Slightly more amused chuckles rose in reply as Cheyenne Summerlin’s new undergrad students pulled out their laptops and charging cords. The room filled with rustling and the click of plastic and fingers on keys. The halfling pulled the chair up behind her, sat, and watched kids who had no idea who she really was as they got ready to learn more than they bargained for.
Serious déjà vu, and a whole new appreciation for Bergmann. Even if she’s not real.
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Cheyenne nearly skipped out of the elevator and down the hall to her apartment. She didn’t even think to pull out her keys before trying the doorknob, which was unlocked. Matthew’s laugh echoed through the apartment as she opened the door, and she smashed the skippy feeling down into a tiny box. Gotta keep up appearances, right?
“Hey,” Ember called and wheeled herself around the kitchen island. “How’d it go?”
“Meh. I called a kid an asshole and found a non-Goth version of myself from two years ago.” The halfling shrugged and slung her backpack over the back of the leather couch. “I didn’t have any expectations anyway, so I guess it’s not so bad.”
“You...called a kid an asshole.” The fae bit her bottom lip and frowned. “For real?”
“He asked me how old I was.”
“Huh.”
“Yeah, which isn’t automatic grounds for assholery, but he said it just to piss me off. Or maybe flirt with me, I don’t know. Then he made it personal about how colleges don’t hire Goths, so I felt justified.”
Ember snorted and shot her friend a sidelong glance as Cheyenne leaned against the back of the couch and folded her arms. “But they didn’t hire you.”
The halfling slowly shook her head and leaned toward the fae. “But they don’t know that.”
“What didn’t you get hired for?” Matthew wiped his hands with a paper towel and chucked it into the new trash can against the side of the island.
Cheyenne stared at the trashcan, then caught their new neighbor’s gaze. “What’s up, neighbor?”
The guy chuckled as he stepped around the island, either oblivious to the halfling’s sarcasm meter on low or really good at ignoring it.
“She taught her first class today,” Ember answered for her.
Cheyenne shot her friend a warning glance. Ember’s gaze darted to the side, but Matthew was still behind her, so she mouthed, “Be nice.”
The halfling rolled her eyes.
“Hey, cool.” Matthew stopped beside Ember and stuck his hands in his jeans pockets. “Don’t grad students normally get paid at least a little for teaching?”
“For a full course load, probably.” Cheyenne shrugged.
“But they’re not paying you.” Their tall neighbor smirked and narrowed his eyes.
“Didn’t know you were interested in my academic pursuits, man.”
He laughed, shrugging with his hands still in his pockets. “I’m just curious.”
Yeah, but he won’t add the part where it’s none of his business, will he?
Raising an eyebrow, Cheyenne spread her arms. “Yep. I’m teaching one class for free. VCU’s gonna hand over my master’s in Computer Sciences just for teaching one class, so not technically for nothing, but it’s not an internship or volunteer work.”
“No kidding.” Matthew’s eyebrows drew together in curiosity. “That’s all you have to do for your degree?”
So many questions. “I gave you the full rundown, man. Four and a half hours a week for three semesters after this, and I’m walking down that aisle in one of those ridiculous gowns.” The halfling clicked her tongue and waited for the barrage of more questions prying into her personal life.
“Huh. That’s awesome.”
“It’s a compromise.”
Matthew chuckled. “What class are you teaching?”
“Advanced Programming 4200.”
“Really?”
“You sound surprised, Matthew. You heard the part about me calling someone an asshole for thinking a Goth chick can’t teach an upper-level undergrad course, right?”
“Yeah, I heard you.” The man shot Ember a quick glance. The fae stared at the floor in front of her, her eyes wide and her lips pressed together so tightly they almost disappeared as she tried not to laugh. “And I am a little surprised.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Has nothing to do with you being Goth, though. I just didn’t peg you as a computer nerd.”
The halfling smirked and jerked her head toward the mini-loft. “The giant rig up there with all the high-tech gear didn’t give me away?”
Matthew raised his eyebrows and glanced at the loft over the bathroom. “Ember told me not to go up there.”
“Oh.” Cheyenne chuckled. “Well, Ember was right. And now you know what I do.”
“I just…” He let out a sheepish laugh and shrugged again. “I had this image in my head of you getting a Masters in Women’s Studies or something.”
Cheyenne and Ember let out sharp snorts of surprise.
Their neighbor glanced slowly between them, his smile widening. “And now I have to start all over and replace it with computers and software and...honestly, I don’t know what else is included in all that.”
The halfling’s nose wrinkled when she tried to smile at him. “I’m not sure how I feel about an image of me being in your head.”
“You know what I mean.” He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Cheyenne handling...all the stuff that goes with your various expertise.”
“We don’t have to get into it right now. Or ever, really. It goes right over most people’s heads.”
“Yeah, I don’t think I’m an exception.” Matthew chuckled. “I mean, I do some stuff with cybersecurity—”
“You what?” Cheyenne lifted her chin and stared at him sidelong. Don’t laugh and point. Might be crossing a line.
“Not like that. I’m on the sales side of things. Networking, handling accounts. That kinda thing.”
Ember let out an exasperated snort and shot her friend a pointed look. “Or he could just go with the actual title and say he owns two cybersecurity firms.”
“Hey, nothing I said was technically wrong.” Matthew grinned down at the fae and shook his head.
The halfling set her hands behind her on the back of the couch. “Just dabbling, huh?”
“I don’t
