Page 41 of Learning Curves

Michelle entered Holman Hall on Monday afternoon, deep in thought over how best to tell Kate about her new relationship with Audrey.

Kate had requested an update if Michelle and Audrey kissed again, but should she email Kate or call?

Or should she wait until Kate got in touch and then casually mention that she and Audrey were seeing each other?

Speaking of Audrey, Michelle couldn’t wait to have tea together later that afternoon.

The end of the semester was rapidly approaching, and everyone felt it, faculty and students alike.

In Michelle’s morning classes, the students were full of questions about their essays and final exams, and she anticipated that her office hours would be much the same.

As she approached the stairwell, she passed Mercy, who gave her a polite smile.

“I heard you have a new exhibit at the gallery downtown,” Michelle said.

Mercy gave her a curious look. “Yes, I do.”

Michelle knew Mercy didn’t like her. She also knew it was her own fault. She’d quit making an effort with her colleagues long before Mercy joined the faculty, but maybe it was time for that to change. “I just wanted to say congratulations. I hope to stop by and see it this week.”

Mercy’s expression warmed. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“Of course. I like your style. It’s reminiscent of Lee Krasner.”

“She’s one of my inspirations,” Mercy said. “I love her drip technique. Let me know what you think if you stop by the exhibit.”

“I will. Enjoy your afternoon.”

Upstairs in her office, Michelle fixed herself a cup of tea—just one until Audrey arrived—but she liked having a cup in hand during her office hours.

Almost as soon as she’d settled at her desk, the first student arrived.

It was Nuala McGarry, the older student in Michelle’s introductory art history class.

Michelle liked Nuala a lot. She seemed to genuinely enjoy Michelle’s class, and her written work so far had been intelligent and well thought out. Today, Nuala had on jeans and a red sweater, with candy cane earrings.

“Hi, Nuala. How are you?”

“I’m good. Got a minute for me?”

“Of course.” Michelle gestured to the guest chairs in front of her desk. “What can I help you with?”

“I just had a quick question about our final essay. You said we could write about any of the artists you’d covered in class, but I’d like to write about Mary Cassatt, and you only mentioned her in passing during one of your lectures.

We didn’t spend much time on her work, so I wanted to make sure that was okay. ”

Michelle picked up her teacup, frustrated to realize she’d only mentioned Cassatt in passing. Had her class really become that male centered? “Of course, that’s okay. I’m a big fan of Cassatt’s work, so I look forward to seeing what you come up with. What drew you to her specifically?”

“There’s just something about her paintings.

She painted a lot of women and children, you know?

” Nuala paused, as if considering. “I really relate to those tender moments of motherhood. They remind me of when my daughter was little. I’d like to learn more about who she was as a person, so this essay seemed like the perfect opportunity. ”

“I think you’ve made a great choice, then,” Michelle said. “Interestingly, Cassatt didn’t have children of her own.”

“Well, that’s ... that’s actually shocking to me.”

“It’s thought that she may have used her paintings to express her longing to be a mother or perhaps to show her admiration for mothers. It could be an interesting angle for your essay, what you make of Cassatt’s reasonings.”

“Yeah. You’ve got me even more curious about her now. I like women who don’t follow the norms, women who surprise you.” Nuala grinned at her.

“I’m drawn to those types of women myself,” Michelle agreed. “And I have to admit I’ve been curious how you ended up in my class. What are you studying?”

“Business management. I actually started my degree about thirty years ago, right here at NU, but I fell in love and got married young. Then I got pregnant the summer before my senior year, and I ended up dropping out. No regrets, because my daughter is everything to me, but I always wished I’d found a way to finish my degree. ”

“Attending college with a young child must be very difficult,” Michelle said. “And back then, I don’t imagine there were many programs in place to help.”

“No, there probably weren’t, but to be honest, I didn’t even look.

My husband wanted me to stay home with our daughter, so I did, and like I said, no regrets.

We had a good life, but I lost him a few years ago.

Then last year, I lost my mom. She didn’t leave much behind, but she had a little bit in savings, and before she died, she told me she wanted me to spend it on something I’d always wanted, something I didn’t think I’d be able to have.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what that ‘something’ would be, and eventually, I decided it would be my college degree. ”

“That’s beautiful.” Michelle was touched by Nuala’s story.

“I’ve been a secretary most of my life, and now I’m hoping to reenter the workforce as an office manager. I just figure, it’s never too late for a change, you know?”

“That’s a good attitude to have.” Michelle thought of the feelers she’d put out for academic jobs in the UK, of the book she was writing.

Perhaps Nuala’s words were timely, a reminder that Michelle could start over too.

“And I can’t wait to read your essay about Mary Cassatt.

Something tells me it’s going to be very insightful. ”

Nuala stood. “I hope so, Dr. Thompson. Anyway, I’ve taken up enough of your time, but thanks for listening and for the okay on my essay. I’ll see you in class on Thursday.”

“See you then.”

Michelle took another sip of her tea and glanced at the time on her phone. Only forty-five minutes until she got to see Audrey again.

Audrey and Michelle had tea together every afternoon that week, but they only managed to see each other outside work once. With the end of the semester approaching, they’d both been busy grading papers.

Yesterday, they had gone to Mercy’s exhibition together, but they’d taken separate cars, just in case.

Audrey was so proud of her friend, although she’d only been able to afford one of Mercy’s smallest pieces.

Surprisingly, Michelle had bought one, too, an abstract black-and-white painting that would complement her home decor nicely.

When Audrey stopped in the doorway of Michelle’s office on Friday afternoon to ask if she wanted to make plans for the weekend, her brain promptly short-circuited.

Michelle had on the pale-blue tweed blazer that was Audrey’s absolute favorite, reading glasses perched on her nose as she typed on her laptop.

She was the Dr. Thompson of Audrey’s fantasies.

“Audrey?” Michelle looked up at her with the little smile that always made Audrey’s heart miss a beat.

Today, it did more than that. Today, Audrey’s heart tripped over itself as she realized her fantasy woman was actually hers . She sat in one of Michelle’s guest chairs and leaned forward, speaking in a low voice meant only for Michelle. “You look exceptionally hot today.”

Michelle removed her glasses, giving Audrey a quizzical look. “I do?”

“Mm-hmm. I’ve always had a thing for you in tweed.”

Michelle tugged at the lapel of her blazer. “It happens to be one of my favorites too. Comfortable, and I like the way it looks.”

“I like the way it looks on you, too ... a lot.”

Michelle smoothed a hand over her blazer while her expression softened, as if knowing her outfit turned Audrey on was turning her on too. “Would you like to come over tonight?”

“I would.” Audrey had even packed an overnight bag ... just in case. “I’m going to enjoy taking you out of that blazer, that’s for damn sure.”

“And what about the rest of what I’m wearing?” Michelle’s voice was low to prevent it from carrying, and it made her words sound even sexier.

Audrey leaned forward, letting her gaze slide from Michelle’s face to the blazer before taking in her neatly tucked black blouse.

It buttoned down the front, which would indeed be fun to take off.

Audrey dragged her gaze over each button, mentally unfastening them, and she was rewarded by a sharp inhale from Michelle.

“I think I’ll enjoy taking that blouse off you, yes,” Audrey murmured, then dropped her gaze to Michelle’s lap.

Michelle shifted in her seat as Audrey’s eyes roamed over her fitted black slacks. “Audrey ...” It came out a strangled whisper.

“Careful. The door to your office is wide open. Wouldn’t want anyone to see or hear anything they shouldn’t .

..” Audrey was teasing now, enjoying watching her squirm.

She rested her elbows on the front of Michelle’s desk, loving the way Michelle’s hips looked in those pants.

Her ass probably looked even better. “What would I find under those pants? Did you wear something nice, hoping I’d come over later? ”

“You’ll have to wait and see,” Michelle murmured, staring at Audrey’s breasts.

“Describe them for me?” Audrey rested her chin in her hand, leaning even closer.

Michelle’s pupils had almost eclipsed the brown of her eyes. “They’re black, with a lace trim.”

Fuck. Me. Hearing Michelle describe her panties while she sat behind her desk, all buttoned up with one leg crossed primly over the other, was almost more than Audrey could take.

“Your turn.” Something in Michelle seemed to have shifted over the last minute or so as she went from reluctant to active participant in their flirting. Now she was eyeing Audrey like a woman who wanted to be absolutely ravished.

“P-pink,” Audrey stammered. “A matching set, also with lace.”