Professor Astor (Off-Limits)

I hold my phone between my shoulder and my ear as I flip scroll through the case study that was released last night. Every time I get close to finalizing my dissertation, my research becomes near outdated. It’s insane how fast the biotech industry moves. I want my dissertation to make a real impact, and I’m worried it won’t be good enough. “I really can’t,” I tell Asha, barely paying attention to what she’s saying.

I watch as Colton tries to google the answers to his homework instead of actually doing it, and I roll my eyes. I can’t stay on the phone long, because Colt really can’t be trusted.

“You have to,” she warns. “I’ve already told Krishan that you’ll be there, and Mom called me three times today to confirm you’ll be going.”

I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Asha, I need to work late today. I can’t go on a date.”

Truthfully, I barely remember agreeing to go on this date at all. If she hadn’t called me to confirm, I would’ve forgotten it.

“I’ll call Emily. You two were hired as a pair, and she’s never had to stand-in for you yet. She’s not going to mind, even if it’s late notice.”

I bite down on my lip, unable to come up with an excuse. I don’t want to go on a date, but going would make my family feel much more at ease. They’re convinced I intend to remain single for the rest of my life, and they’re not having it.

Maybe if things were different, I wouldn’t have minded it so much, but after last night… I can’t do it. Granted, nothing actually happened between Thor and me, but it just doesn’t feel right. All day his words have been on replay in my mind. It wasn’t just lust, it was so much more than that. It’s hard to put my finger on it, but something shifted between us last night, and I’m worried he’d be hurt if he found out about tonight.

“I don’t want to go,” I tell my sister honestly. I run a hand through my hair, feeling conflicted. Last night Lucy interrupted us, and now it’s Asha. I’m a big believer in signs, and these all seem like pretty obvious signs that I should be moving on, yet I’m ignoring each and every one of them.

“I know, Ley,” Asha says. “But he’s a nice guy, so just consider it meeting up with a friend. I just really think it’d make Mom and Dad feel better, you know?”

I sigh and nod. I know what she means. If I go on this date, then at least I won’t have to hear them complain for a little while, since they’ll feel like I’m at least trying.

“Okay,” I give in. “I’ll go, but never again. Don’t even dream of setting me up ever again.”

Asha exhales in relief. “You never know, Krishan might be the one, and I’ll never have to.”

“Doubtful.” The guy is an accountant, and from everything I’ve heard about him so far, he seems as dull as dishwater.

I let my eyes fall closed as I listen to Asha make random small talk for a while, telling me to wear something nice, and God knows what else. By the time she hangs up, I’m hanging on by a thread.

“You’re going on a date?” Lucy asks the moment I put my phone down.

“Seems like it.”

“Is he your boyfriend?”

I shake my head, unsure how to even explain this to the kids. I don’t even know what’s going on myself. Honestly, most of the time I don’t feel like I understand this whole adulting thing.

“Finish your homework,” I tell them both. They nod, but for the rest of the day, they continue to question me about this date. What I’ll wear, what his name is, where I’m going. They never run out of questions, and with each new one they think of, I’m reminded that they truly are Amara’s niece and nephew.

I’m a nervous wreck by the time Thor gets home. I can’t face him, not after last night. What would have happened if Lucy hadn’t woken up when she did?

“Hey,” he says. I throw a quick nervous smile his way and walk past him after bidding the kids goodnight, but he grabs my hand and stops me. “Ley?”

I pause and turn to face him. “Yeah?”

“Are we good?”

I nod. “Of course.”

“Then why are you rushing off like that? You’ve barely spoken two words to me.”

“I… um, I just need to go. I have somewhere to be.”

He narrows his eyes at me, his gaze trained on my face.

“Where are you going?” he asks, his voice low, threatening.

“She’s going on a date!” Colton shouts, and my eyes fall closed in mortification.

“The fuck you are,” Thor growls. The possessiveness in his tone has me biting down on my lip hard. The way he looks at me… that’s exactly how he looked at me last night.

“Thor,” I murmur. “It’s not like that.”

“It’s not a date?”

“No, it is, but this was before…”

“Then why are you still going?”

I sigh and run a hand through my hair, unsure what to say. He wouldn’t understand, not truly. “It’s essentially a favor to my sister. She arranged it, and it seems to mean a lot to her that I go.”

He looks into my eyes, and for once, I can’t read him at all. “Don’t go,” he says. “Don’t, Leia.”

“I have to.”

“Fine,” he snaps, and disappointment rushes over me. That’s it? I look away, unsure why I expected him to fight me on this.

The two of us stand there, looking at each other, the air filled with unspoken words. “Fine,” I repeat eventually.

He smiles at me humorlessly, anger radiating off him. I grit my teeth and walk away, knowing that my entire night is now ruined. For every second of the rest of the evening, I’m going to be second-guessing my decision, and I hate myself for it.