bothered to look up from his menu but seemed tenser than he’d been.

“Yeah, I’ve been here since they opened. They’re great about working around my schedule.” Colvin’s smile showed every one of his perfectly aligned teeth and his eyes never left her.

Despite downplaying Sebastian’s concerns about Colvin’s interest in her, Naomi had still been more than happy when Lit Day ended and she had no reason to interact with Colvin anymore. The last thing she needed was rumors circulating around campus about her having some kind of affair with a TA. Not that she ever would get involved with Colvin, but sometimes rumors were all it took to ruin a teacher’s credibility. So while she felt bad about it, since Colvin had never been anything other than kind to her, Naomi couldn’t help but wish he’d vanish in a plume of smoke.

“That’s nice,” she said as she looked back at her menu.

“Do you have any specials?” Sebastian asked, his tone gruff.

“Yes, sir. We have a blackened tuna steak served over an arugula salad and a lamb chili served over rice. Can I get you something to drink while you decide?”

“Just water for me, thanks,” Naomi said.

“Same for me.”

“Would you like sparkling or tap?”

“Tap is fine,” Sebastian replied.

Naomi nodded her agreement and Colvin left them with another smile in her direction. She didn’t look up from her menu, but she could feel Sebastian’s gaze on her. “Don’t say it,” she warned.

“That boy is smitten.”

“I’m not listening to you.”

“Well you’d better hear me, because you need to take that cow out to pasture.”

That caused her to make eye contact with him. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you need to put a bullet in the head of that crush he has on you before he starts sending you love notes comprised of letters he cut out of magazines.”

Naomi snorted despite herself. “Now who’s being dramatic?”

“We’ll see if you’re saying that when you’re trapped in the trunk of his car.”

Colvin returned at that exact moment and shot them a curious glance before setting their waters down and cranking up his smile again. “Have you decided?”

“Yes, can I have the Tuscan chicken sandwich?” Naomi said, handing her menu to Colvin.

“You got it. Professor Blake?”

“I’ll have the fish tacos.”

Colvin nodded. “I’ll put that right in.”

Naomi took a sip of her water and then looked up to find Sebastian staring at her. “What?”

“I’m just memorizing what you’re wearing so I can provide a detailed description to the sketch artist after you go missing.”

“Stop it,” she said on a laugh.

Sebastian smirked, but blessedly changed the subject. “You ready for finals to start next week?”

“I’m ready for them to be over,” Naomi replied. “Though my workshop classes just have to hand in a final portfolio of poems I’ve already read for the most part, so I won’t have piles of exams to grade.”

“Thanks for rubbing it in.”

“You’re welcome.”

Their conversation flowed from there, sticking mainly to topics surrounding the university. Colvin brought out their food a short time later, and then returned to make sure everything met their expectations, which it did.

Anytime Naomi’s water glass fell below half, Colvin was there with a pitcher. He seemed more begrudging to fill Sebastian’s, who had to hold the glass out toward him for it to be acknowledged.

“Save room for dessert?” Colvin asked as he cleared their plates. “We have a delicious triple-layer chocolate cake that I really think you’d enjoy, Dr. Price. On me.”

She saw Sebastian raise his eyebrows, though he remained silent. “Oh, thank you for the offer, Colvin, but I couldn’t do that. And I’m honestly full.”

“Skipping the sweets. That must be how you keep your figure. I was wondering what your secret was.” Colvin smiled again, but it came across as more of a leer this time, and he rushed off before she could address his comment.

Sebastian’s elbows rested on the table, his fingers steepled under his chin.

“Okay, fine—maybe you weren’t that far off with the trunk comment.”

She expected him to laugh, but he didn’t. In fact, he looked a little homicidal himself. Naomi’s spirits sank a bit. They’d been having a good night, and it felt like it was on the verge of going to shit.

Which was exactly what happened when Colvin returned with the check and handed her a slip of paper with his phone number on it.