Getting Schooled (The Wright Brothers #1)(9)

Her voice was stern, and internally, I groaned. “I got smart back. But you have to understand, he bumped into me last week, and totally acted like it was my fault!”

“So that’s a good reason for you to forget that you work for the university, and should remain professional when you’re interacting there?”

I sighed. “No. It’s not.”

“Mmhmm. Maybe you should have thought about that, because getting reported to your boss, or your boss’s boss, isn’t going to look good when you need references. It’s a hurdle to climb. You’re a grown woman, I shouldn’t have to clean up your messes anymore. And trying to explain to my department chair why you shouldn’t get a formal reprimand, or worse, be fired, is exactly that – a mess.”

“No,” I said immediately, shaking my head even though my eyes were on the road. “You don’t have to do that mama. You did enough by convincing them that I was a worthy hire, that it wasn’t nepotism with me being your daughter. I don’t want them looking at you any kind of way. I didn’t have to go there with him, so if a formal reprimand is what would happen to anybody else, that’s just the punishment I’ll have to take.”

I was right on the edge of tears, but swallowed them, even though they were sharp and bitter in my throat. Emailing my mother – though I doubt he knew that part, just that she was my boss – with that exaggerated account of what happened was one thing. Reporting me to the department was a whole other, fucked up thing. Still… I could have kept my mouth shut.

“I appreciate the maturity in that, Reesie. The only reprimand you’re getting this time is a verbal one, from me. Play nice with the students, no matter how much they work your nerves. You want to be in front of a classroom full of adults someday, you’re going to have to learn. Mr. Wright could have easily forwarded this to Dr. Bradley too. Lucky for you, he didn’t.”

Relief swept through me as I pulled to the last traffic light before I would turn into the parking lot of our destination. I leaned forward, briefly touching my head to the steering wheel before I sat back with a sigh. “Point taken.”

“Mmmhmm. I’m honestly surprised at you. I mean, I know you have that spitfire streak in you from your father, but at work? With a student?”

I blew out another sigh, shaking my head. “I surprised myself. He just… brought something out of me.”

My mother chuckled. “Uh huh. I just bet he did.”

“And what does that mean?!” I gasped.

“Little girl I’ve seen Jason Wright, and I’m not blind! And I’ve seen you fawn over his writing. A 90 on that paper? Seriously?”

I shrugged. “I thought it was good.”

“It wasn’t 90 points worth of good. You can’t let your little punany grade papers Reesie.”

I burst out laughing. “Seriously, mommy?”

“As a heart attack.”

I was still grinning as I pulled into a parking space and turned off my car. “I didn’t even know who he was to connect the face to the paper.”

“Whatever you say. And you fought with him too? That’s another thing you get from your father. Always want to fight with somebody, because afterward...” She trailed off, with a dreamy look on her face and made a noise in her throat. “I definitely miss that afterward part.”

“Ewwww,” I said, even though I grinned. “Don’t nobody want to think about you and my daddy, and don’t nobody want to think about some young behind college boy.”

My mother smirked. “Jason Wright is a non-traditional student, my dear. He’s twenty-eight.”

I almost made the same sound in my throat that she’d made a few moments earlier. No wonder he was so fine. He was a grown man, with that fuzzy-sexy five o’clock shadow, and hands that were big, and probably a little rough, and he was so… sturdy when we bumped into each other, that he hadn’t even moved. And despite my visceral, reflexive reaction to his mechanic’s shirt, he smelled clean enough to wrap myself in and snuggle up. And… a man who knew how to make a car purr could probably make a kitty purr too.

Don’t you have a boyfriend?

“Huh?”

“I said are you ready to go in?” My mother called from the other side of the car. She was already out, standing beside the car and peeking in at me.

“Oh! Yeah!”

I quickly got myself out of the car, taking a deep breath as I hit the button on my key fob to lock the doors. “So… how did you reply to his message?”

“Who?”

“Jason.”

“Oh!” My mother grinned as she pulled her phone from her purse, and then hit a few buttons before she began to read. “Mr. Wright, I am deeply regretful that you had that experience. I’ll be speaking with Reese about it, and will make sure that you receive an apology from her for her actions—”

“Say what now?”

“Uh huh. Now hush, and let me finish. I’m surprised that Ms. Alston would act in such a manner, especially when she was an advocate for your paper to receive a higher grade. Unfortunately, I do not agree with her assessment. Simply work harder, Mr. Wright. The potential is there. If you have further questions or concerns, I’ll be available after class tomorrow. Have a good weekend.”