in.
He had to wait five whole days.
Chapter 7
Their midterm was similar to the first exam. They all wrote their ID numbers instead of names. Kate was confident she had done well, and when she got it back on Wednesday, she grinned from ear to ear. Ninety-five percent. Tim shared the same score.
“Wanna go out and celebrate again at Addiction?” Tim asked.
Kate frowned. “That didn’t work out so well last time. Maybe we should do something different this time.”
Tim laughed. “We could watch a movie and get pizza.”
“Sure. Saturday night?”
“Deal!” Tim shook her hand.
Pride infused her steps as she walked up the stairs to the chemistry office to go to work on Thursday. She knew Carrie would be waiting to hear her score.
Carrie smiled. “Did you nail it?”
Kate nodded. “Ninety-five!”
“Great job, Kate.” Carrie handed her a pile of Scantrons. “Would you mind taking these down to Dr. Baker?”
“Not at all.”
This time, when she knocked on the door, her hand was steady. Ever since the afternoon she spent working with him weeks ago, things had gotten better. He had even been civil to Tim during study group, which was a huge improvement over the puffed out chests and biting comments.
When James opened the door, the corners of his mouth lifted as a smile spread across his face. “Hello Miss Rhodes.”
“Dr. Baker, here are your exams. I hope they’re all here this time.” They were still on a last name basis. That was safe.
James held his hands up. “Believe me, I learned my lesson. I’m also not going to make my intro students wait a week to get them back. I’m almost done grading.”
“You need help?”
“Sure.” He smiled shyly.
“Hang on a sec.” She walked down the hall until she could see Carrie. “Hey, Carrie, do you mind if I help Dr. Baker for a while?”
“Go ahead, I’ve got plenty I can do on my own,” Carrie called out.
Kate appeared in James’ office door and smiled. “I’m all yours.” Open mouth and insert foot. “I mean, um, Carrie doesn’t need my help for a while, so I can help you, if you need me. If you need help .”
His eyes danced, and the more she tried to explain, the more amused he looked.
She shook her head. This conversation was degenerating quickly. “So, what do you need help with?”
He remained seated behind his desk and pointed to a large stack of papers. “This is the pile I’ve finished grading, so if you wouldn’t mind alphabetizing, I would appreciate it.”
“Sure thing.” She dragged them onto the floor and systematically filed them all into order, adding the rest as he graded them. When the pile was done, she dusted her hands together.
“That would’ve taken me an hour.”
“You’re welcome.” She chuckled and then stood. “I guess if we’re done, I should get back to Carrie.”
“Before you go…” James knit his eyebrows together and took a deep breath.
“Yes?” Kate’s chest tightened.
“I was wondering,” he paused and took another breath, “about you teaching me how to cook.”
Kate sighed. It was too much to hope for more. Cooking lessons were miles away from dating. “Oh. How does Saturday afternoon sound? Around four?” She picked the time specifically so she would have a distraction that night with Tim, which was infinitely better than rehashing the entire time she spent with James all night.
James smiled. “Great.”
“What do you want to make?”
“Lemon bars?”
Kate laughed. “Do you have a mixer?”
“An old olive green handheld one. It belonged to my mom in the seventies.”
“That’ll work. I’ll put together an ingredient list and get it to you tomorrow.”
“Thanks for helping me again.”
“You’re welcome,” Kate called over her shoulder and then got back to work in the main office.
Carrie looked at her over the rim of her reading glasses. “How was it?”
“How was what?” Kate cocked her head to the side.
“Working with James. I mean Dr.
He had to wait five whole days.
Chapter 7
Their midterm was similar to the first exam. They all wrote their ID numbers instead of names. Kate was confident she had done well, and when she got it back on Wednesday, she grinned from ear to ear. Ninety-five percent. Tim shared the same score.
“Wanna go out and celebrate again at Addiction?” Tim asked.
Kate frowned. “That didn’t work out so well last time. Maybe we should do something different this time.”
Tim laughed. “We could watch a movie and get pizza.”
“Sure. Saturday night?”
“Deal!” Tim shook her hand.
Pride infused her steps as she walked up the stairs to the chemistry office to go to work on Thursday. She knew Carrie would be waiting to hear her score.
Carrie smiled. “Did you nail it?”
Kate nodded. “Ninety-five!”
“Great job, Kate.” Carrie handed her a pile of Scantrons. “Would you mind taking these down to Dr. Baker?”
“Not at all.”
This time, when she knocked on the door, her hand was steady. Ever since the afternoon she spent working with him weeks ago, things had gotten better. He had even been civil to Tim during study group, which was a huge improvement over the puffed out chests and biting comments.
When James opened the door, the corners of his mouth lifted as a smile spread across his face. “Hello Miss Rhodes.”
“Dr. Baker, here are your exams. I hope they’re all here this time.” They were still on a last name basis. That was safe.
James held his hands up. “Believe me, I learned my lesson. I’m also not going to make my intro students wait a week to get them back. I’m almost done grading.”
“You need help?”
“Sure.” He smiled shyly.
“Hang on a sec.” She walked down the hall until she could see Carrie. “Hey, Carrie, do you mind if I help Dr. Baker for a while?”
“Go ahead, I’ve got plenty I can do on my own,” Carrie called out.
Kate appeared in James’ office door and smiled. “I’m all yours.” Open mouth and insert foot. “I mean, um, Carrie doesn’t need my help for a while, so I can help you, if you need me. If you need help .”
His eyes danced, and the more she tried to explain, the more amused he looked.
She shook her head. This conversation was degenerating quickly. “So, what do you need help with?”
He remained seated behind his desk and pointed to a large stack of papers. “This is the pile I’ve finished grading, so if you wouldn’t mind alphabetizing, I would appreciate it.”
“Sure thing.” She dragged them onto the floor and systematically filed them all into order, adding the rest as he graded them. When the pile was done, she dusted her hands together.
“That would’ve taken me an hour.”
“You’re welcome.” She chuckled and then stood. “I guess if we’re done, I should get back to Carrie.”
“Before you go…” James knit his eyebrows together and took a deep breath.
“Yes?” Kate’s chest tightened.
“I was wondering,” he paused and took another breath, “about you teaching me how to cook.”
Kate sighed. It was too much to hope for more. Cooking lessons were miles away from dating. “Oh. How does Saturday afternoon sound? Around four?” She picked the time specifically so she would have a distraction that night with Tim, which was infinitely better than rehashing the entire time she spent with James all night.
James smiled. “Great.”
“What do you want to make?”
“Lemon bars?”
Kate laughed. “Do you have a mixer?”
“An old olive green handheld one. It belonged to my mom in the seventies.”
“That’ll work. I’ll put together an ingredient list and get it to you tomorrow.”
“Thanks for helping me again.”
“You’re welcome,” Kate called over her shoulder and then got back to work in the main office.
Carrie looked at her over the rim of her reading glasses. “How was it?”
“How was what?” Kate cocked her head to the side.
“Working with James. I mean Dr.
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