Page 47 of The New Place

Silence too, and Ned waits, but he still doesn’t speak.

“You’d have to call her. Follow up on her offer, and then ask on my behalf. That’s not nothing, when five minutes ago you wouldn’t entertain the idea of a job there.”

“I know,” Abbot says softly. “It’s fine.”

“Abbot, I know you. When you avoid something like this, it’s generally not all that fine.” Just more of those edges Ned has to feel around, figure out what Abbot’s not saying, and try to fill in the clues from there. “It’s not just this once, either,” Ned presses. “She just took the position as dean. You’d work for her? Long term?”

“For you, I would.”

Well damn. What can Ned say to that? He sniffs hard against the cold. “Thanks.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Sure.”

“So enthusiastic.”

“No, I am, I just—” Ned leans forward, dropping his head on Abbot’s shoulder. Don’t mess this up, he reminds himself. He’s getting this relationship with Abbot right. That’s what he promised himself last year, and that’s what he’s going to do. Still, it takes a moment to sort through his shit and find the right words. I don’t want your help are the wrong ones. He sets them aside and says, “Yeah. Let’s work together again. If we can.”

Abbot’s hand closes over the back of his neck and he tips Ned’s face up for a kiss. “I’d really like that,” Abbot whispers.

“I would too,” Ned says, and it’s only the truth. A chance to have his office down the hall from Abbot’s? To share lunch breaks and colleagues and students? Hell, they can co-teach a class together. Qualitative research versus quantitative, and spend week after week ribbing each other.

Yes, if Ned can focus on just that, it’s a great plan. Really great. Ignoring that this is the longest shot of his career, and Abbot’s giving him a leg up to even have the chance of it. So he puts on a smile as they walk back into the house. He takes Abbot’s hand in his, like he isn’t slowly sinking, fighting to keep his head above water.

12

ABBOT

Abbot has to wait through two lights to make it to where Pat waits on the corner, his sweatshirt hood pulled up and his face chapped with cold.

“Sorry,” Abbot says, turning up the heat as Pat jumps in. “There was construction.”

“Course there was,” Pat says. “Good weekend?”

No.

Yes, in that any time with Ned is better than time alone, but Ned had been withdrawn and troubled since yesterday morning, and the mood had hung over their weekend together.

If only Abbot could keep Adams open through sheer force of will. Keep Ned’s job there and cleave open a position for himself, so they can live out the dream Abbot had decided on.

Instead, he needs to call Beverly about Newbury.

He will. Tomorrow morning, so he’s not bothering her on a weekend, or sure his call will go straight to her voicemail. Or the afternoon, perhaps, so he’s not interrupting her first thing on a Monday.

Tuesday might work even better.

“Well, that’s some silence as an answer,” Pat says. “What happened?”

“Did you see the news?”

“Honestly didn’t come up for air even once,” Pat says brightly.

“Adams is closing.”

“Oh shit.”

“Ned’s not taking it well.”