"It's nice to meet you, Penny."
I smiled at him, but only half heartedly. If Professor Hunter had canceled class and wasn't in his apartment, then where was he? My stomach churned. I couldn't help but let my mind wander to his soon-to-be ex wife. Maybe our fight had led him back to her. I felt like I was going to be sick.
"Is there a message you'd like me to relay to this person that you're stalking?"
"I'm not stalking him."
"Mhm."
I looked over at Brendan. He was eyeing me curiously. He looked older than me, possibly older than Professor Hunter. He was handsome in a rugged way. For some reason he didn't look like he belonged in such an extravagant apartment. I shook my head. There was no reason to assess this stranger. I had enough going on right now. Besides, he clearly thought I was nuts. "I should probably go."
"Penny?" he said before I started to walk away.
I looked back up at him.
"If you ever decide you're done being exhausted, how about you give me a call." He handed me his business card.
I grabbed it but didn't read it. "What, are you a therapist or something?"
Brendan laughed. "No." He gave me a funny look.
I just stared back at him.
"No." He smiled at me. "I'd like to take you to dinner."
"Are you seriously hitting on me? Even though you know I'm a crazy stalker?" I swallowed hard. I don't know why I had said that. Now he really would think I was crazy. Not that it mattered, because I was.
"Actually, I think your behavior is endearing."
"Endearing?"
Brendan shrugged.
"I'm sorry, but I'm seeing someone."
"How about I pick you up at eight?"
"What? I can't, I just told you."
"Are you referring to the man you're stalking? Even though I'm not a therapist, I do have some advice for you."
Normally I'd be horrified at someone saying these things to me. But I needed advice. An outside perspective could be just what I needed. "And what is your advice?"
"Trying this hard to make something work sometimes means it's not meant to."
I looked back up at Professor Hunter's window. "That's what I'm afraid of."
"So maybe you can give me a call when you figure things out."
"Assuming that I'll follow your advice."
"It's good advice."
It was. But it wasn't advice that I wanted to hear. "How old are you?"
Brendan smiled. "Does that matter?"
"Yes, it does."
