improved her dream time dramatically. “Yes, it’s—it’s been interesting.”
He chuckled. “People are saying my attitude has improved.”
“Your attitude?”
“Sometimes I can be a little grouchy.”
She could believe that. When he’d criticized Richard, his expression had been firm, determined, strong. Not that she was complaining. But she could imagine he’d be a formidable foe.
“And—and I changed that?” she asked, doubtful.
“Oh, yes. Just thinking about our conversation Wednesday night put a smile on my face.”
She was grateful when the doors swung open again and the waiter put the glass of tea she’d ordered in front of her. Maybe the cold drink would cool the heat in her cheeks.
Chapter Five
By the time dinner was over, James thought Elise was more at ease with him. They’d had a lively discussion on their favorite authors. Once they finished eating, Elise led the conversation to television. For him, she added, a wicked smile on her lips.
He turned it into a discussion of their favorite advertising spots on television. He was pleased when she named as her favorite one of the campaigns he’d written.
“Of course, it’s my favorite,” she exclaimed. “I love commercials that make me laugh—and when the man sits down on the loaf of bread by mistake, it always cracks me up.”
“Yeah. Me, too. What do you think about this ad that’s an ongoing saga, with a romance in it?”
“Oh, you mean the one for the steak restaurant? I’m enjoying it. It’s an ad I actually look forward to. Have they started a new chapter yet?”
“Not until next week,” he assured her, smiling back.
“How do you know that?”
Uh-oh. “I read it in the Business section of the newspaper.”
“I missed it.”
“You read the newspaper every day?” he asked. He’d always thought college professors hardly knew there was a world out there, their lives were so isolated.
“Of course. I particularly check the Business section because I like to know what industries are in the area that would be interested in bilingual employees. That’s one of the ways I show my students that French is still relevant.”
“It would be easier if you taught Spanish, as close to the border as we are,” he pointed out.
“I know.” She propped up her chin, a somewhat discouraged look on her face. “Enrollment is a battle we fight every day. The past year or two we’ve even picked up our numbers, but it’s a concern every semester.”
“Numbers are important,” he said gravely, thinking of his own concerns about the number of people responding to the ads he’d created.
“I’ll admit, at this age the boys are more interested in the topless beaches in France than they are in the job prospects, but I hope they’ll remember what I say later.”
“You mean you admit that males are sometimes interested in sex?” he teased, referring to their conversation on Wednesday night.
“I think ‘sometimes’ might be an understatement.”
“Yeah, probably. By the way, have I mentioned how nice you look tonight?”
She shook her head.
“Well, you do. Maybe even better than in the jeans,” he added, grinning.
“You’re just trying to embarrass me,” she told him, sitting straighter on the bench seat, like a prim and proper teacher. “But I’m not going to blush, so you might as well give up.”
Since he’d already decided they needed a little more method acting, he planned on causing her to blush a lot before they ended the evening. But he didn’t mention that fact now.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The waiter interrupted them with the bill. James had his credit card ready and handed it to him, and the waiter disappeared.
“You are keeping track of your expenses, aren’t you?” Elise asked, frowning.
“Stop worrying. I know how to keep an expense account,” he assured her carelessly.
“You do? I didn’t think actors had expense accounts.”
“Uh, it was for a summer job I had once.”
“A summer
He chuckled. “People are saying my attitude has improved.”
“Your attitude?”
“Sometimes I can be a little grouchy.”
She could believe that. When he’d criticized Richard, his expression had been firm, determined, strong. Not that she was complaining. But she could imagine he’d be a formidable foe.
“And—and I changed that?” she asked, doubtful.
“Oh, yes. Just thinking about our conversation Wednesday night put a smile on my face.”
She was grateful when the doors swung open again and the waiter put the glass of tea she’d ordered in front of her. Maybe the cold drink would cool the heat in her cheeks.
Chapter Five
By the time dinner was over, James thought Elise was more at ease with him. They’d had a lively discussion on their favorite authors. Once they finished eating, Elise led the conversation to television. For him, she added, a wicked smile on her lips.
He turned it into a discussion of their favorite advertising spots on television. He was pleased when she named as her favorite one of the campaigns he’d written.
“Of course, it’s my favorite,” she exclaimed. “I love commercials that make me laugh—and when the man sits down on the loaf of bread by mistake, it always cracks me up.”
“Yeah. Me, too. What do you think about this ad that’s an ongoing saga, with a romance in it?”
“Oh, you mean the one for the steak restaurant? I’m enjoying it. It’s an ad I actually look forward to. Have they started a new chapter yet?”
“Not until next week,” he assured her, smiling back.
“How do you know that?”
Uh-oh. “I read it in the Business section of the newspaper.”
“I missed it.”
“You read the newspaper every day?” he asked. He’d always thought college professors hardly knew there was a world out there, their lives were so isolated.
“Of course. I particularly check the Business section because I like to know what industries are in the area that would be interested in bilingual employees. That’s one of the ways I show my students that French is still relevant.”
“It would be easier if you taught Spanish, as close to the border as we are,” he pointed out.
“I know.” She propped up her chin, a somewhat discouraged look on her face. “Enrollment is a battle we fight every day. The past year or two we’ve even picked up our numbers, but it’s a concern every semester.”
“Numbers are important,” he said gravely, thinking of his own concerns about the number of people responding to the ads he’d created.
“I’ll admit, at this age the boys are more interested in the topless beaches in France than they are in the job prospects, but I hope they’ll remember what I say later.”
“You mean you admit that males are sometimes interested in sex?” he teased, referring to their conversation on Wednesday night.
“I think ‘sometimes’ might be an understatement.”
“Yeah, probably. By the way, have I mentioned how nice you look tonight?”
She shook her head.
“Well, you do. Maybe even better than in the jeans,” he added, grinning.
“You’re just trying to embarrass me,” she told him, sitting straighter on the bench seat, like a prim and proper teacher. “But I’m not going to blush, so you might as well give up.”
Since he’d already decided they needed a little more method acting, he planned on causing her to blush a lot before they ended the evening. But he didn’t mention that fact now.
“Yes, ma’am.”
The waiter interrupted them with the bill. James had his credit card ready and handed it to him, and the waiter disappeared.
“You are keeping track of your expenses, aren’t you?” Elise asked, frowning.
“Stop worrying. I know how to keep an expense account,” he assured her carelessly.
“You do? I didn’t think actors had expense accounts.”
“Uh, it was for a summer job I had once.”
“A summer
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