A Silver Lining

by T. R. McClure

  Until now. The hazel eyes swiveled downward to Eric’s face and paused before he asked in a measured voice cold enough to freeze ice cream, “Would I mind what?”

  Eric’s hand eased off Mitch’s shoulder and he moved back a step. Regarding Linda with a brave smile, he removed his hand from her shoulder too. “You don’t mind if I leave you with Doctor Collins, do you, Linda?” He backed away and pointed vaguely down the hall. “Luncheon…going to be late…” He practically ran down the hall.

  Linda watched her escort flee before returning her gaze to her captive tour guide, who stared at the defibrillator as if he were about to rip the device from the wall and put it to use. “Continuing the tour won’t be necessary, Leroy. I can find my way back to my office from here. Meeting you has been a pleasure.”

  Displaying a huge smile, Matt had finally regained his breath and pushed away from the wall. “Actually…” He glanced at his friend. “Colleen—” he turned an eye on Linda, “my wife—” then glanced back at Mitch, “—is in town right now. She invited me to lunch but I didn’t want to abandon Mitch. This arrangement works out great.” He spread out his open palms and his voice went up an octave. “You two can go to lunch together.”

  Linda studied the man standing before her, his gaze still locked on the defibrillator. She wondered if he planned on using the machine on himself…or worse, on her. She cleared her throat. “Really, Mitch—” His gaze pinned her like a bug on a stick and she had to physically prevent herself from stepping back.

  “Not to worry, m’lady. Nothing I would like more than to take a new employee to lunch. Matt—” he glowered after his friend who already was at the elevators and punching the down button repeatedly. He pointed stiff-armed at his friend. “I will catch up with you later, my friend. That’s a promise.” His eyebrows bunched. “Have a nice lunch with your wife. Tell her she still owes me a kiss.”

  Matt waved and disappeared into the elevator.

  A quiet sigh escaped from the man before he turned, clasped his hands together at his belt buckle, and smiled. “Now then, what’s your pleasure?”

  A smile like a minister with a collection plate. Linda made a mental note to keep up her guard as she took stock of the empty offices. “Well, since everyone appears to be at lunch, nobody is left to meet. One office pretty much looks like another, so why don’t you show me where the dining hall is?”

  Mitch dipped his head. “Certainly. Come with me.” He swiveled on his heel and strode down the hall.

  Linda glared after him with a mix of consternation and resignation. She’d had worse first days. What could this guy do, anyway? Steal her French fries? She shrugged and followed the broad-shouldered, denim-clad figure the opposite way from the elevators. “Wait a minute.”

  Mitch stopped and turned half-way around.

  Linda pointed down the hall. “The elevators are that way.”

  “So they are, so they are. But the dining hall is that way.” He pointed the direction he had been going. “Are the stairs too much for you?”

  Was that a jab about her age? He was a good one to talk. Pulling back his hair into a pony tail sure didn’t hide any of the gray. “Not at all. Lead on, Leroy.”

  Mitch swiveled again and continued down the hall. At the stairs, he held open the door.

  Linda entered the stairwell as a young woman carrying a vase of colorful flowers passed going down.

  “Hi, Doctor Collins.” The pretty girl with the brunette ponytail pivoted on the third step and favored Mitch with a brilliant smile.

  “Hello, Donica. Is someone having a birthday?” Mitch paused and returned the woman’s smile.

  As she pondered the relationship, Linda’s gaze swung between the two. Pul-leaze. Was he completely unaware of his advanced age?

  Donica continued down the steps. “Alex Marino sent them to Professor Bauer.” She exited onto the third floor and her voice floated through the closing doors. “Newlyweds, you know.”

  Mitch muttered something.

  “What did you say?” Linda glanced at Mitch, taking in the frown and wrinkled brow. If she had to guess, she would guess he wasn’t the newlywed type. Probably never was and never would be.

  “Nothin’.” Mitch waved her ahead.

  They clattered down the steps in silence. At the foot of the stairs, Mitch pushed open the door and they exited at the back of the building onto a large, shaded green space.

  As she left the building, Linda froze, in awe of the floral wonderland stretching a hundred feet ahead. Mitch’s full body slam from behind took her by surprise and she lurched forward. She stretched out both arms to break her fall when she was swung around and brought face to face with Mitch. Speechless, they stared at each other.

  Mitch had wrapped both hands around her upper arms and pulled her close. “Are you okay? I thought you were going to fall.” He slid his hands down her arms, his fingers lingering at her wrists.

  His touch left a not unpleasant tingling on Linda’s skin. Mitch appeared as surprised as she felt. She stared up into his face, inches from hers. His skin was a healthy bronze, as if he spent hours in the out of doors. At this distance, she spotted crinkles radiating from warm, hazel eyes. She must have missed them before because suddenly he didn’t seem as intimidating as the man she had met minutes earlier.

  She backed up a step and took a deep breath. Breaking the eye contact, she cast a glance at the cascading red and white flowers lining the path. “The flowers…I was surprised to see such a lovely display of flowers.” She glanced out of the corner of her eye and caught Mitch staring at the ground, brows bunched together and lips pressed tight.

  With a slow lift of his gaze, Mitch crossed his arms and surveyed the patches of color. “Matt’s ag students designed the garden. Take a good look. The boss wants to build an addition here for administration.” He glanced back over his shoulder.

  “What a shame.” Linda noted the thoughtful expression on his face and wondered what was going through his mind. His expression had less of the kill her and hide the body look about it. When he continued to stare without speaking, she pointed at the sidewalk to the right. “Is this the way to the cafeteria?”

  Mitch looked to see where she indicated. “Yep, you got it, lady.” He threw up his hands. “Sorry, I forgot. You’re no lady.”

  The spell was broken. What on Earth happened? She shook her head to dispel the momentary awkwardness and hurried to keep pace besides him. “And you’re no gentleman, are you, Professor?” She was rewarded with the first hint of a smile since she had met him.

  “Hardly,” he grunted then slowed and motioned for Linda to go ahead as they passed three co-eds carrying books.

  “Doctor Collins, are you coming to the pub tonight? The Irish band from San Jose is playing.”

  Linda stopped and observed the three giggling young women surround Mitch, who underwent a sudden transformation.

  His stern air disappeared, replaced with a friendly smile and twinkling hazel eyes. As he listened to one girl telling him about a team she was on, he tilted his head. He grinned and then with a widening of his eyes and a jerk, noticed Linda. The grin faded.

  “So are you coming to the pub tonight, Dr. Collins?” The girl’s top slid provocatively off one shoulder as she tipped her head and batted her eyes at the professor.

  He pressed his hands together and dipped his chin, his lips downturned. “Sorry, girls, not tonight.” He backed away, waving. “I’ve got to run now, bye.” He continued on.

  Linda remained rooted to the sidewalk, unable to believe the nerve of the annoying professor. As a new employee, surely she deserved a little respect, as in…remembering she was on the planet?

  Mitch finally stopped and turned. He lifted his shoulders and held out his hands, palms up. “Are you coming or what?”

  As Linda strolled close, a petite blond in five-inch heels descended on Mitch and thrust a lavender bag with cloth handles into his arms.

  “Here’s the lingerie, sweetie, as r
equested.” She pecked him on the cheek. “You know what to do.” She smiled at Linda and rushed off, her blond curls bobbing.

  Linda watched the beautiful young woman in the red dress disappear into the building they had exited. She turned and fixed her gaze on Mitch, whose face had changed from bronze to a bright red. “Friend of yours?”

  He nodded, staring after the girl. “She is. I’m her mentor.”

  Linda pursed her lips. “How nice for you.” She scrutinized Mitch’s face. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. “What is it you teach, anyway?” She waited for his answer. Birds chirped in a nearby flowering shrub. A gust of wind rattled the branches in the budding trees. “You do teach?”

  Mitch turned and walked toward the adjacent building, muttering again.

  Linda trotted to catch up. “I didn’t hear you, Doctor Collins. What exactly is your department?”

  Mitch stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and rotated, his back stiff, his jaw working. He leaned down until his face was inches from hers. “I said, I teach leisure studies.”

  Linda smiled and waited, sure he was making a joke. The wind blew her hair across her face and she swept it back. “No, really, what is your subject?”

  Mitch pulled the unlit cigar from his pocket and stuck it in the corner of his mouth before bringing his face close, once again. “I…teach…leisure…studies.”

  Linda’s jaw dropped. From the man’s expression, she could tell he wasn’t joking. “Oh…my…”

  Chapter Two

  Linda didn’t bother to finish her exclamation. His intimidating look would have been enough to send a lesser woman scurrying for protection. But Linda Lafferty hadn’t gotten this far in her career by being stupid. She knew when to back off.

  Wrinkling her nose, she eyed the cigar with disgust. So that’s what he’d been hiding in the pocket of his recycled sport coat. “You know what they say about cigars, don’t you?”

  Mitch straightened, awareness darkening his eyes. “Lady, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.”

  Linda smothered a laugh and resumed her trek to the dining hall. The saying was widely attributed to Freud. Well, he was a professor. He probably had plenty of time to read. She felt his presence before she caught sight of a suede elbow patch out of the corner of her eye. He certainly had an aura about him—cigar or no cigar. At the point the sidewalk split to go around a massive oak, she followed a directional sign to the dining hall.

  The professor didn’t say another word until they entered the dining hall. Only a few students remained at the tables scattered around the room surrounded by large windows.

  He pointed to the far right. “Salad bar is in the corner,” and then headed toward the back of the room.

  Linda followed until she caught up at the burger bar.

  He turned a squinted gaze on her. “No salad? I thought women your age ate salad for lunch.”

  Linda pointed to a quarter-pound beef patty and a sesame seed bun. The hair-netted woman behind the counter slapped the food on a tray and moved it along a line of condiments. “You don’t hang out with many women my age, do you, Professor?” She pointed to lettuce, tomato, and onion.

  “Onion?” Mitch avoided her gaze as he said the single word. He had ordered the same lunch and picked up a plate of fries at the end of the line. Pulling a card from his wallet at the register, he pointed to his tray and Linda’s.

  She set down her tray and opened her purse. “I’ve got it.”

  The woman at the register smiled. “Yours is already taken care of, honey.” She nodded toward Mitch, headed to a table next to the window. “Take advantage of it when you can. Isn’t he the sweetest thing?”

  Linda stifled a groan and smiled at the friendly cashier whose nametag read Louise. “Thanks, Louise.” Eying the table for two Mitch had selected, she sighed, then followed and set her tray across from his. Taking a seat, she pulled a napkin from the dispenser and spread it across her lap.

  Cheeks bulging as he chewed, Mitch held his sandwich in both hands and stared out the window.

  Linda squirted ketchup in a puddle on the fry plate and picked up her fork. Two could play this game. Despite the attempts at civility and whatever that thing was back at the gardens, like maybe temporary insanity, she was realizing the only thing they had in common was probably their age. Although his hair, pulled back in a small ponytail tied by a leather thong, was completely gray and indicated age, Mitch carried himself like a younger man and his tanned face had few lines. Discreetly observing him as she pretended to glance around the room, Linda’s gaze caught on his tie. “Are those Billy goats?”

  Mitch glanced down at his tie and flipped up the end. “Rams…UNC mascot.”

  Eying the tie, Linda debated whether Mitch was lying. She had to ask. “You went to the University of North Carolina?”

  “Surprised?” Mitch stuffed what was left of his burger into his mouth. His cheeks full, he continued. “I haven’t made a very good impression, have I, Ms. Lafferty?”

  Before Linda could answer, she was interrupted by a well-dressed, white-haired man approaching their table. “Then you better get to work on making a better impression, Collins.”

  Linda looked into the cool blue eyes of the college president whom she had met during her initial interview. Wearing an expensive-looking, European-cut suit, Bartholomew McDowell spread out his hands as she and Mitch pushed back their chairs.

  “No, don’t get up. Enjoy your lunch.” He turned toward Mitch. “Sharpen your pencil, Mitch. From what I’ve seen of her resume, this lady’s a tiger and her first assignment is to find a place in the budget to cut costs.”

  Mitch leaned back in his chair and tossed a French fry in his mouth. “I think my work speaks for itself, Bart. Maybe she should review your budget. Do you need an entire room devoted to orchids?” He smiled with a tight curve of his lips and picked up his soda.

  Bart chuckled and slapped a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. “Always making jokes…” He tipped an imaginary hat to Linda. “Keep your eye on this one, Linda, he’s slippery.” After turning, he strode across the room and disappeared into the kitchen, followed by his entourage.

  Linda caught Mitch’s eye. His outspokenness surprised her. Here was a man who didn’t shy from voicing an opinion.

  “Really,” Mitch asserted as he leaned his chair back on two legs, “he has a room next to his office filled with exotic orchids, controlled by a separate thermostat, and a staff person to care for them. What do fancy-smancy orchids got to do with education I ask you?” His chair returned to the floor with a thump. “Although, I have to admit he’s not the one to blame. The last president was the orchid nut.”

  Linda opened her mouth to reply.

  At that moment, Mitch reached across the table, picked an extra-long fry off her plate and dipped the end in her ketchup.

  Her mouth dropped open as he leaned his head back and dropped the whole thing in his mouth.

  He caught her watching him and smiled. “Good one. Nice and crispy. You don’t mind, do you?” He continued to observe her as she remained in shock. “You’re not one of those people who get weird about sharing food, are you?”

  Pressing back in her chair, Linda sputtered, hardly able to talk. A vein throbbed in her temple. “You stole my French fry! We—we don’t even know each other. Where were you raised?”

  “Colorado.”

  “Impossible. If you were raised in Colorado, you would have better manners.”

  Mitch laughed. “Maybe I’ve gotten rusty over the years.” He stood, placed his hand over his belt buckle, and bowed. “My apologies, Ms. Lafferty. I promise never to steal another French fry—” he picked up his tray with one hand and the lavender bag with the other, “—without asking first.”

  “That’s not the—” His exit left Linda to sputter alone. What a waste. Handsome, articulate, obviously intelligent—how else would he have gotten into UNC?—but with atrocious manners and an insufferable, annoying, arrogant attitude. She stood
and picked up her tray. However…not bad for a morning’s work. She already had two areas of the budget ripe for cost-cutting.

  ****

  Mitch leaned against the podium at the base of the amphitheatre and watched the students file in. Not one of his favorite classes only because of its sheer size, Introduction to Leisure Studies was popular with the undergraduate population. He smiled as he thought back to the horror on Linda Lafferty’s face when he had stolen her French fry. Her mouth had dropped open and she had slammed back into her chair. The ice-blue eyes followed the extra-long French fry from the plate all the way to his mouth. When she wasn’t in boot camp mode, she was actually cute.

  As the chatter in the room faded, he brought his attention back to the students, who alternately slouched and squirmed in their seats.

  “Why are we here?” Mitch loosened his tie and popped the top button of his shirt. He strolled around the podium and scanned the students in the first row. He stopped in front of a young man slumped down in his seat. His feet, clad in flip flops, stretched out.

  The young man flipped long, black bangs out of his eyes with a grin. “Do you mean in this class? Personally, I needed three more credits and I heard this was a fun class.”

  Mitch nodded and moved on, waiting until the laughter died down. Putting on a serious expression, he stroked his chin. “You’ve given me an honest answer.” He glanced back at the young man who had slouched back in his seat. “And I appreciate your honesty, Mister—”

  “—Abbott.”

  “—Abbott. However, I was searching for something a little more…existential.”

  A ripple went through the room as the students oohed and ahhed.

  “For example…” Mitch walked up the stairs at the left side of the auditorium, “—when you graduate from this fine institution, which I certainly hope you do—” he was rewarded with a few chuckles and nudges, “—you will find yourself in the—” he made the quotes motion with his fingers, “—‘work’ world.”