And then Corey squeaked, “Professor Olsen?”
We all turned slowly to stare at him.
And Corey was blushing. Just like Charlie had been.
No.
Fucking.
Way.
“You two know each other?” Robert asked, sounding confused.
“Yes,” Nerdy (and suddenly extremely interesting) Professor said. “I had Corey last semester in one of my graduate psych classes. His work was… brilliant, if I may speak candidly.”
“It’s not… it wasn’t… thank you,” Corey said, sounding flustered. “Um. You. Are here.”
“Sorry,” Professor Olsen said with a wince. “Just needed to bring Dad his meds.” He shot Robert a glare. “That he forgot. Again.”
“It happens,” Robert said airily. “It won’t kill me to miss one, Jeremy. You know this.”
Professor Jeremy Olsen. Who Corey was blushing over.
“Well, just don’t forget next time and I won’t have to crash a wedding,” Jeremy said. “And notice how I am not asking anything about your fella there, even though you haven’t introduced me.”
Robert held out his hand.
Jeremy dropped a little pill into it.
“You can stay,” I blurted out. “It’s… everything is winding down, but you can stay if you’d like. My new hubby and I don’t mind, do we, hubby?”
“I thought we were getting out of here to go—Ow, that was your elbow. Nope. We don’t mind at all.” Vince rubbed his stomach and glared at me.
“Thank you,” Jeremy said. “But I am afraid I must decline. I have classes to prepare for next week that I’m already behind on. Work never ends.”
“Are you sure,” Corey asked, sounding strained. “You could… have some… stuff. Here.”
Some stuff? Sandy mouthed at me, eyes wide.
Jeremy smiled at him, eyes soft. “I would like to, but I really must be going.”
“Okay,” Corey said faintly. “I could… walk you out?”
“Was that a question?” Jeremy asked, arching an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Corey said. “I mean no. Yes? No. I was telling you. But you can still say no. Like it was a question. You don’t have to do—”
“Sure, Corey,” Jeremy said. “That’d be… nice.”
And Corey almost tripped over his own feet as he moved forward. I couldn’t help the snort of laughter that came out, and he glared at me, but I didn’t give two shits.
Because our little Corey had a motherfucking crush on a teacher. His teacher.
And it was glorious.
“Um,” Corey said. “I’ll be right back.”
“It was nice to see you all,” Jeremy said. “And Dad, maybe bring your gentleman friend to dinner soon, huh? I’d like to meet him formally.”