Page 22 of Trusting His Heart

Despite his protests, he understood why Paul Edwards needed the leave – cancer. He also knew he couldn’t decline the classes, there was no one better qualified and Paul needed to focus on fighting the dragon, not whether his students were falling behind.

At least, he would have something to focus on rather Miss Unavailable. Every time he started to think Bec was avoiding him on purpose, he received a random text signed off with emojis.

“Professor, I don’t need to know all about your love life,” Layla pleaded with fits of giggles.

“Damn it woman, tell me what it means!”

“You are definitely not friend zoned, if you want more information use the internet or ask one of your students,” she walked off in a pretend huff. Layla never hid her judgement of his affairs with students. Now he showed interest in an “acceptable woman”, Layla took joy in teasing him.

Unfortunately, all he could show was interest. Other than stolen coffee or sandwiches, they only found time to talked when one of them was either in a car going to the airport, waiting at the airport, or when he found half an hour between classes.

The longer it took for their second “real date,” the more frustrated Geoffrey became. He wanted time to watch her, get to know her by what she didn’t say rather than risking misinterpreting her through texts and emails. He wanted to sit with her by the edge of the river, go on a hike, a long bike ride through the mountains. He wanted to be a couple – which required spending time together.

To be made harder if he picked up extra classes.

“Sorry, Miss Garran, the Professor is busy,” Bec’s mind went straight to paranoia – was he really busy or did he ask his secretary to fob her off?

“I know he is busy, he is always busy, but I am flying out tomorrow for two weeks. Is there any way he would be available for dinner tonight?”

“Miss Garran, he is working late and wouldn’t be free until after half past nine. Usually when he finishes at that time, all he wants is food and to go home.”

“Fine, I’ll have food at his office by a quarter past nine, he can either eat with me or kick me out.” Bec regretted hanging up on Layla who was only doing her job.

She wanted to see Geoffrey before she left, finding it hard to remember the way he looked at her and how he kissed her. She wanted to believe in their connection but the longer it took for them to have another date, the more she thought their relationship occurred only in her imagination. Tonight, she wanted answers.

“Professor, there is a package on my desk you need to pick up tonight.” Damn, Geoffrey thought, reading the text from Layla. He worked hard to close the class early, his head spinning from their questions and all he needed was to go straight to his car and home. However, some first edition books were due for delivery any day and if the stupid woman left them on her desk, well, it wasn’t worth taking the risk of leaving them overnight.

So focused on looking for the non-existent package on Layla’s desk, he didn’t notice the open door to his own office until he heard soft music coming from his record player. His young, hipster students were impressed with his vinyl collection but no one ever dared to take one of them out of its covers and play it!

“Hungry?” Bec, his Bec, stood in his office a brown paper bag hanging from her fingers. Surely, a figment of his imagination. After all, each night he imagined running into her at another random work event, or inviting her back here after she listened to an amazing lecture, or lying on his bed next to him.

“Well, Professor, it is rude to stare, can’t you at least say, ‘hello’?” she lit his world with her smile, as if only this morning she saw him last. He noticed how pale she had become. Clearly she spent more time in meetings than outside.

“My beautiful Rebecca, can I tell you this is the best surprise I have received in years.” Without hesitation, he went to her and kissed her, allowing his passion to dictate his body. He had waited too long to taste her lips, to press his flesh against hers.

“Wow,” she caught her breath between kisses, “That answers some of my questions, now please eat before Petro’s dishes get cold.”

Geoffrey helped Bec serve out the pumpkin gnocchi entre, and checked under the lids to see the veal saltimbocca for main. Petro and Bec knew him well.

“Before we start, let me see what I have from my private stash of beverages,” he found a 2004 deep peppery shiraz. He started with several cases and now only three bottles remained.

“I’ve been saving this for a special occasion,” he said pulling out the cork. “It doesn’t get more special than dinner with you.”

“So, thank you for this wonderful meal, but can I ask what questions did a little kiss from me answer?” He asked while pulling a chair across to the table for her.

“Whenever I ring your office, your assistant tells me you are busy.”

“And she would be correct – I would no doubt get the same message from your assistant if you had one. Instead, I have the pleasure of your voice mail.”

“I started to get worried.”

“About me?” he parried.

“About us. I know it is too soon to know if there is an ‘us’ or not, and we haven’t gone on a date for ages.”

“Something I intend to correct.”

“Really?” Geoffrey knew from the way her eyes lit up, he wasn’t the only on investing in finding out if their connection was real. Time to do something to move their relationship along – and hopefully end up with Bec in his arms and bed.