Page 57 of Single Malt

My second reason was that I didn’t actually want to hear her real thoughts because I suspected that it had to do with the conversation she and I’d had not long before her sudden announcement. I didn’t know if she thought I’d be more likely to bare my soul if we were at home where no one could overhear us or if she just thought it’d be ‘easier’ for me if I wasn’t surrounded by flyers reminding me of what today was.

Neither of those things was true, but I’d never be able to convince her of that, and I didn’t feel like spending the rest of the evening and into the night with her trying to figure out ways to make me admit “what was really wrong.” That, coupled with the restlessness I’d had since the semester began, had led me to leaving the apartment almost immediately after I’d gotten Aline settled, with only a short stop to change clothes.

A couple departments were having a party for their faculty, and I knew Dr. Ipres and her husband, Andrew, would be there. I was one of the few students invited, just as I’d been one of the only ones at the New Year’s Eve party, and for the same reason. Dr. Ipres had thought that, for my final semester, I would benefit from mingling with the upper echelon without other students around.

As soon as I stepped into the room, I saw about two dozen people, most of whom had been at the New Year’s Eve party which, of course, made me think of the kiss that night. One of the hottest, toe-curling kisses I’d ever experienced, and the only ones hotter were the ones I’d had with the same man in more private settings.

I closed my eyes, inhaled slowly, and then let out the breath even slower. I needed to stop thinking about Brody. No other man had stuck in my head as long or as vividly, and it was driving me nuts. Maybe being here would be good for me, let me get my focus back where it needed to be. Re-establishing and strengthening connections to these departments would be a good way to do it.

One of the mistakes people made when it came to networking was to think that an introduction would always be enough. That was better than nothing, but the best way to utilize connections was to keep them primed, make sure they never faded into “oh, right, what was your name again?” Besides, one always had to account for turnover, and how better to do that and stay up-to-date on the latest information than by making sure even the new people had a flesh-and-blood face to put to a name.

Greeting Dr. Ipres first would be the right initial move, help me get the lay of the land, so to speak, without standing around looking like an idiot who didn’t know where to go. People who went to events alone always had to worry about that, looking lost, but for women, it was worse. A woman who looked like she didn’t know where to go or what she was doing became a potential target, whether for violence or the simple misogyny that assumed a woman alone must be a woman in need of a man.

Jane Austen knew what she was talking about. That thought would’ve made me laugh, except the only thing worse than a woman alone at a party was a woman alone and laughing to herself. People took that type of humor to mean that a woman was either cruel or insane. Neither of which would be good for my reputation or my career.

I spotted my advisor and her husband a couple yards away, talking to Professor Nealson, the newest addition to the political science department. He still had that wet-behind-the-ears look to him, and the nervous way he kept putting his hands in his pockets and taking them back out again didn’t help matters. Since he taught only introductory classes, I hadn’t sat under him, but I’d heard good things about him so far. He was probably close to my age, and his family name wasn’t one bandied about as being powerful or rich, but he was smart, and I had a feeling he’d do well for himself.

It was time to officially meet Professor Nealson.

I made my way toward the trio without actually meeting anyone else’s gaze when I smiled at them. Eye contact would give someone the opportunity to attempt to engage me in conversation, making me rude if I chose to keep moving. Not directly meeting someone’s eyes gave me an out if someone asked why I hadn’t spoken with them, allowing me to simply say that I hadn’t seen them.

They’d assume I’d spotted someone just over their shoulder, and they never needed to know that my avoidance had been intentional. I didn’t have anyone here I specifically wanted to avoid, but I wanted to be in control over who I talked to and when.

“Freedom.” Dr. Ipres didn’t try to hide her surprise. “I didn’t think you were coming tonight.”

“I didn’t think so either,” I said, giving her a genuine smile. “Aline and I planned to do some work in the library, but she ended up with a headache and wanted to go home.”

“I hope she isn’t sick,” Andrew said.

He and I didn’t know each other well, but we’d always been friendly when we’d interacted.

I shook my head and gave them the truth as it had been given to me. “More like the reading material.”

“Ah.” Dr. Ipres gestured to Professor Nealson. “Have the two of you met?”

“Can’t say that we have.” He smiled at me with absolutely no flirtation. “Professor Roderick Nealson.”

“Freedom Mercier.” I put out my hand, and he shook it. A good firm handshake without lingering, and his eyes never dropped from my face. “Everyone in the department speaks highly of you.”

So far, so good.

“Thank you.” He seemed sincere. “I’ve heard good things about you too.”

Before the conversation could go any further, we were joined by another person. The last one I wanted to see.

“Freedom, I thought that was you.”

“Dr. Worthington.” I kept smiling but felt the expression on my face tighten. “Good evening.”

“Now, now.”

I gritted my teeth at his tone and hoped I didn’t look like I was suddenly constipated.

“I told you to call me Korbin.” He looked at Professor Nealson with one of those indulgent looks that made me want to take off his balls with a serrated spoon. “Girls never do know how to listen, do they?”

Professor Nealson crossed his arms, a hard look coming over his youthful face. “I find thatwomenwill listen when there’s something worth listening to.”

Dr. Ipres made a small choking sound that made me think she was trying not to laugh. I didn’t blame her. I was torn between laughing and cheering myself. Plenty of male professors didn’t act like chauvinistic assholes, but not too many of them would stand up to another man, especially not a man with as much influence and money as Korbin Worthington III, and especially not someone who was only in his first year at a prestigious university.