did you bring me, then?” she asked. “I take a single night course each semester. For fun, I might add. I definitely don’t represent the average student.”
“All students deserve to have a voice,” Ronan replied. “Why should it matter that you’re not full-time? Your experience is valid, and you have as much right to be here as anyone else.”
That warmed Audrey’s heart. It was tiring to constantly feel like an anomaly. Like an asterisk. Like the odd one out.
“But don’t you think they care more about the students who bring a lot of money into the college?” she asked.
“They might, but I don’t.” Ronan flashed his faculty ID to the woman manning the desk outside the room where the meet and greet was being held. He bent forward to sign his name on a form, and Audrey tried really, really hard not to stare at how good his butt looked in a pair of blue Levi’s.
Tried…and failed.
Clearing her throat and wrenching her eyes away from Ronan, she peered into the room. She’d never been in this building before. It looked like a club room of some kind, with wood paneling on the walls, deep green sofas dotted around the room, and a wall of bookshelves at one end. It had an old-world-society feel to it, and it seemed out of character for the rest of the university.
Ronan lead her into the room and handed her a “hello, my name is” sticker with her name written on it.
“Professor Walsh!” An older man with dark hair approached with his hand outstretched. “Welcome. And which wonderful student did you bring with you today?”
“Audrey, this is Professor Matsuda. He teaches Japanese language and history. Professor, meet Audrey Miller. She takes my Brain-Changing Positivity class.”
“Nice to meet you.” Audrey extended her hand, and Professor Matsuda clasped it in a firm grip.
“Tell me, what have you learned about the brain?” he asked. “If I was a student myself, I would definitely be taking this class.”
“I’ve learned a lot about the tangible impacts of positive messaging on productivity and concentration,” Audrey replied. “And how we can actually teach our brain to filter information for the positive rather than the negative.”
“Fascinating!” Professor Matsuda nodded. He was a well-dressed man, with neat slacks and loafers, and he smiled readily.
Audrey released a breath. She hadn’t even realized that the tension in her body had been rising to the point that she was holding it—but if she allowed herself to think honestly for a moment, she was a little intimidated being here. Despite Ronan’s words about her having the same right as everyone else.
She knew she wasn’t much value to the college. But Ronan made it feel like she belonged—like she had something worth saying.
Professor Matsuda’s eye caught on something behind Audrey. “Ah, Kate. Excellent, you’re here.”
Audrey turned and caught sight of a woman in a simple navy shirtdress and wedges with straps that wrapped ballerina-style around her ankles. She had dark hair and darker eyes and looked so effortlessly glamorous that Audrey suddenly felt like a cave troll having a bad hair day.
“Professors.” Kate shook their hands in turn. “So nice to see you both.”
“Audrey, meet Dr. Kate Kissinger. She completed her PhD last year, and now she’s working with Dr. Kirmayer,” Ronan said. “Audrey is taking my Brain-Changing Positivity class.”
“Ah, you’re an undergrad.” Kate stuck her hand out with a friendly smile. “I’m glad we have a mix of students here today. Sometimes they only open these opportunities up to the post-grads, so I’m very glad we’re moving past that.”
Audrey could tell the other woman had meant it as a compliment, but instead the words were like termites attacking her confidence. Gnawing away at the rose-colored lenses she’d been looking through a moment ago.
Was it poor form not to correct Kate’s assumption?
Oh no, I’m not even an undergrad. I can barely afford one class a semester as it is, and I don’t have my high school diploma.
She couldn’t force herself to say it out loud. Guilty as she felt lying by omission, the mortification of admitting the truth would be worse. So much worse.
“You finished your PhD last year? That’s impressive,” Audrey said. “How does it feel to be done?”
“You know, I actually felt a little bereft at first.” Kate shot her a knowing look, and for a moment Audrey let herself pretend that she belonged. That she was one of those people who could share in-jokes about school and know what it was like to be working toward