My Professor(63)

“You could have left.”

“There’s someone I’m waiting on.”

I look at him curiously, but he doesn’t elaborate.

“C’mon, let’s go to the sitting room. Collette and Harrison are in there.”

We fight our way through the crowd, and I wonder how Alexander even knows this many people in the States. Surely, he doesn’t. In all likelihood, he invited a few people, and they took it upon themselves to invite a few people. If I were him, I’d have kicked everyone out a long time ago, but apparently, he doesn’t care. He passes us by without a second glance on his way to collect the girl in the kitchen. His priorities lie elsewhere.

I’m relieved to find how quiet the sitting room is. It’s a nice night out so the balcony doors are open. Collette sits on the threshold like a gatekeeper, her head tipped back so she can look up at the sky. If she’s hunting for stars, she won’t find any in the city.

Harrison stands out by the railing, lighting a joint. “The king has arrived!” he says before doing a dramatic sweeping bow in Emmett’s honor.

“I’ve been here for half an hour, asshole. I already said hi to you.”

Harrison shrugs like this information isn’t important. “Well then, Jonathan, that bow was for you. Interested?”

He holds out his joint, and I shake my head.

Collette takes it in my stead, inhaling a short drag then handing it back to Harrison before waggling her fingers in greeting at Emmett and me. She exhales the smoke slowly and then it’s right back to what she was doing before, looking up at the sky unbothered. What could be so interesting up there?

Of all the Saint John’s girls, I’ve always liked Collette. She’s quiet and that can sometimes be mistaken for shyness, but she’s never failed to hold her own in our group. Her dad was the Singapore Ambassador to the United States while she was growing up, and she was practically kept under lock and key at Saint John’s. Her situation wasn’t unique though. Most everyone at the boarding school had some kind of security detail. The campus as a whole was locked down to the point of insanity. We all felt stifled, which is probably why we acted out so much.

Emmett and I take a seat on opposite ends of the couch facing the unlit fireplace. I realize now I’m still wearing my tie from my work dinner. I yank on the knot and tug it off, rolling it up and stuffing it into my suit jacket pocket. I undo the top button of my shirt and lean back against the couch. It’s easy to be among old friends. I sip my drink, listening to Harrison on his quest to try to explain a Buddhist quote to us while high. Collette, meanwhile, hasn’t moved.

My curiosity wins out.

“What are you doing?”

“Stargazing.”

Her reply is so matter-of-fact I can’t help but laugh.

“You can’t see anything though.”

“Not true. There are a handful up there. And when the clouds shift, there are more.”

“Probably just satellites,” Emmett argues.

“Well those satellites sure are pretty,” she replies, undeterred.

“I think that’s the green talking. Where’s your friend?”

“Who?”

“Elaine.”

She shrugs. “Who knows. She’s impossible to pin down. Kind of like the stars, really. Damn. Did that sound as insightful as I think it did?”

“No,” Emmett responds dryly.

But Harrison nods. “Genius. I haven’t seen that girl in forever. Is she in Boston now?”

I frown, not sure who they’re talking about. “Elaine?”

“Lainey Davenport,” Collette supplies, tipping her head toward me. “Emmett’s the only one who insists on calling her Elaine. She was at Saint John’s with us, but she’s like six years younger than me which means you definitely wouldn’t have known her, Jonathan.”

“How do you know her then?” I ask Emmett.

When it doesn’t seem like he cares to answer, Collette fills in for him.

“She was friends with my little sister, but she and I have gotten closer now that we work together.”

“Lainey was hard to miss at Saint John’s,” Harrison adds.

“I’d argue the exact opposite,” Emmett says, almost brusquely.

Harrison laughs. “Are we talking about the same girl?”

It’s obvious what he means.

Collette groans in disgust. “She was a kid, sicko.”

Harrison goes right back to puffing on his joint, unbothered.

Emmett nudges my arm and nods toward the doorway.

“Did you know she was going to be here?”

I turn to see where he’s looking, thinking we’re still talking about Lainey.

“Who?” I ask, not seeing anyone.

“Emelia.”

My pulse jumps.

“She just walked by.”

I want to leap to my feet, but I hesitate. “No, I didn’t. Alexander must have invited her. Are you going to go apologize?”

“Not tonight.” His eyes are on the doorway. Apparently, he’s still waiting on that someone he doesn’t feel like discussing.

I push off the couch, not bothering to tell him where I’m going. He knows.

If Emelia just walked by the sitting room, that means she’s not far, but I don’t spot her right away. The crowd’s only grown since my arrival, and I’m waylaid by some guy begging to find a bathroom, and then a girl who wants to know if I’ve seen Luke. I tell her I don’t know a Luke, and she throws her hands up in annoyance like that’s my fault.