elaborate abstract shapes that reminded Mia of the three-dimensional spheres she studied. Everywhere you looked, they decorated the windowsills, counters, tops of the cabinets, and even dangled from the ceiling.
“I guess that would be weird,” Mia said as she watched Andie work on her foil creation. She’d been wondering what it was like when Josh’s parents came back to stay in the house he was used to having to himself now. But whenever she asked him about it, he shrugged and said it was fine.
Andie nodded, her brow wrinkling as she concentrated on her sculpture. “Yeah, and in response Josh and I start acting like kids, bickering with each other and our parents like we’re teenagers again. It’s this stupid vicious cycle none of us can break out of.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Eh.” Andie shrugged. Her sculpture was starting to resemble a dog. Or maybe a duck. “It’s not so bad, really. Just the usual dumb crap families do.”
It was the first inkling Mia had ever had that Josh’s family wasn’t perfect. To hear him talk, his parents could do no wrong. And she’d never seen him bicker with his sister beyond the playful sort of teasing Andie did with everyone.
“When do you leave for Christmas?” Andie asked.
“The morning of the twenty-second.”
“Too bad. Our parents are getting in that same afternoon, so you’ll just miss them.”
Mia kept her gaze on the table. “Yeah, it is too bad.”
And not accidental. Mia had asked Josh what days his parents would be in town and then purposely booked her flights so she’d miss them. And then she’d lied and said her dad had insisted on those particular dates, so Josh wouldn’t suspect she was avoiding meeting his parents.
Yes, fine, she was a bad person for lying to Josh. But it was worth it to spare his feelings—and to spare herself an awkward encounter with his parents.
“Are you and Josh exchanging Christmas gifts before you go home?”
The question caught Mia completely off guard. “Yesssss?” She dragged the single-syllable word out into four syllables. She hadn’t given it any thought until this moment. Shit. Now she had to come up with a present for him.
Andie looked up, lifting an amused eyebrow. “You don’t sound sure about that.”
“Well, we haven’t specifically talked about it. But I guess we probably will. Unless you think he won’t want to?”
“I don’t know shit about y’all and I don’t want to presume. I just thought, if you were stumped for ideas, I could probably throw a few your way. He’s not exactly the easiest person in the world to shop for.”
“That’s definitely true.” What did you even get a man who never went anywhere? He seemed to have everything he needed already. His whole life was ordered exactly the way he liked it.
Mia felt her phone buzz in her purse and she pulled it out to check it.
Josh had texted her back, finally.
Josh: You’re on. Don’t forget to ask for extra BBQ sauce.
“Hey, so how’s the STEM student group going?” Andie asked. “You guys had your first meeting the other day, right?”
“It’s going great,” Mia said, smiling to herself. “Really great.”
Chapter Twenty-One
TO: Dr. M. Ballentine
FROM: Dr. W. Walker
SUBJECT: New assistant professorship
Mia,
I wanted to let you know how pleased I am that you’re helping the students start up this new Diverse Voices in STEM networking group. It’s something the campus has sorely needed for a while, and I believe it will be a real benefit to our department’s efforts to recruit and retain minority students.
I’m impressed with the connection you seem to have forged with your students during your short time on campus. Enrollment numbers are up for all three of your classes next semester, which indicates you’ve made quite the positive impression.
In light of that, I wanted to give you a heads-up that we’ve just gotten funding approved to open up a new tenure-track assistant professorship in the department for next fall. While I obviously cannot make any promises about how a job search would go, we feel you’re a great fit for our department and I very much hope you’ll consider applying for it.
Best,
Bill
William Walker, PhD
Chair of Mathematics, Bowman University
Mia’s stomach did an unexpected barrel roll as she scanned the department chair’s email. A permanent, tenure-track position here at Bowman was up for grabs if she wanted it.
Which she didn’t.
Staying at Bowman wasn’t part of her twenty-year plan.
Especially not now, when she had reason to expect better offers would soon be coming her way. Last week she’d received an email from the