“Of course I would. The quality of work any colleague produces is my concern,” he said in faux-dismay. “Oh dear, I’ve hit a nerve, haven’t I?”

Breathe, Victoria. “I assure you, I’m reacting out of curiosity,” she replied, picking up her lunch. Standing here one moment more was out of the question. “I’m simply curious how my business suddenly became yours.” She shoved herself away from the counter and attempted to leave the room.

Kenneth called after her; his voice heavy with sarcasm. “I’m only asking that you polish that proposal when you present it to President Kowalski. We wouldn’t want you embarrassing the department.”

Victoria stopped at the exit, keeping her back to him. “You should probably put that same energy into your own Four-Week Initiative,” she said. Her fingers gripped her Tupperware with force as she bit out the next sentence. “You don’t want to be known as the professor who rested on his laurels after getting tenure thirty years ago.”

She didn’t wait around for his next clever retort. Her heels clacked loudly against the floor as she marched away.

Victoria made herself eat lunch even though she had long lost her appetite. As she jabbed at her floppy lasagna, she fumed over Kenneth’s accusations. She knew this would happen. One slipup, in public, and she would have to pay for it. The tone of his voice suggested that she was doing something horrific, like interfering with a student. She and John were two consenting adults who just so happened to work with one another. It wasn’t like they were two professors fraternizing at the same institution. Yet even as Victoria reasoned through every argument against her, the same niggling thoughts crept up and settled into her brain.

But isn’t this your chickens come home to roost? You were worried about appearing professional before you embarked on a sordid affair...now look at you.

She shoved her lunch away and sat back in her chair. “G.D. it,” she muttered, sick to her stomach.

When the Katherine Reese ringtone chimed, Victoria repeated her sentiment in a louder voice. She snatched up her phone and answered in a harsh voice. “Yes, Mom?”

“Adjust your tone,” her mother said.

Victoria bristled at the command. “What can I do for you?” she asked.

“The question is what can you do for yourself. I did some recon work on your potential boyfriend and you’re going to like my intel.”

Her heart dropped. “What?”

“Matthew, the divorced lawyer!” Katherine said excitedly. “Linda was telling me about his airtight prenup agreement with his ex-wife.”

For a moment, she’d thought her mother was referring to John. She blew out an exhale and prepared herself for another on-phone battle with her mother. “Why do I care about this man’s prenup agreement?”