don’t sound very optimistic about that possibility.”
“Wheatleigh has a stated intention of remaining its current size, to focus on maintaining the high standard for students accepted here and increasing its exclusivity. While it makes a nod towards the traditional liberal arts, Wheatleigh’s focus shifted towards the physical sciences a few decades back. It continues to pour a lot of capital into keeping on the cutting edge in certain sciences. It is starting to have quite a reputation in computer sciences and heavily computer dependent sciences like genetics. The number of history majors is very small and the History Department will not see a penny of any funds that result from your employment here. But hopefully, they won’t come looking to raid our budget anymore.”
He turned the knob and threw open the door to Audrey’s rooms. “You have a bedroom, a small sitting room and an en suite bathroom. I forgot to point out that there’s a small bathroom in the back hallway by the elevator for visitors to the common space living room, so you don’t have to worry about sharing access to your bathroom with anyone if there is a party or something. I put fresh linens on the bed and towels in the bathroom. We don’t have any housekeeping up here. They clean the first two floors, but stay out of our private living space, so we are on our own. Obviously the situation was unusual surrounding your hiring, so we haven’t had a chance to do any painting or anything, but new hires are entitled to a small re-decorating budget. Just let me know what you want and I will make sure that Boxford makes it happen.”
“I thought we were staying under the radar.”
He grinned, “Honey, you are the goose that is going to lay the golden egg for Wheatleigh. I’ll make it clear to our fearless leader that we want to keep you happy with your surroundings. But you are right, so decide pretty quickly what you want so I can get it taken care of and we can fade into the background once something new captures Boxford's attention, okay?”
She nodded as he turned to leave. He made it to the door before turning around with his finger raised in emphasis, “Just so we are clear, your golden goose status gets you no leeway on your job performance. You will have to meet the forty-eight hour grading rule just like the rest of the faculty. Understand?”
She nodded. “Yes, Boss.” And stuck out her tongue as he closed the door.
His laugh floated back to her along with his warning, “I saw that!”
Chapter Two
Audrey smiled with satisfaction as she looked around her rooms. She had worked hard for almost two hours and had everything she brought with her situated to her satisfaction and several lists generated detailing re-decorating work to be done, things to buy and things to have shipped from her family home. She made a mental note to be sure to thank Rich for cleaning her rooms so thoroughly in preparation for her arrival. He must have had a busy weekend between packing up John’s things from the office and preparing for her to move in, along with his work preparing for her transition onto the faculty and into his department.
As if in answer to the summons of her thoughts, he knocked on her door. “I have a surprise, if you’re interested,” he called out.
She opened the door and clapped her hands with delight. “Pizza! Bless you! I am so hungry; I haven’t eaten all day.”
He slid the box onto the small coffee table in front of the love seat, put a large paper bag down on the floor and turned to frown at her. “What do you mean you haven’t eaten all day?”
She shrugged, “I was busy finishing my packing and then traveling up here and getting to the meeting at President Boxford’s house on time. I didn’t have a chance to eat lunch.”
“Well, what about breakfast then, didn’t you eat that, knowing that you were going to be so busy all day?” She had taken a large bite of the pizza slice she was holding and was busy chewing as she shook her head. “Why not?” he demanded.
Finally swallowing to clear her mouth, she managed, “I never eat breakfast. Is there anything to drink in that bag?”
He lifted the bag from the floor, put it on the table next to the pizza box and then tore it open to reveal the selection, deciding it was more expedient than lifting all the various cans and bottles out. “I didn’t know what you liked so I bought an assortment. The rest will disappear quickly when they go into the refrigerator in the kitchen.”
She pounced on the bottle of diet coke, opened the screw top and took a long drink. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I needed this! I have a serious diet coke habit and I’m one hurting puppy for having gone so long without one.” She turned to pick up a piece of paper lying on a side table and waved it at him. “I made a list of things I’m going to have shipped up here from back home and my small office refrigerator is at the top of the list.” She looked over the selection of drinks remaining on the table. “You only bought one?” He nodded. “Hmm, what am I going to do in the morning?” she muttered to herself.
“You’re going to eat breakfast,” he answered.
She waved her hand at him dismissively. “Weren’t you listening? I told you I don’t eat breakfast.”
“I heard you and I gave you an answer. Starting tomorrow you are going to eat breakfast everyday.”
“No I’m not. I guess I can drink the regular coke in the morning to get me through until I can get to the store to pick up some more diet,” she mused and was startled to find herself grabbed by the shoulders and shaken.
“Don’t you ever treat me like that! Have the common courtesy to pay attention and look at me when we are having a conversation.”
“We weren’t having a conversation. You were spewing orders and I was making plans for tomorrow morning.”
“Spewing orders!”
“Well, what would you call it?”
He growled wordlessly, picked up the pizza box and headed towards the door.
“What? Now your feelings are hurt so you’re going to take your toy and go home?” she demanded.
He took a deep breath to calm himself. “No, I am moving this repast out to the living room so we can sit down and have a proper discussion about this while we eat. There isn’t space in here for us both to sit down.”
“Oh. Sorry,” she said in a small voice. “What should I bring out for you to drink? I can’t carry all these since the bag is torn.”
“I’d like a water please.”
She looked over the selection; while there was only one of each kind of the assorted soft drinks and fruit juices, there were multiple bottles of water. “Still or sparkling?”
“Still.”
She grabbed all the bottles of water that she could carry, still and sparkling, and followed him into the other room, placing the bottles on the table with the pizza. Sitting on the sofa, she took a deep breath and turned towards her angry colleague. “I’m sorry, Rich. It was flippant of me to talk to you like that.”
“Yes it was. I didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”
“I didn’t deserve to be shaken like you did, either.”
He looked
