“Hmm.” Ruth raised the marker, then lowered it. “Steve Stubbons will expect to be consulted.”

  “Fuck Steve Stubbons.” Chloe clapped her hand to her mouth. “Sorry.”

  Struggling for composure, Ruth wondered how she’d missed this side of Chloe. She shouldn’t approve of cursing directed at a faculty member, but she couldn’t help liking it. “Again, I said nothing.”

  “Noted.” Chloe lowered her hand. “But seriously, why don’t you send a mass email? Most faculty aren’t on the council. I don’t think they’d appreciate missing out on an opportunity because Steve Stubbons anointed himself the keeper of goal gangs.” She spoke in a mock authoritative voice and rolled her eyes.

  Ruth finally lost it laughing. “Okay. It’s official.” She wiped her brow. “We’ll send a mass email to faculty. Who else needs to be there?”

  “Student services, for sure.”

  “Definitely.” Ruth added it to the board. “And financial aid.”

  “For a retention strategy?” Chloe tilted her head. “I assumed they would focus on new students.”

  “True, but some of our students lose their eligibility for aid. Or they encounter new hardships, and they don’t realize all of their options.”

  “Interesting.” Chloe tapped her keyboard. “I’ll do some reading.”

  “And, of course, the vice president.” Ruth kept her tone neutral in case Chloe didn’t share her negative opinion of Alice Stewart.

  “Absolutely,” Chloe said. “Alice needs to be there.”

  So, they do get along. Good to know.

  “If we put her on the work group, she can’t complain about the results,” Chloe added. “I’m pretty sure I read that in The Art of War.”

  Or not. “Excellent point. Anyone else?”

  “Hmm.” Chloe drummed the table with her fingertips. “Maybe we should keep it small. We don’t know how many faculty will come, and God knows it’s hard to keep even a handful of academics on track for an hour.”

  “Very true, although I must say, it’s sad that you’ve picked up on that after only a couple of months.”

  Chloe’s head jerked up.

  “What?” Ruth asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” Chloe shook her head, causing her bangs to swish back and forth. “I just wondered when we should have the first meeting. A lot of faculty aren’t around in the summer, and—this is just a guess—I wonder if they consider summer off-limits for committee work.”

  “Oh yes. Breaks are sacred. I used to feel the same way when I was faculty. Of course, now that I only get two weeks off per year, I find it rather difficult to sympathize.”

  “Well, they need time for research.” Chloe spoke with a defensive edge.

  There it was again, Chloe’s inexplicable sympathy with the faculty perspective. Was it all Miguel’s influence? “Sure. Some of them do fieldwork or write articles.” She added under her breath, “The ones who aren’t deadwood anyway.”

  “Does that mean we have to wait until fall?” Chloe looked crestfallen.

  She’s so eager. This must mean a lot to her. Ruth supposed Chloe was desperate for challenging work. “Don’t worry. We don’t have to wait. We’re not forcing anyone to attend over the summer.”

  “Oh, good.” Chloe relaxed.

  “But we also don’t want to meet too soon, before we’re prepared. Let’s aim for the end of July. That will give us a head start, so we don’t spend the whole fall semester starting a committee. Often by midterm, it’s too late for some of these students who have fallen behind.”

  Chloe nodded. “That’s why you started the attendance initiative.”

  “Yes. But I don’t know if it will be successful.”

  “Right. You mentioned that.” Chloe typed something on her laptop. “I’d like to do some research. Today is the first day of the term, so data should be coming in.”

  “What do you have in mind?”

  “Well, this is the first time it’s mandatory for faculty to record attendance, right? But you don’t expect everyone to participate, so maybe we can look at course outcomes for faculty who use the system versus those who don’t—controlling for other factors, like whether it’s an upper-level course.”

  Ruth wrote attendance study on the whiteboard. “It’s a good idea, but I can tell you right now that faculty won’t like it. You said I need to earn their buy-in. Calling out the delinquents will only make them more defiant in the future.”

  Chloe frowned. “Good point. Maybe I can look at trends over time.” She typed a few more words. “I’ll figure something out.”

  “That would be wonderful.” Ruth loved the idea of a formal study showing the results of her initiative. She could already picture the professional slides that Chloe would produce. “Maggie can show you how to export the data. I’ll send an email so she knows the request came from me. You can present some data to the group.”

  “Maybe.” Chloe’s determined expression dissolved, and she began to fidget with her fingers.

  “Don’t be scared,” Ruth said. “If you’re capable of producing impressive slides, you’ve got to learn how to present them too. This will be important for your career.”

  “Okay.” Chloe still appeared uneasy but didn’t argue. “When exactly will the first meeting be? I know you said the end of July, but do you have a more specific date?”

  “I’ll look at my calendar and pick something later today. Would you like to draft the email invitation? Then I’ll make some edits and send it out.” Ruth could have drafted it herself, but she wanted to find out if writing was one of Chloe’s secret skills.

  “Sure, I can write a draft.” If Chloe was intimidated, it didn’t show.

  “Good. I think that’s all for today. Once we have RSVPs, we’ll huddle to make an agenda.”

  Chloe closed her laptop and stood but made no further move to leave.

  “Something else?”

  “I was just wondering when you’re going to contact Maggie about the data. Like, will it be today or…?”

  Ruth regarded her with amusement. “Excited to start?”

  Chloe blushed. “Kind of. Yeah. I mean, of course I’ll still answer the phone and everything.”

  “I had no doubt.”

  “But this is more fun.”

  “Well, I’d hate to delay your fun. I’ll email Maggie right now.”

  “Thanks!” Chloe broke into a wide smile before she hurried out.

  She’s so cute.

  Ruth blinked. Where did that come from? Must be exhaustion. She shook her head and took a long sip of her iced latte.

  * * *

  Caitlyn poked her head into Miguel’s office. “Hi.”

  “C… Chloe?” Miguel squinted at her.

  She glanced around the hallway, then shook her head.

  Caitlyn? he mouthed. “What are you doing here?”

  “So, a lot has happened since we last spoke.” Caitlyn stepped inside and closed the door behind her. “Can I sit down?”

  Miguel gestured impatiently at a chair. “What is it? Tell me.”

  “First of all, the board meeting. How much have you heard?”

  “Oh my God.” He dropped his head into his hands, then peeked through his fingers. “Steve is so pissed that Holloway was ready for him. He’s on a witch hunt to find out who leaked.”

  “Oh shit. Does he suspect you?”

  He sat back up, shaking his head. “Thankfully, no. I’m new, and I’m not the type to get involved in politics. Right now, his top suspect is Jenn Christiansen, which makes no sense. Jenn clashes with Dr. Holloway as much as anyone—she has zero interest in helping the administration.”

  “So why does he suspect her?”

  “Because Jenn and Steve hate each other. And because, well—”

  “She’s a woman,” Caitlyn said bluntly.

  “Yeah.” Miguel grimaced. “Steve thinks women are more prone to gossip.”

  “Of course he does.” Sexist jerk.

  “Anyway, I’m sure you and I have been seen together on campus, but I doubt he’s observant enough to make the connection. Why would you care about any of this stuff? He certainly won’t suspect you of making those PowerPoint slides.” Miguel paused. “Those were amazing, by the way. I watched the video later. I can’t believe you did all of that in a few hours.”

  Caitlyn shrugged. “I’m an assistant with many talents.”

  “What did Ruth say? She must have been floored.”

  The memory of Ruth’s reaction made Caitlyn warm. “She was surprised, obviously—and glad to be prepared for the meeting. But her gratitude went beyond the work I did. More than anything, she seemed happy someone was looking out for her.”

  “I’m sure. I’d imagine she feels isolated most of the time.”

  “I think she does. After the meeting, we talked. At the time, I thought I would never see her again, so I was frank. I told her what I think about her talking down to faculty when she should be consulting them from the start. And she actually agreed with me. She asked me to work with her on a retention strategy—one that will involve the faculty from the beginning.”

  “Whoa.” He covered his mouth. “Holy shit.”

  “Yeah, and I get to look at data too. I couldn’t say no. How could I resign after an offer like that?”

  “Uh. Well.” Miguel appeared at a loss.

  “I know, I know. This isn’t really my job. But I want to help Ruth as much as I can. Chloe said I can work here a little while longer. She’ll stay off the radar in Colorado while I work here, and I’ll split the income with her.” Hearing the words out loud, Caitlyn realized how it must sound. Absurd. Reckless. At best, a waste of time. No wonder Miguel wasn’t enthused.

  “How long are you going to do this?” he asked.

  “I don’t know.” She fussed with a loose thread on her dress. “It’s hard to explain, but I’m not ready to leave. Ruth and I met this morning, and it was really cool. The president of a college asked for my opinion. And I love working with her. She can be fun, like…” She searched for the word.

  “Fun, eh?” He crossed his arms and leveled a knowing gaze at her.

  Heat rose in Caitlyn’s cheeks. “Okay, she’s smart and hot. I’m only human. But I’m in it for the intellectual…you know.”

  “Stimulation?” he said dryly.

  “Something like that. But also…she believes in me, you know? I sent my academic work to sociology departments all over the country, and nobody was interested. Meanwhile, Ruth doesn’t even know I have credentials, but she still wants my input.”

  “Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Okay, that’s an understatement. But I’m here for you. Let me know how I can help.”

  “Actually, you can—and it will help you too. We’re going to send out an invitation for a retention working group. I’d love for you to join. It will count as service to the college.” She searched his face for a sign of interest.

  Miguel rubbed his chin. “I have to admit, it sounds perfect for my tenure file. I just hope it doesn’t conflict with my class.”

  “Send me your schedule, and I’ll make sure it doesn’t.”

  “Really? You have that kind of power?”

  Caitlyn wasn’t sure, but she owed Miguel. “I update Ruth’s calendar—plus I could always pretend I have some personal conflict with your class time. Whatever it takes, I will make sure you can come.”

  “Well, in that case, you can count on me to attend.”

  Caitlyn exhaled in relief. He’s in. “Thanks. I’m really glad.” She rose to her feet. “Anyway, I’d better get started on that email.”

  “Okay. Just…” He held back whatever he’d been about to say. “Just be careful, okay? With all of this.”

  “Sure, I will. See you later.” As she left his office, doubt wormed through her. Was she underestimating the risk?

  Her pulse spiked as she imagined herself in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit, desperately wishing she’d quit after the first week instead of pushing her luck.

  That won’t happen. No one had questioned her identity in the first week, when she’d had to fake her way through the days. Now she knew names and faces and where to buy lunch. As long as Chloe stayed in Colorado, no one would see Caitlyn as anyone else.

  * * *

  Ruth’s stomach gurgled. Food. I need food.

  She had managed to ignore the hunger pangs when her last meeting ran past one o’clock, but now her body begged for sustenance.

  She swiveled in her desk chair and kicked off her shoes, then turned back to her computer. Perhaps wading through the latest batch of emails would distract her while she waited for Piper to arrive with lunch. One caught her attention:

  Draft invitation to faculty.

  Chloe had already written something?

  As she double-clicked the message, Ruth hoped Chloe had produced something usable. The invitation to collaborate on a leadership strategy should have assured Chloe of Ruth’s high opinion of her. Yet when they’d met that morning, Ruth had sensed a hunger for praise that surprised her. She’d been around long enough to know it came from insecurity, having seen that look in countless faces, including her own in the mirror. Chloe wanted to help, but she also wanted Ruth to recognize what she could do. Ruth didn’t want to ruin their new working relationship by telling Chloe her draft wasn’t any good.

  Then again, Chloe couldn’t know how to approach faculty with a request. Perhaps she wouldn’t take Ruth’s edits personally.

  Ruth’s eyes widened as she skimmed through the draft. When she reached the end, she started at the beginning and read slowly.

  Chloe started with a warm opening, followed by a paragraph on the importance of retention. Then she slathered on the flattery, praising the faculty’s unique insight and skills that would be vital for tackling the problem. The message concluded with an announcement of the new work group and a call to action. Perfect. On top of the spot-on messaging, Chloe’s spelling and grammar were impeccable.

  A rapid knock signaled the arrival of Piper, who shoved the door open without waiting for a response. “Ready for lunch?”

  “God, yes.” Ruth pushed her bare feet against the floor to wheel back from her desk.

  They sat together at the table. Piper passed Ruth a grilled vegetable panini—her favorite—along with a can of La Croix. Then she unwrapped her Italian sub.

  “You’re my hero.” Ruth sank her teeth into the crispy sandwich. The injection of carbohydrates calmed her hunger, and she felt her whole body relax. “God, that’s delicious. I was so hungry.” She dove back in.

  Piper allowed her to demolish half of her sandwich in silence before she spoke. “So. How did it go with Chloe?”

  Ruth wiped her mouth. “It went well. Seriously. I know you’re skeptical of this, but she’s smart.”

  “She’d have to be smart to pull off what she did for you on Friday—if it was really her work.”

  “Oh, come on. Who else would produce a data presentation for me and allow Chloe Taylor to take the credit?” Ruth took a swig of her drink. “Besides, you’re the one who told me to talk to her more.”

  “I meant about her assistant job. This is very strange. All of a sudden, Chloe makes data presentations?”

  “It’s not just that.” Ruth reached backward to grab her phone from her desk, then pulled Chloe’s email up on her mobile app. “You work in public relations. What do you think?” She slid the phone over to Piper.

  Piper raised her reading glasses from the cord around her neck to her eyes. Twin reflections of the screen appeared on the lenses as she read through Chloe’s email. After a minute, she removed the glasses and looked up at Ruth. “Chloe wrote this? By herself?”

  “Yes. I asked her to write a draft, and she sent this a few hours later.” Ruth held her breath, hoping Piper would agree with her assessment. She thought the draft was objectively well-written, but she couldn’t rule out bias given her gratitude for Chloe’s heroics the previous Friday.

  “It’s good,” Piper said. “I’m trying to remember her education. She has a two-year degree?”

  “Yes, from LCC. From what she has told me, she’s insecure about not having a bachelor’s degree. But I plan to revisit that conversation soon.”

  “Hmm.” Piper took another bite of her sub. “She’s eligible for tuition benefits.”

  “Exactly.” Ruth drummed her fingers on the table. “I’d like her to start earning credits while she works for me, and then we can talk about her enrolling as a full-time student. Perhaps I can create a work-study position for her.”

  Piper set her sub down. “Is this all because of what happened on Friday?”

  “No. It’s more than that. When I talk to her—I mean, really talk—she has a lot of insight. Somehow, in only a few months, she figured out how the college works and in particular how the faculty think. Not to mention the flaws in my leadership style.”

  “Flaws?” Piper scoffed. “Now you’re taking leadership advice from Chloe?”

  “I suppose I am.” As much as Ruth valued Piper’s loyalty, she wondered if confiding in just one person had stunted her growth as a president. Piper encouraged Ruth to fight for her vision and steamroll the opposition. It was the sort of advice best friends gave. Fuck them. You’re in charge. But perhaps it wasn’t the best strategy for effecting change. Ruth raked her fingers through her hair. “Look, I’ve tried it my way. It’s not working. Maybe if I can make the faculty feel included, make them think my initiatives were their idea—”

  “Ah.” Piper gave her a knowing nod. “You’re not talking about actually listening to them.”

  “Well, look. If someone has a good idea, of course I’m open to that. But if they come to me with the same old shit—more full-time hires, more research funding, smaller class sizes, unicorns for the quad—I can’t seriously entertain those suggestions. But maybe if I nod and smile for a while, they’ll be more open to the actual strategy.”