Page 22 of Learning Curves

And then there was the book. Publishing it would be a dream come true, but she also knew she didn’t have enough time to devote to a writing career, not while the university was sucking up so many hours of her day.

Academia had become stifling. There were so many rules, so many restrictions as to what she was allowed to teach and how she taught it.

This book was fulfilling her creatively in a way she hadn’t even realized she was lacking. But now that she remembered how it felt to be passionate about something, well ... she couldn’t continue sticking her head in the sand while she lived a life devoid of that kind of joy.

Which meant . . .

Michelle swallowed more whisky, letting it blur her inhibitions until she’d worked up the courage to consult the faculty contact list on the department server. As she’d hoped, Audrey had listed both her office phone and her mobile number on the sheet.

Before she could lose her nerve, Michelle typed Audrey’s number into her mobile, stored her as a contact, and composed a text message. It’s Michelle. Could I have your personal email address? I’d like to send you some new pages, if you’re interested in reading them.

Audrey responded almost immediately. I would Love to read them. [email protected]

Before Michelle could respond, another message came in.

By the way, I can’t believe we hadn’t exchanged cell #s until now!

Thank you, Michelle responded. I took your advice on a new direction for the book, and I’d very much like your opinion before I go any further.

So Excited , Audrey typed back. Already refreshing my email!

Michelle covered her mouth with her free hand, as if anyone were here to see the giddy smile on her face.

After another fortifying swallow of whisky, she composed an email on her laptop and attached the first three chapters of the book she was now calling A Light in the Storm .

She hit “Send” before polishing off her drink.

On the cushion beside her, her phone buzzed with an incoming text.

Got it , from Audrey, followed by a string of enthusiastic emojis.

Thank you , Michelle sent back, then put down her phone and went inside for a shower, determined not to spend any more time tonight thinking about Audrey or her reaction as she read Michelle’s new chapters.

“Who are you texting with that goofy grin on your face? Have you met someone in Vermont already?”

Audrey looked up to find her brother watching her with a knowing smile. “No. It’s just ... it’s Michelle.”

Erik’s eyebrows went up. “Michelle, as in the infamous Dr. Thompson, who I had to listen to you moon over basically the whole time you were here as an undergrad?”

She picked up her beer, almost wishing she’d lied about who the text was from, except she and Erik told each other everything.

But her feelings about her burgeoning friendship with Michelle were a little bit delicate, probably because her feelings went a lot further than friendship.

“Yes, that Michelle. We’re sort of friends now. I told you that.”

“And what is she texting her new BFF about on a Saturday night that’s got you looking so giddy?”

“She sent some pages for me to read. She’s writing a book.” Audrey heard the pride in her voice, but she was proud of Michelle, dammit. She had real talent, and it was unbelievably exciting to watch her rediscover her passion for female artists through this project.

“Well, that’s more boring than I expected.

” Erik swatted at a mosquito that had landed on his arm.

They were sitting on Audrey’s back patio together, trying to enjoy what remained of the sunset, but it was annoyingly buggy out here tonight.

Since this was his weekend off from the hospital, he’d come up for a quick visit.

Audrey shrugged. “Not to us history nerds.”

He chuckled. “I’m glad you’ve found your people. Still, you had a certain look while you were texting with her. Are you crushing on her again?”

“Maybe a little,” she admitted, knowing he’d see right through her if she denied it. “But it’s fine. She’s completely professional, and I’ll get over it. Right now, I’m just really happy that we’re becoming friends.”

“I know how much you admired her, so I get that it must be cool to be friends with her now, just ... be careful. She’s got to be older, right? And getting involved with a coworker while you’re still fighting for a permanent position doesn’t sound like a smart move.”

“It’s not, and I don’t plan on getting involved with her, even if she was interested, which she’s not,” Audrey said. “Career comes first for me. You know that. I don’t have room in my life for a serious relationship with anyone until I’ve secured a permanent job.”

“Oh, I bet you could make time if you met the right person. Isn’t that what they always say? We find love when we least expect it.”

“Wouldn’t know. Never been in love.” She’d dated a lot in her early twenties, but she always kept things casual, so her relationships usually fizzled within a few months.

Most of the people she dated were part of her academic circles, and for the most part, they’d all been as focused on their careers as she was.

No one was looking to settle down before they knew where they’d end up living, once they’d finally landed that elusive tenure-track position.

“I thought I was in love a few times, but ... I don’t know,” Erik said. “Looking back, I don’t miss any of those women as much as I probably should if it had really been love, right?”

“You seemed genuinely in love with Mayumi. I mean, you were devastated when she broke up with you,” Audrey reminded him.

He flinched. “Yeah, I was. At the time, I was so brokenhearted. I couldn’t imagine my life with anyone else, and now I’m like .

.. bring it on, you know? It doesn’t hurt to say her name anymore.

It doesn’t even hurt to think about our time together.

I really have moved on, and I’m ready. I just need to meet the right woman. ”

“What about Riley?”

He grinned, fiddling with his beer. “Yeah, I like her a lot, but we’ve only been dating a few weeks. I don’t want to jinx anything.”

“But there’s potential?” she pressed because she liked what she’d heard about Riley so far. As a fellow ER physician, she seemed like a good match for Erik.

“There’s potential,” he confirmed. “And if things keep going the way they’re going, you’ll meet her at Thanksgiving.”

“Yay,” Audrey said. “I’m rooting for you two. Crossing fingers and toes that things keep going well.”

They headed inside to work on a puzzle together.

Erik was a total puzzle nerd and had brought a mountain scene with him this weekend, which kept them occupied for hours as they laughed and chatted.

As she was getting ready for bed that night, Audrey pulled up the texts she’d exchanged with Michelle earlier.

Audrey was dying to read the new chapters Michelle had sent, but she also wanted to make the most of her visit with her brother.

The reality was, she might not get a chance to look at them until after Erik left tomorrow afternoon.

Michelle had put herself out there by sending these pages to Audrey, though, and even though she probably wouldn’t admit it, she was likely waiting anxiously to hear what Audrey thought of them.

She typed out a quick message. FYI my brother is here visiting this weekend, so I can’t read right away, but I’ll check in with you on Monday at the latest!

Thank you. Enjoy your visit , Michelle replied.

Audrey tried and failed to contain the thrill that raced through her at the sight of Michelle’s name on her screen, the knowledge that Michelle might be in bed right now, too, texting Audrey. Who was she kidding? She had it so bad where this woman was concerned ...

Michelle spent the rest of the weekend in a state of constant restlessness, wondering if Audrey had read the chapters yet and, if so, what she thought of them. She went for several lengthy bike rides, taking in the foliage as she burned off anxious energy.

Oddly, she also found herself wondering about Audrey’s weekend with her brother.

She’d told Michelle her family was close, but weekend visits hinted at a kind of sibling relationship Michelle couldn’t even imagine.

She had both a brother and a sister, and she rarely spoke to either outside birthdays or Christmas.

They’d never visited her in Vermont. The Thompsons just weren’t that kind of family.

By Monday morning, it was all Michelle could do to contain her impatience as she made her way to her office in Holman Hall.

Surely Audrey had read the chapters by now.

She’d said she would check in with Michelle today at the latest. It was ridiculous that Michelle was this invested in her opinion, but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

As she unlocked her office door, Audrey entered the hallway from the stairwell.

Michelle paused, breath catching in her throat as Audrey walked toward her.

Would she say something now? Michelle should let her get settled first. No one wanted to be bothered before they’d unpacked their bag and checked their emails.

But Audrey was headed straight for her with a wide smile on her face, and when Michelle opened the door to her office, Audrey followed her in, then shut the door behind herself.

Michelle hadn’t expected that. Suddenly, her office felt too small, and she didn’t know what to do with herself.

How did Audrey manage to constantly throw her off balance?

“Sorry to burst in on you like this, but I figured you wanted to know what I thought of your new chapters.” Audrey dropped her satchel onto one of Michelle’s guest chairs.

Then she began unbuttoning her maroon corduroy jacket, distracting Michelle with those slender, graceful fingers.

How she’d love to know what they looked like as they slid through potter’s clay . .. or over Michelle’s skin.

She swallowed hard, then set down her own briefcase and reached for the top button on her blazer with clumsy fingers. “I was curious, yes.” Such a massive understatement.

“I won’t keep you in suspense, then, because it’s not an exaggeration when I say I’m in love with this new direction you’ve taken.

It’s so good. Honestly, I didn’t think of you as an artist before, but you are.

Words are your art form. You wield them so beautifully.

I was completely engrossed from the first page, and I need more chapters immediately. ”

Michelle’s heart hammered in her chest. That was more enthusiasm than she’d dared hope for. “Thank you. I ... I haven’t written any more yet.” She paused as suspicion snuck in. “You’re not just saying that because you still feel bad about the Women in Art class, are you?”

Audrey gave her an incredulous look. “Of course, I still feel bad about that, but it has nothing to do with my opinion of your chapters. You’re a brilliant writer, Michelle.

You’ve got to finish this book, and then you need to sell it because I think this could be a new side hustle for you, like how I still make ceramics while I teach.

It fulfills me creatively, and maybe this book could do that for you, too .

.. I mean, if that’s what you want, of course. ”

Michelle looked away. Now wasn’t the time to tell Audrey that she’d been considering this book—and others like it—as more than a side hustle.

That she’d applied for two academic positions in the UK yesterday.

One way or another, her days at NU were limited.

At this point, the only things she knew for certain were that she loved writing and she was hopelessly smitten with the woman standing in front of her, not that she would ever in a million years act on her attraction to Audrey.

“I’d like to finish the book,” she said finally, “so it’s validating to know you think I’m on the right track with it.”

“You’re definitely on the right track. How are you planning to present Eliza’s relationship with Ada, by the way?”

“I’ve been thinking about that a lot, actually.

Based on what I read in her personal journals, they were definitely lovers, but .

.. is it my place to share that with the world?

I mean, assuming I ever publish this.” Michelle spoke haltingly, still somewhat overcome by Audrey’s praise.

“I emailed Daniel—her great-grandson—to get his opinion. Ideally, I’d like to get his approval on the project. ”

“I can’t wait to hear what he thinks,” Audrey said. “And I’m just so excited about this book. It’s fantastic.”

“Thank you.” Michelle knew her words were woefully inadequate for the intense gratitude she felt, but they were all she had.

“You’re welcome.”

Then Audrey surprised her yet again by flinging her arms around Michelle. For a moment, she froze, unable to recall the last time anyone had hugged her and unsure how to respond. But her arms seemed to move of their own accord, sliding around Audrey as she hugged her back.

They were pressed together, and it was so warm . Michelle didn’t realize she’d rested her face in the crook of Audrey’s neck until she found herself inhaling the floral scent of Audrey’s lotion. Michelle’s heart was pounding, and she felt flushed from head to foot.

To her absolute horror, tears welled in her eyes because being held like this felt so good.

She could have spent an eternity in the sanctuary of Audrey’s arms, but Audrey was already pulling back, still talking about Michelle’s book as she turned to retrieve her satchel.

She was ready to get on with her day as if she hadn’t just rocked Michelle’s world, both with her words and with that hug.

“See you later,” Audrey said as she opened the door. “Let’s walk over to the Halloween-party meeting together, okay? And send me more chapters whenever you have them.”

With a wave, she walked across the hall to her own office, leaving Michelle standing there with a hand pressed against her heart, wondering how she was supposed to teach art history after she’d just felt Audrey’s heartbeat against her breast and felt her breath gust against her ear.

How was Michelle supposed to do anything professional now that she knew how it felt to be held in Audrey’s arms?