Chapter 24

Lauren

I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face as I walked across campus. Kylie had texted me late the next day letting me know that Dean Shannahan had requested a meeting. I had assumed that meant the both of us, but when I arrived at his office, it was just me. There was no sign of Kylie.

“Lauren, come on in.”

“Okay. What’s this about? Kylie said you wanted to meet with me.”

“Yes, I’m afraid I have a bit of bad news?”

“I can’t stay?” I blurted out.

“What? I didn’t know you were even considering it.”

“Oh. Well, I found my mate here. I guess I assumed it was just public knowledge or that everyone could just tell or something.”

“Congratulations. I hadn’t heard. Who’s the lucky man?”

“Denny.”

He genuinely seemed surprised by that but smiled and nodded.

“He’s a good man. May never leave the ARC though.”

I snorted. “I’m aware.”

“Well, perhaps we can work out a mutual arrangement then.”

“How so?”

“Professor Jones informed me that a number of students have come forward with a sudden interest in ASL. I assume this has a lot to do with your sister.”

“Yes. Kylie has made many friends here already.”

“I’m so glad to hear it.”

“Unfortunately, when we spoke earlier this year, we had a full ASL program as you are aware. But with interest low this semester, Professor Jones took an offer at a human facility.”

“I’m aware. She was inquiring about the possibility of staying.”

“Unfortunately, it’s too late for that. She signed a three-year contract with them and has been unable to get out of it. I am so sorry. Ironically, Denny was who I had targeted to assist your sister all along. So there should be no concerns there. We are still capable of providing her the services she needs.”

“There just won’t be any ASL classes for others who may wish to learn to communicate with her better?”

“Regrettably. However, I was speaking with your Alpha this morning. Clearly, he has not heard the news of your mating either, or at least he didn’t mention it to me.”

I cringed. “It’s very new. I haven’t contacted him yet,” I confessed.

“All in good time. When I told him about our predicament, he suggested I speak with you.”

“Me? Why? Kylie’s already made solid friendships here and she’s happier than any of us even hoped for. I’m not moving her to Gallaudet now. Besides, it’s probably too late. She already turned them down.”

“Relax, Lauren. You’re misunderstanding me. We weren’t talking about your sister. We were discussing you staying here. Matt tells me you are fluent in American Sign Language and knows how close you and Kylie are.”

“I am fluent. Of course, I am. I taught Kylie when she was six.”

“And a great deal of others in the New York Pack. In fact, he told me you offer annual classes for anyone willing to learn.”

I shrugged. “I just wanted to give people the opportunity to get to know my sister better.”

“That’s very admirable, Lauren, and quite impressive. As we seem to suddenly have a big need for such classes here, would you consider teaching?”

“What?” I laughed. “I’m not a teacher. This is a joke, right?”

“I’m not laughing. This is serious. I’ve had fifteen students try to sign up for ASL 101 this week. I have no doubt once the rest of the school returns and meets Kylie that there will be an even greater need to fill here.”

“But I’m not a teacher. I barely finished high school. I can’t be a professor of something.”

“I promise you, Lauren, you have far more experience than the last three ASL teachers we’ve had combined. Please, just think about it. Talk it over with your mate and your sister if you need to. But you’d be filling a big need here at Archibald Reynolds.”

“Wh-what would it entail?” I asked, still unable to believe this was really happening.

“The students are requesting an uncredited conversational class. But several have inquired about changing their schedules for ASL101. It’s technically still listed as Jones did not give her notice prior to the semester schedule release. You can look it over and see if there are any times that don’t work for you. It would be two 101 level courses, plus a 201 class. Denny was the only person who requested to take 301 and was making arrangements for it to be an independent study course. Though, I’m certain given the opportunity now, he would very much prefer a one-on-one class.”

The man had a twinkle of humor in his eye as he said it.

I groaned.

“I’m sure he would,” I muttered.

The dean just stared at me, waiting for a response or something until I was squirming in my seat.

“This is crazy! I’m not qualified for this?”

“If it were any other academic class, I would agree. But for ASL, you would be a tremendous asset to our language program.”

Then he slid a piece of paper and pamphlet across the table to me.

“This is the salary I’m prepared to pay, along with a list of benefits the school offers. And of course your mate and sister would both receive free education here.”

My jaw dropped as he spoke and I nearly fainted at the number he’d written down. I didn’t come close to that working three jobs back home.

My heart raced with excitement, but I knew I needed to rein it in.

I cleared my throat. “I’ll need to discuss this with Denny and Kylie first. I’m working on boundaries to allow her to live her own life here. I’m not sure how she’ll handle such an intrusion from me, if I’m being honest.”

“Very well. But I’ll need an answer by Monday.”

I nodded, shook his hand, and thanked him for the opportunity.

As I left his office and walked back across campus, I was battling shock. Was this really happening? Could I do it?

I’d been teaching ASL for most of my life. How hard could it be?

When I got back to the house, Tyler and his mate Josie were there hanging out with some of the guys. I’d briefly met the other mates, but I didn’t really know any of them yet. I did know that Josie also worked for the school though.

“Hey Lauren,” she said.

“Hi, Josie. Can I talk to you for a minute?”

If I was going to seriously consider the offer, I wanted to know more about the environment I’d be working in.

“Sure, let’s go for a walk.”

I nodded and followed her out.

“What’s up?” she asked once we were out of earshot of the house.

“I had a meeting with Shannahan today. I’m not sure what to think about it.”

“Okay . . .”

She patiently waited for me to continue.

“You work here at the ARC, right?”

“Yes. I’m a physical therapist. I work in the sports center handling therapies for all the athletes here.”

“So no teaching?”

“No. Why?”

“I was offered a teaching position.”

“Oh, cool. I didn’t know you were a teacher.”

“I’m not,” I confessed.

She gave me a confused look.

“But . . .”

“He wants me to teach American Sign Language.”

“Because Professor Jones turned in her resignation and took a job at another college?”

I nodded.

“That’s awesome, Lauren. You’ll love working here.”

“But I’m not a teacher,” I blurted out.

She laughed. “That’s a pretty specific subject and you are fluent, right?”

“Right.”

“Have you ever taught anyone else ASL before?”

“Sure. I mean I learned it to teach Kylie when she was six. And I held classes every year for the Pack back home. I even taught a few summers at the local community center, but I didn’t mention that to him. I have no idea why he thinks I can do this.”

“Because you can.”

“He’s offering a lot of money.”

“The ARC is well funded. They treat us all very well. Plus, free housing, tuition, and meal plans. It’s a sweet deal. And since all of us are convinced Denny’s going to be a lifelong student just to stay here, then why not go ahead and work here?”

I laughed. I already knew that about my mate, and after being here a week, I could see why.

“You really think I can do this?”

“Well, I don’t really know you well yet, but I can’t imagine Shannahan would offer if he didn’t believe it.”

“It’s a big opportunity,” I admitted.

“Have you discussed this with Denny yet?”

“No. I need to run it by Kylie first too. I’m trying to take a step back in her life, not dive in even deeper.”

“I get that. But you should at least talk to them before closing the door on this.”

“Thanks, Josie.”

“Anytime. In fact, the girls and I are getting together for dinner Thursday night. We try to meet up at least once a week. We’d all love to have you join. Us Delta Omega Gamma girls have to stick together.”

“I’d really love that. I’ve never really had friends before, at least not ones to hang out with, so this is all new territory for me.”

“Don’t worry. We’re family and we take care of each other around here.”

She surprised me when she hugged me.

“I’ll be in touch once we decide where we’re meeting this time.”

“Sounds good. Thanks.”

We parted ways and I went to find Kylie because I knew Denny had gone back to work and I didn’t want to disturb his first day back, though he had arranged for me to have dinner there on his shift tonight.

I found Kylie back at the temporary dorm room she was sharing with Autumn.

“Hi Lauren. Come on in.”

“ Hi. ”

“Kylie, can we talk?”

“ Sure, what’s up? ”

“I know we’ve discussed me staying here with Denny. But how would you feel if I taught ASL here?”

“ What? Is that what the dean wanted to discuss with you? ”

“Yes.”

I spoke aloud while signing for Autumn’s sake. It seemed rude otherwise.

“Wait, Professor Jones got back to us and said she was not staying. Are you saying that you’d be taking her spot?” Autumn asked.

“Apparently. How you feel about that, Kylie?”

“ Will you teach my friends like we asked her to do? ”

“Of course.”

“Of course, what?” Autumn asked.

“Of course I would teach you guys ASL. Whether you want to take the accredited class or do a basic conversations class without credit is up to you. I’d be willing to offer both.”

The more I considered it the more excited I was for the possibility.

My whole life I’d focused on my sister in a state of survival. I never even allowed myself to consider a real future. I hadn’t studied anything towards a career, though I’d insisted Kylie did. I worked multiple jobs just to make ends meet and I was fine with that. Coming here I realized that was not the life I wanted for myself.

Now, I had a mate and the opportunity of a lifetime.

Me? A teacher at the best shifter college in the world?

It was insane, but the more I said it, the more I believed it to be a possibility, the more I wanted it.

With Kylie’s approval, I went home to get dressed and drive myself to the restaurant to see Denny. I couldn’t wait to tell him the news.

*****

“Lauren, welcome. Denny told me you were coming in today. He’s put a table on hold for you in his section. Right this way.”

“Thanks, Monica.”

I was led to a table and sat down as I waited for my mate.

Within minutes, Denny appeared with a glass of water and leaned down to kiss me.

“Is that allowed on the clock?”

He shrugged with that grin that just melted my heart.

I loved him more than I knew was possible. I loved the life we were planning together. I loved how he loved my sister as if she were his own. There was so much to love about this man that it made my chest feel like it was going to explode with happiness.

I had no idea why I even considered returning home when everything I wanted in life was right here.

“If you have a few minutes, I have something I really need to discuss with you.”

“Good because I need to ask you something too. I have one last table and then I can take a break.”

“Okay.”

“What would you like in the meantime?”

“How about spaghetti? I don’t need anything fancy.”

“Spaghetti it is then.”

He left to do his job while I sat there thinking through everything I wanted to say to him. I wasn’t even sure how to go about asking him about this. It was a lot easier to seek Kylie’s permission. I at least knew that it would go one or two ways with her, but I had no idea what Denny’s reaction would be.

I sat there stewing over it for about twenty minutes before Denny finally got his break.

For some reason, it felt as if the whole restaurant was watching us. Maybe I was just being self-conscious, or maybe it was nerves, but I felt like I was in the spotlight.

Everywhere I looked, I swore someone was staring at us.

I was looking around and not paying attention to Denny trying to determine why everyone was looking at me.

He cleared his throat, and I looked over and then down.

My breath caught.

“Denny?”

He grinned up at me and winked.

“Lauren, my love, I have a question to ask you.” He pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it. I gasped at the large diamond ring inside. “Will you marry me?”

I was confused at first, but then realized that every single one of his coworkers had stopped and were standing around awaiting my answer. Was he doing this for them or for us? I had no idea what was going on.

“Well, are you going to leave him down there waiting forever?” Monica asked.

I planted a huge smile on my face and nodded.

“Of course I’ll marry you.”

The whole restaurant went up in cheer.

He placed the ring on my finger and slid into the booth next to me as his coworkers came by and personally congratulated us before going back to work.

“What was that all about?” I asked him once they had all dispersed.

“Well, I figured since I get to keep you now and they will have questions. It makes sense if we just get married.”

“You really want to get married?”

He shrugged and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I already bought the wedding ring. Figured you could just wear it, and they won’t ask so many questions about what’s going on with me and my girlfriend.”

I growled at the insinuation.

“See, that’s what I’m talking about, babe. Wife still isn’t enough, but better, right?”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “Better.”

“Now, what did you want to talk to me about?”

I didn’t hesitate. After all those nerves, I simply blurted it out. “I want to teach ASL at the ARC. What do you think?”

“Really? Is that even a possibility?”

I told him all about my meeting with Dean Shannahan.

Denny couldn’t stop grinning as he kissed me.

“If this is what you want, then of course I support it. We may never leave the ARC though. The place has a way of growing on you.”

I shrugged. “If you’re there, that’s all that matters to me.”