He shook his head. “I think it’s a shame how little our country pays teachers,” he grumbled. “It’s a crime that someone with a master’s degree, who works as many hours as you do, doesn’t earn enough for even a one bedroom place.”
“I hear ya,” she agreed. “But historically, once women took over the profession, the salaries dropped significantly.” Stevie leaned forward and sarcastically whispered, “We don’t need to earn as much money because we should just get married.”
He shook his head, taking a sip of his whiskey. “I’m sorry, Stevie,” he said with heartfelt sincerity.
She shrugged again. “Eh! Teachers don’t join the profession to become millionaires. We’re in it for the job satisfaction. And life balance. At least I’ll be able to sit down with my family every night for dinner.”
“I guess there are benefits.”
Someone must have signaled to Stevie because she looked over his shoulder and nodded.
“Time to close down the bar?” he asked, understanding the reluctance in her eyes.
“Yes. It’s closing time.”
“Let me drive you home, Stevie.”
She stared at him for a long moment. They both knew what his offer meant. He wouldn’t push her for more than what she could give him, but damn, he wanted to kiss her goodnight. He couldn’t do it here in the bar, but if he could see her outside of this place, then he could…well, maybe just a small kiss. He couldn’t believe how many times he’d dreamed of kissing her!
“Okay,” she finally replied. It was just one word, but it seemed to explode around them, hanging in the air for a tense moment.
He stared, then slowly nodded his head. Standing up, he put a fifty dollar bill down on the countertop. “I’ll wait outside then,” he told her.
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