Chapter 23
**Sara**
I spotted Mia and Jake walking ahead of us, their heads close together as they chatted animatedly. Jessica nudged me with her elbow, a knowing smirk on her face. We were strolling through the bustling university hallway, dodging other students rushing to their next classes.
"Look at those two," she whispered. "They're practically joined at the hip."
"They're just friends, Jess. Not everyone who talks to each other is dating."
"Oh, please. I've seen the way they look at each other. There's definitely something going on there."
We quickened our pace to catch up with them. As we got closer, I could hear snippets of their conversation – something about a group project for their marketing class.
"Hey, lovebirds!" Jessica called out, causing Mia and Jake to turn around with startled expressions.
I cringed inwardly. Leave it to Jessica to be as subtle as a sledgehammer.
"What's up, guys?" Jake asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Mia looked equally perplexed. "Lovebirds?"
Jessica wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, come on. You two are always together. Are you finally dating or what?"
I wanted to disappear into the ground. "Jess, maybe we shouldn't—"
But she was already on a roll. "I mean, it's so obvious. The way you're always whispering and giggling together. It's adorable, really."
Jake's eyes widened, and he let out a surprised laugh. "Wait, what? No, we're not dating. We're just working on a project together."
Mia nodded emphatically. "Yeah, we've got this big presentation coming up. We were just discussing our strategy."
"Uh-huh," Jessica said, clearly unconvinced. "And I suppose that requires you to be practically glued to each other's sides?"
I decided it was time to intervene before Jessica embarrassed us all further. "Okay, that's enough matchmaking for one day. We should probably get to class."
Jake looked relieved at the change of subject. "That's a Good idea. We don't want to be late."
We all filed into the classroom, with Jessica still suspiciously eyeing Mia and Jake. As we sat, she leaned over to whisper in my ear.
"I'm telling you, Sara. Those two are totally dating. They're just trying to keep it on the down-low."
"Not everyone is as obsessed with dating as you are, Jess."
"Maybe not," she conceded. "But mark my words – something is going on there. I can feel it in my bones."
"Your bones need to mind their own business," I muttered.
"My bones have excellent intuition, thank you very much."
"Whatever you say, Jess. Whatever you say."
I turned my attention to the front of the classroom, ready for another riveting lecture on corporate finance. But as the door swung open, my heart did a little tap dance in my chest.
Tom—I mean, Professor Blackwood—strode in, looking like he'd just stepped off the cover of GQ. His hair was perfectly tousled, and his crisp white shirt hugged his broad shoulders in a way that should be illegal. I swear, the man could make discussing spreadsheets sound sexy.
Get it together, Sara. He's your professor for crying out loud.
I tried to focus on setting up my laptop, but my eyes had a mind of their own. I sneaked glances at him as he organized his materials at the podium. When he looked up, our gazes locked for a brief moment. I quickly averted my eyes, suddenly finding my blank Word document fascinating.
"Good morning, class," Tom's smooth voice rang out. "I hope you're ready to dive into the exciting world of financial ratios today."
A few groans echoed through the room, but I had to bite my lip to keep from grinning. Only Tom could make financial ratios sound like an adventure.
Jessica leaned over, whispering, "It looks like someone's in a good mood today. Do you think he got lucky last night?"
I choked on air, coughing loudly. Tom paused mid-sentence, his eyes finding me again.
"Is everything alright back there, Miss...?" He trailed off, pretending not to know my name, as if he hadn't whispered it against my skin just a few nights ago.
"Parker," I squeaked out. "Sara Parker. I'm sorry. There's just a tickle in my throat."
"Well, Miss Parker, try not to die on us. I'd hate to have to pause the lecture for a medical emergency." His lips quirked up in a small smile, and I swear I saw a twinkle in his eye.
Jessica snickered beside me. "Smooth, Sara. Real smooth."
I elbowed her in the ribs, perhaps a bit harder than necessary.
As Tom launched into his lecture, I tried my best to concentrate. But it was like trying to focus on a math problem while a shirtless Chris Hemsworth did jumping jacks in front of you. My mind kept wandering to our night together, the way his hands had—
No. Bad Sara. Financial ratios. Think about financial ratios.
I furiously scribbled notes, determined to keep my thoughts PG. But every time Tom paced in front of the class, gesturing enthusiastically about liquidity ratios, I caught a whiff of his cologne. It brought back memories of burying my face in his neck, breathing him in as we—
"Sara!" Jessica hissed, nudging me. "He asked you a question!"
I blinked, coming back to reality with a jolt. Tom—Professor Blackwood—and the rest of the class were looking at me expectantly.
"I'm sorry. Could you repeat the question?" I asked, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Tom's lips twitched like he was fighting back a smile. "I asked if you could explain the difference between operating cash flow and free cash flow."
Oh, crap. I racked my brain, trying to remember anything from the readings I'd done. "Um, well... operating cash flow is... the cash generated from day-to-day business operations. And free cash flow is... what's left after you subtract capital expenditures?"
I held my breath, waiting for his response. Tom nodded slowly. "That's correct, Miss Parker. Perhaps next time, try to sound more confident in your answer."
I sighed in relief as he moved on to the next topic. Jessica gave me a thumbs up, mouthing "Nice save!"
For the rest of the class, I made a concerted effort to stay focused.
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