Beautiful Mistake(11)

“On time and no stains on your clothing,” he said as he packed his laptop without looking up. “Impressive.”

“I’ve always considered fourth impressions the most important, you know.” I smiled.

Caine zipped his bag. While I’d thought our conversation was playful, apparently I was wrong. His tone was stern, and he leveled me with a look that matched. “You shouldn’t fraternize with students.”

“Fraternize?”

“Whatever you want to call it.”

“I don’t understand.”

He huffed. “Fuck. You shouldn’t fuck the students. Is that clearer, Rachel?”

“Well, yes, it’s clear what you meant now. But I’m not sure what would give you the impression I was screwing a student. I don’t sleep with college guys.”

“Does Mr. Ludwig know that?”

I had a feeling that’s what this was about. “You don’t need to worry about me giving anyone a preferential grade like your last TA. I promise.”

Caine held my gaze for a few seconds, possibly assessing my sincerity, then gave me a curt nod. “So, which princess is it?”

I furrowed my brows. Then I realized he must’ve caught the quiz I was doing in the back of In Style magazine before class began—Which Disney Princess are you? I’d tossed it on top of my book bag on the floor once class began.

“Jasmine from Aladdin.” I smiled.

“They get it right?”

“I like to think so. Jasmine is logical and skeptical.”

“You know those things are a bunch of crap, right?”

“God, I hope so. Last month I took one in Men’s Health called How healthy are your testicles?, and it wasn’t looking very good for me.”

Caine’s lip twitched. “Wiseass. You ready to finish going through the syllabus?”

“I have about an hour before I have to get to work.”

He lifted his bag from the desk. “Everything go okay with picking up your car?”

“Actually…no.”

“What happened?”

“When they took off the tire, they found my ball joints were bad—whatever they are. They’re replacing those, too, today.”

“You need a ride to work?”

“I can take the bus. There’s one right on campus that drops off two blocks from O’Leary’s.”

“I was going to suggest grabbing a bite while we finish up planning. I have a department meeting tonight and need to eat before then. Why don’t we grab a bite at O’Leary’s? Then you’ll already be at work when it’s time to start your shift.”

“That would be great. And I’ll treat.” I grinned. “Since our food will be free and all.”





“Looks like someone went to the supermarket?” Charlie looked over my shoulder at Caine standing behind me.

“Umm…no. This is Professor Caine West. I’m his teaching assistant at the music conservatory. Caine, this is Charlie. He owns O’Leary’s.”

Caine reached out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Charlie.”

Charlie shook. “You got a record, Professor?”

“A record?”

“Yeah. I don’t like my girl hanging out with trouble.”

I piped in. “Charlie—he’s my professor. I don’t think an interrogation is necessary.”

Charlie shot me a look. “Fine. But I’ll be keeping my eye on you.”

Caine didn’t seem bothered in the slightest by Charlie’s threat. If anything, he seemed amused. “Good to hear.”

Finally releasing their handshake, Charlie lightened up a bit. “What can I get you, Professor?”

“I’ll take whatever beer you have on tap. I was in here the other night. A friend of mine just moved in around the corner and said you made the best wings. But the kitchen had already closed for the night, so I didn’t get to try them. How about an order of wings?”

Charlie was old school. Two things made him like a man: A firm handshake and complimenting his wife’s wings. His face lit up proudly. “That’s my Audrey’s own secret recipe on those wings. Two orders coming right up. By the way, if you’re ever here after the kitchen closes, just let someone know you’re a friend of Charlie’s. My crew is pretty friendly.”

“Yes, they are. Rachel was very welcoming when we first met.” He glanced over at me with a wicked gleam in his eye. “I should have asked her to make me a batch. I’m sure she would have been happy to.”

None the wiser, Charlie poured Caine a beer and me a Diet Coke, and then headed to the kitchen to make our wings himself. It was that in-between time of the afternoon where the day crowd had gone home, but the evening crowd hadn’t started to trickle in yet, so there were only a few regulars sitting at the bar—most of whom were retired cops.

“Cute. Very cute, Professor.”

“I thought so.”

Caine and I went to sit at a quiet table in the corner where there was room for us to spread out and work while we ate. Since I was teaching the next lesson, he talked about what he wanted the students to take away from the assignment he’d given them today.

“The locked closet in the corner of the classroom has two hundred pair of Bose noise-cancelling headphones. Teach them about how appreciative listening can become critical listening just by changing the mode of delivery. Have them listen to the song I assigned again in the same place—on the train, or at work—only cutting out the background noise. Then have them answer the same questions I gave out today. At least half the class will notice things they didn’t the first time. The trumpets are synthesized.”