On the Record (Record #2)(26)
Author: K.A. Linde

“Thank you, Miss Dougherty. I’ll take that into consideration,” he said formally.

And then as easily as he had walked into the room, he slipped back out. Liz was left reeling.

The panel concluded without fanfare and everyone filed out. Dr. Mires pulled Liz aside with a congratulatory pat on the back. She knew how much Liz disliked public speaking.

“I have some people I want you to meet,” she said, directing her to the back of the room.

Two women and a man stood in a cluster with their heads ducked together, and Dr. Mires guided Liz straight to them.

“Lynda,” a woman greeted Dr. Mires. She was a few inches shorter than Liz, with hair graying at the temples even though she didn’t look that old. She had keen eyes and a sharp smile. She was someone who wasn’t imposing until you caught a glimpse of those eyes, and then they cut you straight through.

“Nancy. It’s so good to see you.”

The two women greeted each other with a warm handshake.

“Bob. Susan,” Professor Mires said, acknowledging the other two people. Bob was tall and lanky, with an air of importance to him that matched his black suit. Susan was the youngest of the bunch, no more than ten years older than Liz. She had short straight hair cut with sharp bangs and she tapped her foot incessantly. “This is my student Liz Dougherty. She’s the one I’ve been telling you about.”

Liz turned to look at Dr. Mires, slightly slack-jawed. She had been talking to people about her?

“Pleasure to meet you,” Nancy said first, shaking hands just as warmly. “It’s always good to meet one of Lynda’s students.”

“Pleasure is all mine,” Liz said automatically, shaking hands with the others as well.

“Liz, Nancy is a senior editor for the New York Times. We went to college together at Columbia. Bob works for the Washington Post. You’ve spent, what, fifteen years reporting there?” Dr. Mires asked.

He nodded and shrugged. “Twelve.”

“And Susan here works for USA Today. Before that she was several years at the Chicago Tribune. She was also one of my students,” Dr. Mires explained cordially.

Liz smiled on the outside while on the inside she was freaking out. First Brady. Now this. Holy shit! She was meeting people who worked her dream jobs. She would kill to get a job at the Times or the Washington Post. And Dr. Mires was introducing her to these people as if it were no big deal. In fact, as she looked at Professor Mires, she realized it was no big deal to her. These were her colleagues, her friends, her students. These were the people she was introducing to Liz because Liz was also all of those things.

Liz wanted to be a reporter, and as her advisor, Dr. Mires was ensuring that she didn’t just become a reporter, but a damn good one.

“Liz, why don’t you come to lunch with us and discuss your work and future aspirations? I’m sure my colleagues would be able to point you in the right direction for your scholarship internship hours next year,” Professor Mires said.

“Oh yes, we’re always happy to meet with Lynda’s students,” Nancy said.

“I would love to join you. Thank you,” Liz responded. She felt as if all the pieces to her life were falling into place in this moment, and it felt incredible.

Liz knew that she shouldn’t go to the politicians’ panel. She should find something else to do with her time. She had just had lunch with Dr. Mires, Nancy, Bob, and Susan. They had all been interested in her work on the paper and her interests in political journalism. They had even given her their business cards and told her to keep in touch. It was definitely a step in the right direction. Walking into the politicians’ panel was the exact opposite of that.

But she couldn’t stay away from Brady . . . not when the opportunity to see him was staring her in the face.

Extra credit was being offered to most of the journalism classes for attendance, and when Liz ducked into the back of the room, she picked out a ton of her classmates and a large chunk of the newspaper staff.

Liz plopped down into the seat next to Massey with a sigh. She hadn’t seen Hayden all day and prayed that he wouldn’t show up to this. She knew that he had class most of the day and his electives wouldn’t let him out for the presentations. They didn’t care that he got extra credit that he in all honesty didn’t need in classes other than their own. He thought it was pretty ridiculous, considering he would be graduating in less than two months. Her heart stopped at the thought, and she pushed it away. She could clam up about graduation until it got closer.

Her thoughts trailed off as a side door opened and Brady walked into the room. He took a seat and she couldn’t even remember what she had been thinking.

Massey’s sharp intake of breath was enough for Liz to know that she had noticed how f**king attractive he was. “Holy shit!” she squealed in Liz’s ear. “He’s so hot.”

Liz nodded.

“Oh, please, just because you have Hayden doesn’t mean you can deny pure male attractiveness. You guys aren’t perfect enough for that.”

Liz swallowed. “I didn’t deny anything.” And she couldn’t. She couldn’t even pull her eyes from his face.

She had missed him.

Christ, she wasn’t going to think about that.

“Why is he a politician? He can just come right over to get work done in my bed,” Massey said with her sorority-girl giggle. “I promise we’ll be more effective than Congress, baby.”

Her friends next to her snorted through their laughter, and professors turned around to give them nasty looks. It just made them laugh louder.

“I’ll avoid a government shutdown, if you know what I mean,” she said, nudging Liz.

“That doesn’t even make sense,” Liz said, allowing herself to laugh a little.

“Whatever. I’d do it for that body.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“I feel a little bad for Savannah. Having a brother that hot must suck,” Massey whispered, glancing around to see if Savannah was in attendance. Liz hadn’t seen her all day. Liz wondered if she was hiding out because her dad and brother were here.

“I doubt she even notices.”

Massey rolled her eyes. “Puh-lease.”

The room quieted down as Dr. Mires stood to begin the roundtable. The main topic was the November election. Each politician gave their thoughts on what had happened, the role of the media in the election, and their early projections for the presidential election next November.