to the next man. “This is David Olson, the General Manager, and his son, Frank.”
Frank had the same athletic build as Clay but with dark hair and olive skin. His handshake perfunctory, he sat down immediately, looking bored.
Joseph turned to the last man, “and this is Oscar Steinberg, our CFO, and his son Nathan.” Nathan was as tall as Joshua, but thinner. He wore horned rim glasses, making him look slightly nerdy. However, he gave Joshua a genuine smile.
Joshua sat down in the empty chair next to Nathan with his grandfather on his other side.
Joseph explained that Clay, Frank, and Nathan were all attending Harvard and expressed the hope that they would be willing to show Joshua around. Joshua was embarrassed but the conversation quickly moved on. The men discussed sports. They confirmed Joshua’s first impression that both Clay and Frank were on the football team, even though they were freshmen. Nathan was a science major.
After awhile the older men fell into discussing work. Joshua’s attention wandered. He looked around the room. Mostly older couples filled the tables. He thought that made sense since this was a very expensive restaurant. However, in one corner, he noticed a striking young woman. Long auburn hair and pale skin, she would have stood out anywhere, but was even more noticeable in this setting. She sat across from an older woman. A dark window at her back, she faced the center of the room. The candlelight cast a soft glow picking up copper highlights in her curls. He couldn’t help staring at her.
When Nathan noticed where Joshua was looking, he leaned over and whispered. “That’s Sara Whiting sitting with her grandmother. She’s new here. You’ll have to get in a long line, if you’re interested in meeting her.”
Without taking his eyes off her, Joshua replied, “I don’t doubt it. She’s beautiful.”
“Smart too. I have a couple of classes with her. Her major is physics.”
Joshua wrenched his eyes away. “Definitely out of my league.”
Nathan frowned, but said nothing.
Clay noticed Joshua’s interest as well and nudged Frank. When they got up to leave, Frank made a point of walking out next to Joshua. When Joshua glanced over at Sara again, Frank leaned in and said, “Don’t even think about it, Carson. That one belongs to me.”
For some reason Joshua had taken an instant dislike to Frank so he couldn’t pass up the chance to needle him. He raised one eyebrow. “Afraid of a little competition?”
Looking directly into Joshua‘s eyes, Frank sneered, “I don’t see any competition.”
Joshua chuckled. “I never could resist a challenge.”
Frank’s jaw tightened, but there was no time for any further conversation as each family walked outside and separated to their vehicles.
Outside the restaurant, Joshua’s headache returned with a vengeance.
Chapter Five
Sara watched the Carson group depart. It seemed an odd grouping to her. She had a couple of classes with Nathan whom she liked. Then there was Frank and his thug, Clay. Frank, the BMOC in high school—football star—money and looks, expected every woman to be flattered by his attention. His big come-on line had been, “Hey, beautiful!” When she ignored him, refusing to fall at his feet in a puddle just from the sound of his voice, he’d gotten aggressive. He showed up outside her classes, tried to walk with her with his arm around her. Less than impressed, she’d shaken him off, tried to ignore him, refused his every advance, and still he’d showed no signs of backing off. Obviously, he considered her a challenge. She wished that she had just pretended to melt when he first spoke to her and then maybe he would have been satisfied and moved on.
She wondered where the good-looking dark-haired guy she hadn’t met before fit in. When she saw Frank walking close to talk to him, and the new guy laughing, she mentally wrote him off as siding with the enemy.
Even though her grandmother had her
Frank had the same athletic build as Clay but with dark hair and olive skin. His handshake perfunctory, he sat down immediately, looking bored.
Joseph turned to the last man, “and this is Oscar Steinberg, our CFO, and his son Nathan.” Nathan was as tall as Joshua, but thinner. He wore horned rim glasses, making him look slightly nerdy. However, he gave Joshua a genuine smile.
Joshua sat down in the empty chair next to Nathan with his grandfather on his other side.
Joseph explained that Clay, Frank, and Nathan were all attending Harvard and expressed the hope that they would be willing to show Joshua around. Joshua was embarrassed but the conversation quickly moved on. The men discussed sports. They confirmed Joshua’s first impression that both Clay and Frank were on the football team, even though they were freshmen. Nathan was a science major.
After awhile the older men fell into discussing work. Joshua’s attention wandered. He looked around the room. Mostly older couples filled the tables. He thought that made sense since this was a very expensive restaurant. However, in one corner, he noticed a striking young woman. Long auburn hair and pale skin, she would have stood out anywhere, but was even more noticeable in this setting. She sat across from an older woman. A dark window at her back, she faced the center of the room. The candlelight cast a soft glow picking up copper highlights in her curls. He couldn’t help staring at her.
When Nathan noticed where Joshua was looking, he leaned over and whispered. “That’s Sara Whiting sitting with her grandmother. She’s new here. You’ll have to get in a long line, if you’re interested in meeting her.”
Without taking his eyes off her, Joshua replied, “I don’t doubt it. She’s beautiful.”
“Smart too. I have a couple of classes with her. Her major is physics.”
Joshua wrenched his eyes away. “Definitely out of my league.”
Nathan frowned, but said nothing.
Clay noticed Joshua’s interest as well and nudged Frank. When they got up to leave, Frank made a point of walking out next to Joshua. When Joshua glanced over at Sara again, Frank leaned in and said, “Don’t even think about it, Carson. That one belongs to me.”
For some reason Joshua had taken an instant dislike to Frank so he couldn’t pass up the chance to needle him. He raised one eyebrow. “Afraid of a little competition?”
Looking directly into Joshua‘s eyes, Frank sneered, “I don’t see any competition.”
Joshua chuckled. “I never could resist a challenge.”
Frank’s jaw tightened, but there was no time for any further conversation as each family walked outside and separated to their vehicles.
Outside the restaurant, Joshua’s headache returned with a vengeance.
Chapter Five
Sara watched the Carson group depart. It seemed an odd grouping to her. She had a couple of classes with Nathan whom she liked. Then there was Frank and his thug, Clay. Frank, the BMOC in high school—football star—money and looks, expected every woman to be flattered by his attention. His big come-on line had been, “Hey, beautiful!” When she ignored him, refusing to fall at his feet in a puddle just from the sound of his voice, he’d gotten aggressive. He showed up outside her classes, tried to walk with her with his arm around her. Less than impressed, she’d shaken him off, tried to ignore him, refused his every advance, and still he’d showed no signs of backing off. Obviously, he considered her a challenge. She wished that she had just pretended to melt when he first spoke to her and then maybe he would have been satisfied and moved on.
She wondered where the good-looking dark-haired guy she hadn’t met before fit in. When she saw Frank walking close to talk to him, and the new guy laughing, she mentally wrote him off as siding with the enemy.
Even though her grandmother had her
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