The Professor - Ch. 14.2

“Yes, that is the same student. Her name is Aurelia Bunting,” Baron finally replied, forcing his gaze forward. “I must say I’m very surprised to see her here tonight.”

“Why? Because you think she should be home typing up the results of her lab project?” Jordin asked, looking at him now as she settled comfortably on her embroidered seat cushion.

Baron’s cheeks were flushed with color. His nostrils flared. His voice sounded huskier, especially when he said Aurelia’s name.

Baron took a deep breath and cleared his throat before speaking again. “No, she emailed those lab results to me yesterday,” he replied, recalling how he’d gone over those results with a fine tooth comb before finally giving her and Claude A’s for their team project. “I’m surprised to see Aurelia here for economic reasons. Last time I checked, her budget was too tight to splurge on big ticket items like that dress and a concert of this caliber. Last time I checked, she needed every dime she made to pay for her education.”

“You sure know a lot about your students,” Jordin noted, not looking too pleased about that at all.

“It’s my job to know as much as I can about them, so that I can do everything I can to help them reach their goals,” he said as the audience lighting lowered and the stage lights brightened. It was almost time for the show to begin.

“Spoken like a true educator.” Jordin chuckled, lightening up again after that satisfactory response. “As for Aurelia’s presence here tonight, that’s a no-brainer. A woman with looks like that doesn’t have to pay for stuff like this unless she wants to. I’m pretty sure her very rich date will be sitting down beside her shortly. He probably just went to retrieve a jazzy basket like you did for us when we first got here.” She looked down at the wicker basket at her feet. “Speaking of jazzy baskets, let’s see what we have inside ours.”

Aurelia with a rich date?! Baron mused, choosing that opportune time to look her way again.

What happened to her and Claude? Was she not dating exclusively right now? Just playing the field for awhile? That would certainly explain the absence of Claude, who couldn’t afford a concert like this either on his waiter wages.

Baron didn’t know whether to be happy about Aurelia not dating exclusively or angry. On one hand, he could throw his hat in the ring and vie for her heart now, too. On the other hand, he would have to share her with other men. Baron knew he would not be able to handle the latter. If he dated Aurelia, she would have to be his, all his, and no one else’s.

Straining his eyes to see if there was an unattached man anywhere in close proximity to Aurelia, Baron was relieved to find not a one. The person she was currently talking to wasn’t even a man at all. It was a salt and pepper-haired black woman.

“You pour the wine while I serve us up some goodies, okay?” Jordin suddenly requested from beside him. An expensive bottle of red wine was in her left hand. Two fluted glasses were in her right. Packaged crackers and wafers, exotic cheeses, various nuts, and fresh organic fruit still remained in the basket.

Baron’s gaze snapped back to his date. “Of course.” He smiled, receiving the fancy bottle and glasses from her. Inwardly he wondered who would be the man to pour Aurelia’s wine tonight. He would watch carefully to see.

© 2009 by Mi’Chelle Dodson/Suprina Frazier