Her eyes narrow into slits. “You won’t say a word to her because then you’d have to spill the tea and tell her you’re seeing her husband’s first cousin, who’s also your filthy professor.”
“And she’s banging her husband and the bartender from the wedding. She doesn’t have much room to talk.”
“Touché.” She folds her hands together. “All kidding aside, I’m happy for you. And we’re under three months until the semester is over. The second you get that passing grade, it’ll be no one’s business who you’re seeing. And I’ll get to see the man’s moves in action.”
“Not that kind of action.” I flip the pages of my book and study the first question.
“Fine. Rain on my parade.”
As we go over each question, I shake my head in disbelief. I understand everything we’ve learned. It’s like Alexander has performed a miracle in my brain. Or maybe I just wasn’t ready to focus at the time. Or I needed other experiences to piggyback this information on top of it and finally understand. Or my filthy professor is a god. I know which one he’d lean toward.
Happiness swirls inside of me. We haven’t talked again about the future after graduation, but there’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll be together.
Chapter Thirty
Alexander
One Week Later
Sean leans back into the seat across from me and crosses his arms over his broad chest. “So, you sold your dad one of our software packages?”
“Yes.” I tilt my head and study him, waiting for his reaction.
“That’s brilliant.” His eyes light up as he laughs.
“No one ever said he wasn’t brilliant. Controlling and stuck in the mud? Yes. Brilliant? No.” Cora raises from the chair adjacent to Sean’s and brushes her hands over her skirt. “I’ve got to get home to the family. The grandkids are coming over for dinner tonight.”
“Have a good night. Thanks for everything.”
She smiles. “Don’t thank me. I love sticking it to your old man and his crusty demands.”
“Cora,” I growl in a deep voice.
“Please.” She rolls her eyes. “Don’t act like you approve of his heavy-handed attempts to get you to do what he wants. He lied, said he’d let you expand into the software market; he demanded you get married, and then pulled the rug out from under your feet by saying he wasn’t going to use anything you designed.” She slaps her hands on her hips. “He’s an asshole, and you’d be better off walking away than sticking around kissing his ass for another day.” She lifts one hand off her hip and waves it wildly in the air. “But don’t listen to me. You’re just as stubborn as he is.”
She marches across the room with her heels clicking on the tile and shuts the door. Before I can say anything to Sean, she reopens the door. “You’re still the best boss I’ve ever had.”
“Thank you, Cora. You’re still the bossiest, most opinionated loudmouth–”
She snaps the door shut. Sean shakes his head. “She’s a firecracker.” He pins me with a look. “But she’s not wrong.”
“Sean,” I groan, shove out of my chair, and walk to the window that overlooks the parking lot. My dad is the one with the view. “We’ve gone over this before. My dad’s company is 10x as large as ours. We’re still struggling to get a leg up–”
“We’re not struggling.” He also stands and moves beside me. “You’re right. We’re not where your father’s company is, but we’re making solid deals.”
“To my father.”
“To other buyers. He’s not the only one, and you know it. Wes called this morning with another fish on the hook.”
I glance over at her. “Really?”
“Yes, we’re going to break multiple six figures this year.”
“But if I can take over his company when he retires, as I should, being his only child and working for him since I was a kid, we’ll be set for life. We won’t have to work another day if we don’t want to.”
“Is that what you want?”
“What? My father’s company? Come on.” I toss my hands in frustration. “You know that’s what I’ve always wanted.”