He snorted. “Let’s see if it happens.”
“I am taking two more labs than I thought I would, and they’re only one credit. But having consistent, four to five-hour times sitting in a classroom, working with my hands, I may need to start drinking more,” I said dryly.
“I never understood that about science labs. They take more time than the course itself and yet are only one credit. It’s ridiculous.”
“I have a feeling it’s because the people who assign those credit hours don’t understand what those labs are needed for. And the people who provide the material for it know, and might feel bad about the one measly credit hour, but they also know that you can’t move on to the next semester until you know certain things. Especially since we’re all entering the last semester of our junior year. We need to know these things so we can go off to grad school or start our careers. We can’t just hope we’re going to understand what we’re doing without actually learning anything.”
“You’re going to end up a professor, aren’t you?” Tanner drawled.
I shrugged. “I’m going to grad school. I think I want to go into industry, mostly because I like keeping a roof over my head and am accustomed to certain aspects of my monetary life.”
Dillon snorted. “Whatever you say.”
“I think I’ll know more once I’m in grad school. I have half a mind to go one way, yet the other part of me wants to work with my hands rather than in a classroom. I don’t know yet, and that bothers me.”
Tanner nodded. “We’re all at that point where we have to decide what we’re going to do with the rest of our lives. It’s not at all frightening,” he drawled.
“Not at all,” I agreed.
My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket, wondering if it was my parents. They hadn’t contacted me since they told me about the divorce a week ago, but at a glance, I saw it wasn’t them. A small smile played over my face at the name on the readout.
“Who is it? Sasha?” Dillon asked.
“Sasha is sadly still with her boyfriend. We’re just friends.”
“Nessa, then,” Miles said decidedly. “Although I still don’t know why you don’t just date her,” he grumbled.
I gave the other man a look and shook my head. “Nessa and I are only friends. It’s what we both want.”
Miles rolled his eyes, but I ignored him. Instead, I started typing.
Me: I’m glad you’re thinking about me.
Mackenzie: I asked what you were doing, not that I was thinking about you. Why are you so weird?
I smiled again, and Tanner cleared his throat.
“Who is it?”
“I’ll tell you in a moment.”
Mostly because I had to, or they wouldn’t leave me alone about it. And a conundrum would approach if I didn’t explain.
Mackenzie: I’ve thought about it, and I suppose we can try dinner. Just to see. Mostly because I need to get out of the house and pretend that I’m not focusing on school while pretending that people aren’t giving me pitying looks about Paul.
I smiled again.
Me: I love that you call him Paul.
Mackenzie: He was Paul to me before he was Sanders. It’s not a derogatory term like you use.
Me: That’s not what I hear. It’s all derogatory, all the time.
Mackenzie: So, what did you have in mind to get through this rebound?
Thoughts of exactly what we could do filled my mind, but I pushed them away. Mackenzie was my friend. I wouldn’t be her exact rebound. I would be who she needed me to be, even if she didn’t realize it.
Me: I’ll pick you up tomorrow night, and we’ll go to dinner. Wear something nice, but not too fancy. We are on a budget.
Mackenzie: You know I need to know where. I like plans.
Me: I’m going to teach you the joy of spontaneity.
Mackenzie: This isn’t going to work out. You obviously don’t know me that well.
I laughed, aware that the three guys were still staring at me.
Me: Fine, I was thinking of going to Clancy’s. It’s a nice little bistro made for college students on dates. It’s not too expensive. You can wear a soft dress. I will be my perfect British self and even wrap my scarf around your shoulders if it gets too cold out. It is a Denver winter.
Mackenzie: How charming. Will I meet you there?
I sighed, and Dillon leaned forward. I held up a hand and then continued to type.
Me: I will pick you up, as