Page 19 (1/2)

“So what do you get out of this, Josie?”

A trio of students barged into the roo loudly They sat down in the back and pulled out laptops fros

He glanced at the clock Professor Schaffer's lecture would begin in about tenher to the exit “Come on, we can talk in my office”

“Yes, sir” She gave hiht

They e off the hard-packed snow covering the Cather College quad A frigid blast of air swept across the open space and Josie shivered beside hi up her leather jacket It was perfect for a Vegas winter, but a pitiful excuse for a winter coat in Nebraska

He glanced down at her boots Not surprisingly, they weren’t s had such spindly heels that he couldn't iine how she walked in them period He didn't want her to fall on the slick brick ay, that's why he didn’t let go of her hand Why else would he pull her closer to his side other than to help block the wind fro her solid?

Sa inside his head and quickened his pace, keeping ti of her teeth A few minutes later, he turned toward Sandoz Hall and the warmth of his cramped office He'd make some coffee; that would warm her up Not that he cared It was just common courtesy, that's all

“Are we close?” Her teeth chattered

“Yep, that building up ahead”

At that reen winter coat andin the world thought neon green needed to be jazzed up

Mom

Luckily, Glenda Layton's back was to them as she walked toward his office Shit If his ether, she wouldn't rest until she knew everything about Josie And when it caossip, no one was better than hisGlenda not to interfere in her children's lives was about as easy as teaching a goat to use a fork and knife

Glenda stopped in the h her purse She brought out a cellphone

“Yellow,” she hollered into the phone, herover the wind

If he played it right, he could get past her Gripping Josie's ice-cold fingers in his, he sped up the pace