by Thea Dawson
He should have been able to handle something that simple. Melanie had taken care of Peyton’s social life … until she had essentially walked off the job. Now Richard felt somewhat at sea as a single dad trying to navigate the feminine waters of the elementary school social circuit.
He and Peyton really were busy over the holidays, but perhaps he should call Celia and tell her that they could arrange something early in the new year. Then again, he wasn’t much better over the phone than in person. Would it be strange to email another parent about a play date?
His musings were interrupted by a knock on his door frame. He looked up.
“Angel!” He gave her a broad smile. Perhaps because she was a student and much younger than he was, he never felt awkward around Angel, despite the fact that she’d seen his family through some of their worst and most personal times. Or perhaps it was simply because she was Angel, and she was one of those people who made other people feel comfortable regardless of the circumstance. “What brings you here?”
Even dressed for winter, Angel Menendez managed to show off her slim figure in skinny jeans and a short, fitted parka. During the dreary Northwest winter, the prevailing dress code for the students at Falls State was practical, outdoorsy, and bland, but Angel managed a distinctly urban flair. Even on the coldest days, she could be found sporting rhinestones and hair extensions in a variety of creative colors. Richard had never seen her without makeup—a lot of it—or perfectly manicured nails. He’d often wondered how she was able to type her term papers with nails that long but had never asked her.
“Hi, Richard.” She slipped into the office and sat down in front of his desk. “Do you have a moment to talk?”
Ordinarily, Richard would have frowned at an undergraduate calling him by his first name, but Angel had been part of his life for well over a year and had earned the intimacy. He frowned, a thread of worry creeping over him. Angel’s smile usually lit up any room she walked into, but today she looked serious and even a bit downcast.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Angel took a deep breath. “I just came from a meeting with my advisor over in Psych,” she said. “Here’s the thing: I have enough credits to graduate right now. Which I knew, and I was going to just finish out the year, but it’s really expensive and my advisor thinks I could get a decent job right now. In fact, he thinks it would be better if I start looking now, and not when everyone else is on the job market.” She took a deep breath. “So I’m going back to Seattle next semester. I know it’s short notice, and I’m really sorry …”
His heart sank. He half wanted to offer to pay her tuition for the next semester if it would mean her staying and continuing to look after Peyton. But even if he could have afforded it, it wouldn’t have been fair to Angel, who deserved to get on with her desired career as a children’s therapist. She’d be great at it, he had no doubt. She’d been amazing with Peyton.
“It’s fine,” he managed. “I completely understand, and I certainly don’t want to hold you back.” He forced a light laugh. “I don’t suppose you have any amazing friends who’d be interested in a part-time job?”
“I’ll ask around, I promise, but …” she shrugged. “Most of them are either super busy or just want to chill out for the last semester. But I’ll ask, ’cause you’re the best boss ever, and Peyton’s just amazing.”
To Richard’s discomfort, she sniffed and tears came into her eyes. Emotional women, even Angel, sent his discomfort levels through the roof. He looked hastily around and found a box of tissues, which he handed to her, unsure what to say.
She took one and wiped her eyes, smiling through her tears. “So anyway, I can stay on until Christmas break, and then I just, you know, won’t come back.” She blinked back a few more tears.
“You know you’re always welcome,” Richard assured her. “I can’t begin to thank you for everything you’ve done for Peyton. If you ever need me to write a letter of recommendation or anything, please just ask.”
She nodded, flashing him a teary smile and standing up. “I’d better get going. My next class is on the other side of campus. Do you want me to talk to Peyton or will you?”
Richard thought about it for a moment, his heart sinking. “Why don’t you tell her. I’ll try to come home early tonight.” To pick up the pieces, he resisted saying.
He got up and walked Angel to the door.
Just outside his office Angel paused and looked up at him. “She’s really lucky to have you, you know.”
“Thanks,” he replied, his voice gruff. He was deeply touched by her words but articulating his own feelings was impossible.
Angel suddenly threw her arms around him in a tight hug. He was taken aback by the sudden display of affection and was slightly alarmed at the sight of Janice, the department secretary, who’d come out of the break room and raised her eyebrows at the sight of the pretty young co-ed in the professor’s arms. She averted her eyes, though, said nothing, and walked quickly past.
Angel broke the hug. “I love you guys, Dr. H.”
“We love you, too, Angel,” he assured her, patting her shoulder clumsily. “If there’s ever anything I can do, just let me know.”
Angel flashed him her brilliant smile through her tears. “See you tonight.” She turned and walked down the hall. Her path to the main hall would take her right past Janice’s desk. Richard wondered for a moment what she’d think of Angel’s tears, but he put it out of his mind. He had more important things to worry about now than what the gossipy secretary would think.
He went back to his office and stared glumly at his computer screen, praying that Peyton wouldn’t take the news too hard. Angel had been a constant, reassuring presence in Peyton’s life over a very bumpy year and a half. Peyton was resilient, there was no doubt about that, but there’s been enough upheaval in her world and he hated to add more uncertainty to it.
There was a knock on the frame of his still-open door.
“Came by to see if you wanted to get lunch.” His colleague from the computer science department, Sam Campbell, stood there in a parka, pulling on his gloves in anticipation of the cold. “You look worried. What’s up?”
“My nanny just quit. Starting next semester, I’ve got no one to look after my daughter.”
Desire by Design is available for pre-order now. It will be released July 27, 2017.
Other Books by Thea Dawson
FREE on Kindle Unlimited:
Wanderlust
Monica Prescott, writer and world traveler, has everything she wants … except a man who’s free-spirited enough to join her for a life on the road. But when she bumps into Jason, the guy who broke her heart in college, she lets him think she’s engaged. It wouldn’t take much to fall for him again—and that’s one road she doesn’t want to go down.
Jason is everything she’s not and doesn’t want to be. He’s settled down in snowy Chicago and focused on his high-powered desk job, while Monica longs for foreign shores and sunshine. But the more time she spends with Jason, the more she starts to question her career and lifestyle.
Monica has two weeks before a new assignment starts in Bangkok, and time is running out for her to make the biggest decision of her life.
Asking Angelina
Lauren Prescott has just been assigned to write the raunchy sex advice column, “Ask Angelina,” at the fashion magazine where she interns. Only problem? “Angelina” is the voice of experience, and at the age of twenty-two, Lauren is still a bona fide virgin.
Her best friends Joey and Krista offer to help her, but their advice soon has Lauren looking at Joey in a whole new light. To complicate matters, the magazine is bought out by a handsome Italian playboy, who wants to send Lauren to Italy for Fashion Week—and who may want to be more than just her boss.
Whisked from Minneapolis to Milan and suddenly in the middle of a love triangle she never expected, Lauren will to have to stop playing it safe if she’s going to get what sh
e wants—But if she goes too far, she may lose everything she truly cares about.
About Thea Dawson
Thea Dawson has lived in Rome, Tokyo and London, and spent much of her twenties traveling around some of the more exotic corners of the globe. She was finally talked into settling down when her boyfriend proposed to her in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
Now she’s stateside again and embarking on a new career as a writer. Inspired by the places she’s been and the people she met on the way, she plans to tell tales of romance and adventure. If you’d like to keep up with her and learn more about her books, please visit her website at www.theadawson.com or find her on Facebook at fb.me/TheaDawsonAuthor.
