by Ivy Jordan
I nod as Cade moves down the steps, finding a spot on the front row. “Since Mr. Thomas is here, and I know you are all far more interested in him than what we were discussing before, let’s switch gears to football. Now, any object thrown into the air follows the same basic trail. It travels up, gravity slows it down until it stops at its peak height, and then the ball comes down. What happens next?”
I feel Cade’s eyes on me as I call on a boy in the back of the room to answer. “Gravity accelerates the ball until it is caught or hits the ground.”
“And this principle is called?” I ask.
“Projectile momentum,” the boy answers.
“Very good. Now, when a punter kicks a ball, there are three factors he can control. What are they?”
I pick a different student to answer. “Velocity, angle, and rotation.”
“Excellent. He controls the speed at which the ball leaves his foot, the angle of the kick, and the rotation of the football. Now, why is the rotation of the ball important?”
I point at a student in the front. “The rotation of the ball will influence how the ball slows in flight because it will be affected by air drag.”
“Yes,” I agree. “A spiraling kick will have less air drag, and will not slow down as much and therefore, will stay in the air longer and go farther than an end over end kick. Now, what about the velocity and angle of the ball?”
Another student chimes in when I point to her. “The ball is moving at a given velocity of speed plus the angel of direction, depending on the force of the kick. The ball will move in two directions, horizontally and vertically, and how fast the ball goes in each direction depends on the angle of the kick.”
“Correct,” I smile at her. “If the ball is kicked at a steep angle, then it will go high, have a long hang time, but travel a short distance. It has more velocity in the vertical direction. If you want more velocity in a horizontal direction, the punter would need to kick at a shallow angle; it won’t go very high, but it will go a farther distance. The punter has quite a few decisions to make in a short period of time, doesn’t he?”
I move forward in the same vein as we talk further about the hang time and peak height calculations a punter might face before discussing the additional hurdles the kicker faces as he has the more difficult job since the ball usually reaches peak height before the football reaches the uprights.
I dismiss class forty minutes after Cade had walked in, and he is immediately swarmed by students. I collect my things and watch as he graciously talks to every student and signs everything waved in his face, smiling for selfie after selfie. I slip out a door at the front of the room instead of using the one at the side of the lecture room. It means I have to take a slightly longer route to my office, but I don’t mind.
I have no idea what Cade Thomas is doing in my classroom, and I’m not sure I care to know. If the rumor mill is to be believed, he broke up with his girlfriend last week for the millionth time, and if his pattern holds, he’s looking for any warm body to keep him company until he inevitably ends up back with Josephine. It’s a pattern the world has seen repeated time and again over the past four years. It’s a pattern I followed myself for a while, having put together the pieces after finding out who he really was.
I’m not interested in old patterns though. My life is so much different today than it was that night, and being someone’s quick fling has no appeal to me. If Cade Thomas is here looking for a quick roll in the hay, then he’s come to the wrong girl.
Before I can reach my office, I see Benjamin sprinting toward me.
“Serena, is it true? Cade Thomas was in your class? The Cade Thomas?”
“Yes, he showed up; he’s probably still there, in fact. He was signing autographs and taking pictures when I left. I’m sure if you hurry, you can catch him.” I walk away before he can say anything else and hurry the rest of the way to my office, closing the door behind me.
Leaning back against the closed door, I let out a huge sigh at successfully avoiding Cade. My eyes fall on a framed photo on my desk, and I smile, but my heart pangs just a little, too.
Chapter 13
Cade
The number of college kids swells in the lecture room, and I am certain that word has spread I’m here because there is just no way that all these kids were in the class that just finished. I am signing autograph after autograph and taking so many selfies, I’m sure I’ve gone cross eyed. I look around for Serena and don’t see her, realizing I’ve been at this for at least fifteen minutes, and she is gone from the room.
Immediately, disappointment rushes through me, and I look over at the kid in front of me, a tall and lanky blond guy, hoping he was in the class. “Hey, does Dr. Jacob’s have an office on campus?” I ask him quietly.
“Oh, yeah, it’s in Fisher Hall.”
“Great, thanks.” I scribble my name on the proffered paper and then swing my gaze around the room.
“I’m sorry, everyone, but I’ve gotta head out. Thanks for letting me sit in on your class today.” I smile, the blindingly perfect one that I use when I want to charm my way out of anything, and move to the door at the back of the room. I remember passing Fisher Hall on my way to the classroom, so I make my way back in that direction.
I haven't made it more than ten feet when I’m stopped by a group of giggling sorority sisters who want a picture. I oblige, and then regret it when one of them grabs my ass. I sidestep away and continue on only to be stopped again, this time by a man that seems around my age.
“Cade Thomas, wow, this is truly something,” he says. “My name is Benjamin Mack, I’m the head of the science department here a USC.”
I shake his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Benjamin. Listen, I was looking for Dr. Jacobs’ office. Could you point me in that direction?”
“I can take you there myself, it would be my honor.”
“Great,” I smile tightly. There’s something about the guy’s overly enthusiastic grin paired with the smarmy glint in his eyes that strikes me as a little odd.
“So, what brings you here today?” he asks as we start walking again.
“I saw Dr. Jacobs on TV last week, and it’s been awhile since we saw each other so I wanted to come by and say hello. I remember her mentioning her Physics at the Movies class. I was intrigued by the idea and wanted to see it in action.”
“I had no idea she knew you personally,” Ben rambled as we enter Fisher Hall. “Serena is full of surprises. Like this course, for instance. I wasn’t sure about it when she first brought up the premise, but it has quickly become one of our most popular courses on campus for science majors and non-science majors alike.”
“She’s a great teacher. I even learned a thing or two myself today,” I tell him.
“That she is,” he agreed. “Well, here we are,” he says, stopping in front of a closed door.
“Thanks for the help, Ben. Really appreciate it,” I tell him, shaking his hand. I expect him to walk away, but he continues to stand there. I clear my throat. “Anything else I can do for you?” I ask, giving him a look.
“Oh, no, no, no. All good. Nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Finally, he walks away, and I lift my hand to knock. I hesitate a beat, not exactly sure what I’m doing or what I’ll even say. I can’t believe I am trying to work up the nerve to talk to a woman when the door swings open.
“Cade,” Serena says evenly. “I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”
The sight of her takes my breath away. She’s all business in a blouse, blazer, and pencil skirt combination, and suddenly, I’ve got nothing but lusty thoughts filling my head.
“Hi,” I say and mentally grimace at how lame I must sound.
“I’m surprised you remember me, what with the parade of women you’ve been seen with in the last few years.”
“Come on now, there haven’t been that many,” I defend myself. “Besides, none of them end up on TV talking about science and Santa Claus.”
&nbs
p; She steps back inviting me inside, and I step inside her office. She closes the door behind her and moves to her desk, motioning me to a chair across from her.
“You were good, by the way. On TV. Really good,” I stutter out.
She smiles. “Thank you. I’ve seen you on TV, too. A lot once I started paying attention, actually.”
“I liked that you didn’t know who I was,” I admit. “It was nice knowing you were interested in me, not the football player.”
“You let me think that the Super Bowl was settled by scoring home runs.”
I chuckle. “That was funny, though. I see you’ve studied up on the sport since then.”
“A little. Someone once told me that maybe using sports to teach science would be a good way to reach a younger crowd,” she said, smiling sweetly up at me.
“And, how is that working for you?”
“Today was the first day I got a chance to try it out, to be honest. But it was fun, and the students were very engaged.”
“I bet school-aged kids would love it, too,” I offer.
“Maybe.”
My gaze wanders over her desk which is cluttered, but in an organized chaos kind of way. My focus falls on a pair of framed photos. One is Serena with a slightly younger blonde version of her that I assume must be the sister she’d mentioned during our one encounter. The other is of her and a small child. There is something about the kid that seems familiar, but I can't put my finger on why.
“Is that your sister?” I ask, gesturing toward the photo.
“Yes, that’s Ashley.”
“And the other photo?”
“That’s my son.” She offers adding nothing else, and I don’t press. I can tell she’s wary of my presence, and I know I must tread lightly.
“Why are you here, Cade? Seriously?”
“I wanted to ask you out to dinner.”
“Did you break up with Josephine again?” Her sarcasm is biting.
“This isn’t about Josephine.”
“Couldn’t find any Hollywood starlets to tide you over until the two of you get back together?”
I wince at her words. They cut because they’re true, and I know I have to prove myself to her. “I wanted to see you. I’ve thought about you hundreds of times since that night. Maybe thousands,” I emphasize.
“Really?”
I can tell whatever wall she has built up just cracked a little. I don’t want her to think I’m feeding her a line because I’m not. Honesty seems like the only way to go, so I press forward.
“Really, Serena. I liked talking to you and spending time with you. Don’t get me wrong, I really liked all the other stuff, too. But that isn’t why I’m here. The truth is, I was looking forward to seeing what might happen between us. I was ready to embark on something new, something I saw as exciting. I wanted to date you, get to know you, but when I woke up...you were gone with only a post-it note left in your wake. That hurt a little.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” she says softly. “I just... No one like you had ever hit on me before, and you were so sweet, and I had so much fun with you, but...”
“But what?” I press.
“I don’t know. I just couldn't see it going anywhere. We’re worlds apart, Cade.”
“How did you know that, though? You had no idea who I was that night.”
“You’re right. I didn’t know you were a Hall of Fame-worthy quarterback. But I did know that you were very smooth and very rich. I’m a simple science nerd. And, I might not have known you were a jock then, but it was obvious that you were more than just a businessman. I’ve never met a businessman in my life with a body like yours.”
“You liked my body?” I tease, wiggling my eyebrows at her. She blushes.
“Shut up, you know it’s incredible. I mean, how often do you go to the gym?”
I laugh. “Six days a week.”
“Six days a week?! Are you certifiable?” she smiles.
“It was a part of my job, and I loved it, so no, not quite certifiable,” I wink at her.
“I don’t work out. Between school and home, who has the time?”
“What about dating, do you have the time for that?” I ask sincerely.
“I have a son, and he has to come first.”
“You should put yourself first sometimes, too.”
“Easier said than done when you’re a single mom,” she says.
“There’s no Mister Doctor Jacobs waiting at home?”
“There is nobody waiting at home.”
“No boyfriend?” I ask just for good measure.
“I don’t date much.”
“Why not? You’re beautiful and smart. How has no one won you over?”
“You have to go out to meet people, Cade. I very rarely do that.”
“So, go out with me, then. Let me take you to dinner. Can Ashley babysit for you tonight?”
“Why would I go out with you? You’ve been going through the same back and forth cycle with Josephine for years. You break up, you parade around town for a week with other women while she shows up everywhere with a piece of man candy, and then you’re back together like none of it happened. I’m not a fling. I have more self-respect than that.”
“And, I told you that night you were more than that. I meant it. I mean it even more now.”
“I don’t know, Cade.”
“Please? Just one date, that’s all I’m asking, Serena. I promise that I’ll be a perfect gentleman, and if you still think I’m a toolbag, then I won’t ever bother you again.”
“Ashley is getting ready for a show and is painting tonight.”
“Tomorrow?” I ask, hoping she’ll agree.
She looks at me for a moment and takes a deep breath. “Okay.”
“Okay?” I repeat optimistically.
“Okay.”
I try not to look giddy, but I’m fairly certain I fail. “Let me give you my number, and we’ll figure out all the details.”
When I leave Serena’s office five minutes later, I am elated. I don’t know that I’ve ever felt this excited about a date with a woman. I know the battle is only half won, though. I’ve got an uphill climb to prove myself, but I am more than up to the challenge.
Chapter 14
Serena
I still can’t completely wrap my head around everything that happened today. I try to get some work done in my office, but Cade’s scent lingers. It’s woodsy and manly with this hint of something not overly sweet or fruity. It’s just right, and I find myself gravitating to the chair he sat in earlier where the smell seems to hang in the air a little more than anywhere else.
Since I can’t seem to focus, I pack my stuff and head across town for Ashley’s studio.
When I first met Cade, Ashley was just floating in the breeze. I’m so proud of everything she’s done since then. She is still the free-spirited Jacobs sister, but she now owns an art gallery and is in the midst of preparing for an upcoming show. I know I’ll find her there, and I need to tell her what happened.
I park around back of the gallery and let myself in the back door of the building where Ashley’s studio space is. I hear the new age music she likes to listen to when she’s painting and follow the sounds, pausing in the doorway to watch her work. I am always fascinated watching my sister paint, although I don’t often understand the abstract works.
I must make some sort of noise because Ashley pauses and straightens, turning and seeing me.
“Serena, what are you doing here?” I smile at the paint streaks across her cheek and in her hair.
“Weird day; I needed someone to talk about it with.”
“Can you talk while I paint?” she asks.
“Of course, but I think you might want to take a break to hear this.”
“That good, huh? Color me intrigued.”
She sets her brush down and I continue. “Cade showed up during my Physics at the Movies class today.”
“Wait, what?” Her attention is now fully
mine. “Cade? Cade Thomas?”
“The one and the same.”
“Holy shit, Serena. This needs more than a break; we need cocktails, or at the very least wine. Let me clean up and we can go somewhere.”
I help her clean up and put away her supplies, and ten minutes later we are seated at a quiet wine bar just down the block from her studio. After our glasses are filled and we are alone, she prompts me to tell my story.
“Ok, so Cade just randomly shows up at USC today and pops into your lecture of all places?” she asks.
“As crazy as that sounds, yes. Although, I don’t think it wasn’t totally random. He saw my interview last week, the one I did about physics and Santa Claus?”
“Oh yeah, that was cute. So, he saw it and had to come find you?”
I shrug. “I guess? I don’t know. He showed up near the start of class and hung around. I snuck out while the kids bombarded him for autographs after.”
“You left him to fend for himself with the co-eds? That’s cold, Serena.”
“Come on, Ash. He’s kind of a playboy,” I insist.
“He’s been off and on with the same woman for years,” she comes to his defense.
“And when they’re off, he’s out with a bevy of models. I am not the model type. I have curves and dark hair, and I wear glasses, for Pete’s sake! What could Cade Thomas possibly want with me?”
“Well, for starters, you’re gorgeous. Secondly, you’re super smart. You’re kind, you’re a great mom, you’re funny... What wouldn’t he want with you?”
“He asked me out. He found his way to my office somehow, and we talked for a little while. He asked me to dinner.”
“What did you say?” she leans in.
“I told him no.”
“Why would you do that?! Are you nuts? He’s a total hottie and gave you the best orgasm of your life. Why would you turn down the chance for another one of those?”
“I told him I couldn’t go out tonight, but he could take me to dinner tomorrow,” I finally offer with a grin.
“Yes, Serena. Get some!”
I shush her. “Can you please keep your voice down? I’d like to keep my business private if we could. Besides, I only said yes to get him out of my office.”