how I liked it, but I would have been happier with a better rum.
“I was very fond of you,” Dr. Wise admitted. “I enjoyed our conversations immensely. You were bright, and willing to listen as well as talk. I looked forward to the days you’d come pick up… Ted?”
“Tim,” I corrected, and I couldn’t help feeling a little smug that my ex was that forgettable for him.
He nodded acknowledgement at my correction and continued. “That day, Tim and I had been indulging in small talk, as we always did before you arrived. When he heard the door to the room start to open, he yanked me forward and kissed me. After you left, he let me go and thanked me for helping him, and I quote, ‘get rid of the loser boyfriend.’”
I winced. “If he thought I was such a loser, why didn’t he just break up with me?”
“I have no idea,” Dr. Wise said with a shake of his head. “That would have been the mature, adult thing to do, wouldn’t it? Anyway, I reported what happened, but since he graduated shortly after that, there was really nothing to be done about it. The university probably still has a copy of the report, if you want to verify what I’ve told you at some point.”
I gave a short, humorless laugh. “It’s been a decade. I’m not interested in going to that much trouble. Does your partner know about it?”
“Aside from the fact that you got hurt, Nial thought the entire situation was hysterical,” Dr. Wise admitted with a wry smile. “I thought about seeing if I could track you down to tell you what happened, but I didn’t think you’d be horribly receptive.”
“I wouldn’t have been,” I agreed. “It was several months before I pulled off the rose-tinted glasses I’d seen Tim through.” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and felt the tension start to drain. Really, there was no point to the anger.
“I am sorry,” Dr. Wise said. “I’m sorry someone would treat you like that, and I’m sorry you were left thinking that I’d voluntarily played a part in it.”
“I got over the hurt a long time ago, but thank you,” I said, a real smile finally crossing my lips. “And if I’m completely honest, I’d felt more betrayed by you than by Tim. Tim was a college kid, and stupidity was sort of expected. You’re a college professor, and I looked up to you a hell of a lot after all the conversations we’d had. And that hurt. I’m glad we had an opportunity to clear the air. So, Dr. Wise, what are you doing on a train the day after Christmas?”
“Call me Howard,” Dr. Wise said, the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes becoming more prominent as he echoed my smile. “You’re long out of college, if my guess is correct, and it’s not like we’re strangers. To answer your question, I do this every year. I have for probably the past six or seven years.” His lips quirked as if reflecting on a private joke. “I’ve become accustomed to a certain kind of holiday.”
“Is your partner with you, then?” I asked, glancing around to see if I’d need to vacate my seat for Howard’s lover.
“Nial and I parted ways the same year I started making this trip,” he explained. “We’d simply grown apart and agreed that we were better off as friends. That first Christmas I was alone, a friend took me with him when he traveled home to Seattle. I discovered I rather enjoy the trip, and I’ve made it a tradition.”
“I’m sorry to hear about you and Nial,” I said. “But good for you for spending the holidays doing something you enjoy. That’s fantastic.”
“How about you?” Howard asked. “Are you making the postholiday trek home or heading somewhere for the new year?”
I gave a short, humorless laugh and picked up my drink. “I’m going home, but it has nothing to do with the holidays,” I admitted before taking a swallow. “I’ve been in Seattle for work. I suppose my boss assumed that since I don’t do anything for the holidays, I was the man to
“I was very fond of you,” Dr. Wise admitted. “I enjoyed our conversations immensely. You were bright, and willing to listen as well as talk. I looked forward to the days you’d come pick up… Ted?”
“Tim,” I corrected, and I couldn’t help feeling a little smug that my ex was that forgettable for him.
He nodded acknowledgement at my correction and continued. “That day, Tim and I had been indulging in small talk, as we always did before you arrived. When he heard the door to the room start to open, he yanked me forward and kissed me. After you left, he let me go and thanked me for helping him, and I quote, ‘get rid of the loser boyfriend.’”
I winced. “If he thought I was such a loser, why didn’t he just break up with me?”
“I have no idea,” Dr. Wise said with a shake of his head. “That would have been the mature, adult thing to do, wouldn’t it? Anyway, I reported what happened, but since he graduated shortly after that, there was really nothing to be done about it. The university probably still has a copy of the report, if you want to verify what I’ve told you at some point.”
I gave a short, humorless laugh. “It’s been a decade. I’m not interested in going to that much trouble. Does your partner know about it?”
“Aside from the fact that you got hurt, Nial thought the entire situation was hysterical,” Dr. Wise admitted with a wry smile. “I thought about seeing if I could track you down to tell you what happened, but I didn’t think you’d be horribly receptive.”
“I wouldn’t have been,” I agreed. “It was several months before I pulled off the rose-tinted glasses I’d seen Tim through.” I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and felt the tension start to drain. Really, there was no point to the anger.
“I am sorry,” Dr. Wise said. “I’m sorry someone would treat you like that, and I’m sorry you were left thinking that I’d voluntarily played a part in it.”
“I got over the hurt a long time ago, but thank you,” I said, a real smile finally crossing my lips. “And if I’m completely honest, I’d felt more betrayed by you than by Tim. Tim was a college kid, and stupidity was sort of expected. You’re a college professor, and I looked up to you a hell of a lot after all the conversations we’d had. And that hurt. I’m glad we had an opportunity to clear the air. So, Dr. Wise, what are you doing on a train the day after Christmas?”
“Call me Howard,” Dr. Wise said, the laugh lines at the corners of his eyes becoming more prominent as he echoed my smile. “You’re long out of college, if my guess is correct, and it’s not like we’re strangers. To answer your question, I do this every year. I have for probably the past six or seven years.” His lips quirked as if reflecting on a private joke. “I’ve become accustomed to a certain kind of holiday.”
“Is your partner with you, then?” I asked, glancing around to see if I’d need to vacate my seat for Howard’s lover.
“Nial and I parted ways the same year I started making this trip,” he explained. “We’d simply grown apart and agreed that we were better off as friends. That first Christmas I was alone, a friend took me with him when he traveled home to Seattle. I discovered I rather enjoy the trip, and I’ve made it a tradition.”
“I’m sorry to hear about you and Nial,” I said. “But good for you for spending the holidays doing something you enjoy. That’s fantastic.”
“How about you?” Howard asked. “Are you making the postholiday trek home or heading somewhere for the new year?”
I gave a short, humorless laugh and picked up my drink. “I’m going home, but it has nothing to do with the holidays,” I admitted before taking a swallow. “I’ve been in Seattle for work. I suppose my boss assumed that since I don’t do anything for the holidays, I was the man to
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