Chloe would be fantastic at pop culture trivia. She always knew the latest celebrity gossip. Unfortunately, Ruth seemed to know this about Chloe.

  Of course, Caitlyn wouldn’t get in trouble if she didn’t know enough pop culture trivia. Ruth wouldn’t be angry, and she certainly wouldn’t suspect a false identity just because Caitlyn couldn’t name a few celebrities. Still, the trivia game was a competition against faculty. She didn’t want to let Ruth down.

  At five-thirty, Ruth emerged from her office with her purse slung over her shoulder. “Ready?”

  Caitlyn nodded and reached for her purse. “Will Piper meet us by the car, or…?”

  Ruth stiffened. “Actually, Piper won’t be able to make it. Something came up at the last minute.”

  Caitlyn’s heart thumped. “So our team is just…the two of us?”

  “If you’re uncomfortable with that—”

  “Of course not.” Caitlyn stood and pushed in her chair. You’re the one who looks nervous. “I was just thinking with only two people, our chances of winning won’t be as good.”

  “Oh, we’ll lose, for sure.” Ruth walked to the doors and held one open for Caitlyn. “The faculty have a natural advantage since they all have different specialties. Politics, history, biology—they’ve even got a sports guy. They’ve always got more players—not that any of that stops them from rubbing in their victories.”

  Caitlyn walked through the door and waited while Ruth locked the suite for the night. “Maybe we’ll surprise them tonight. You never know.” She wasn’t optimistic—the few facts she’d gleaned from cramming entertainment news were jumbled in her brain. Still, her steps were light and she couldn’t help smiling. This was her first chance to spend time with Ruth outside of work. Sure, the event was related to the college, but there would be no meeting agenda—and no one else at their table.

  Ruth, however, didn’t seem to share Caitlyn’s giddy anticipation. As they walked to the parking garage, Ruth’s steps were swift, and she didn’t bother to make small talk. Was Ruth actually worried about their performance at pub trivia? Or was her tense demeanor because it was just the two of them?

  In the garage, Ruth led Caitlyn to a black Prius parked in front of a large metal sign that said RESERVED FOR PRESIDENT. She flushed and made a fluttery gesture at the sign. “That was already here when they hired me.”

  How adorable that Ruth, who oozed authority in meetings, was self-conscious about a designated parking space—something any man would expect. “Hey, you deserve it.” Caitlyn walked over to the passenger side. “We can’t have the college president circling the parking deck when there’s important business waiting.”

  Ruth’s mouth quirked. “Indeed.”

  Caitlyn settled in the passenger seat. The car was clean except for a cardboard coffee cup in one cup holder and a crumpled Caramello wrapper in the other. The air in the vehicle smelled like Ruth—lavender, with a hint of something sweet.

  Ruth was quiet on the short drive to the bar, appearing to concentrate on the road despite the absence of traffic.

  As they pulled into the parking lot, Caitlyn decided she might as well broach the likely subject of Ruth’s discomfort. “Do you think people will wonder why I’m here?” Why we’re here together?

  “You’re an administrator. You belong on the team.” Ruth nodded firmly and unbuckled her seatbelt. “Let’s go in.”

  The pub was dark with yellow lanterns hanging from the ceiling and a candle flickering on every table. A full bar lined one of the walls, while Celtic artwork hung on the other. Most of the tables were full.

  A wave caught Caitlyn’s eye. It was Joe from the sociology department. There were five other people at the table, two she recognized—Jenn Christiansen and Dan Toscano—and three she couldn’t place.

  Ruth gave a quick wave back and then made her way to an open table. It was small with two chairs and a candle in the center.

  Like a date. As she slid into the rickety metal chair, Caitlyn fantasized that Ruth had chosen to be there with her, and only her, instead of stumbling into the situation because Piper had canceled.

  A waitress with a high blonde ponytail appeared at the table. “Hi there, what can I get you?”

  “A Diet Coke and—” Ruth looked at Caitlyn. “Do you like soft pretzels?”

  Caitlyn imagined them sharing food from a little basket. “Sounds great. And I’ll have a ginger ale.”

  Ruth unsnapped her slim wallet and pulled out three twenty dollar bills. “We’d like to play trivia. Please donate the change.”

  “Sure thing.” The waitress retrieved a slip of paper from her apron and set it on the table. “I’ll put those drink orders in.”

  “You know,” Ruth said as the waitress departed, “you can order alcohol. I don’t mind. I’m drinking soda because I’m driving.”

  “Oh, that’s okay.” Caitlyn hesitated, then reminded herself that it was safe to explain. Ruth took similar medication. “Alcohol hits me hard because of Zoloft. For me, having one drink is like someone else having three.”

  “I understand.” Ruth nodded. “That’s one of the reasons I don’t drink when I’m driving—a low tolerance. I’m not sure if it’s my medication or if I’m just getting older, but either way I won’t risk it.”

  “That’s smart. Besides, we need to stay sharp to beat the faculty.”

  Ruth flicked a glance at the crowded faculty table. “Don’t get your hopes up.”

  The host announced the first round: sports trivia.

  “Oh no.” Caitlyn grimaced. “I don’t know anything about sports. Do you?”

  “A bit, but it won’t matter. The faculty have Dan, who is like a walking sports almanac. They always win.”

  The first question concerned a new signing on the Chicago Bears football team. Ruth picked up the pen and wrote down a name on their answer sheet in elegant blue print.

  “Wow. That’s impressive.”

  Ruth shrugged. “I watch football.”

  Caitlyn pictured Ruth on the edge of her couch, watching a tackle and perhaps shouting at the screen. It was an amusing image.

  As the round went on, Ruth answered three additional questions with confidence. They both drew blanks on the rest.

  The waitress collected their answer sheet, and a few minutes later, the host announced the scores. Ruth and Caitlyn got four points, another team got five, another got seven—and then the host announced the winner: Facul-tee-birds.

  The faculty table burst into applause, and a waitress carried a table of shots to their table.

  Ruth’s mouth twitched as she caught Caitlyn’s gaze, a subtle gesture of annoyance that only Caitlyn could detect. But amusement danced in Ruth’s eyes, indicating she didn’t take the game too seriously.

  “What’s our team name?” Caitlyn asked. She hadn’t noticed what Ruth had written on their answer sheet.

  “Oh, I just write Pulaski administration.”

  “But that’s so boring. You’re supposed to think of a pun—or something dirty.”

  Ruth chuckled. “Maybe next time.”

  Caitlyn tingled at the suggestion that there would be a next time. Would Ruth make her a permanent member of the team? She hadn’t chosen an exact end date for her stint as Chloe, but surely there’d be no harm in staying an extra month. Especially if there was a chance of repeating an evening out with Ruth.

  When the host announced the entertainment category, Ruth winked at Caitlyn. “Your time to shine.”

  Oh Lord. She hoped that by some miracle, the celebrity news she’d studied a few hours earlier would make up for a lifetime of indifference.

  “Question one,” the host said. “Jennifer Aniston has a new man in her life. What is his name?”

  Ruth looked at her expectantly.

  “Um.” Caitlyn had no clue. “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s no need to be sorry.” Ruth chuckled. “I certainly don’t know the answer.”

  “I know she’s not with Brad Pitt anymore. I guess I lost track after that.”

  “Question two. Beyoncé was just announced as the headline act for what major event?”

  Shit. Chloe loved Beyoncé. She’d know the answer for sure. “Um, the Super Bowl?” Caitlyn lowered her voice to a whisper—not that overhearing her guess was likely to help the other teams.

  Ruth leaned in. “I doubt it. She already headlined a few years ago, when Baltimore played San Francisco.” As they huddled closer together, the candlelight threw a warm glow on Ruth’s lips and cheeks.

  Caitlyn grinned. “You really do like sports. Let’s make an educated guess. Lollapalooza? Maybe they asked the question because it’s in Chicago.”

  “Why not?” Ruth wrote down Lollapalooza.

  The next questions covered television shows, more celebrity news, and the Emmy award nominations. Caitlyn didn’t know any of the answers. “I guess we tanked that round,” she said as the waitress collected their answers.

  “Perhaps we should be proud that we did so poorly. It means we devote our attention to more intellectual pursuits.”

  “Like football?” Caitlyn teased.

  Ruth laughed. “Okay, maybe not.” They smiled at each other.

  The faculty didn’t win either. A table behind them received a tray of shots.

  When the hosts announced the next round, history, Ruth rolled her eyes. “They’ve got a history professor.” She jerked her thumb at the faculty. “They always win this one.”

  Hmmm. I like history. Caitlyn rubbed her palms together. “We’ll see.”

  “Question one. Who was the first African American Supreme Court Justice?”

  Thurgood Marshall, Ruth mouthed.

  Caitlyn nodded in agreement, and Ruth wrote the answer.

  “Who is the author of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism?”

  Caitlyn grinned. A sociology question.

  Ruth frowned. “It sounds so familiar. Um.”

  Caitlyn grabbed the pen and paper and wrote Max Weber.

  “That’s—that’s actually correct.” Ruth stared at Caitlyn as though she’d never seen her before.

  “How many US presidents were assassinated in office?”

  Caitlyn began to count on her fingers. “Lincoln and Kennedy,” she whispered.

  “Garfield,” Ruth added. “Three?”

  “I think…” Caitlyn searched her memory. “McKinley.” She wrote 4 on the answer sheet.

  “Ah, right. I forgot about him.” Ruth peered at her. “You know your history.”

  They took turns writing down answers to the rest of the questions. When the waitress came around to collect their answer sheet, they had filled in all ten.

  “I think we got them all right,” Caitlyn said happily.

  Ruth drummed the table. “Maybe. I’m only 90 percent sure about that one question—about India.”

  “No, you were right. Rajendra Prasad.” Caitlyn hadn’t said anything at the time, but she had also known the answer Ruth wrote on their sheet.

  After a few moments, the host turned on the mic. “The winner is…Pulaski administration!”

  Caitlyn squealed. We beat the history professor.

  Ruth acknowledged the victory with more poise—she smiled at Caitlyn and then stole a quick glance at the faculty table.

  Several of the professors looked extremely put out. “What did we miss?” one of them asked.

  “They probably forgot McKinley,” Caitlyn whispered.

  Ruth chuckled.

  The waitress brought a tray of shots to the table, their prize for winning the round.

  “Remember your advice to be nicer to faculty?” Ruth gestured at them with a sly smile.

  “Yes…” What was Ruth up to?

  “Why don’t we offer these shots to our friends?”

  Caitlyn laughed. “I love it.”

  They each picked up two and walked over to the faculty.

  “We thought we’d share the spoils of victory,” Ruth said.

  “Well done,” Dan said with grudging respect.

  “Have a great night.” Ruth turned to walk back to the table.

  Caitlyn gave them a fluttery wave before she turned to follow. It was the most fun she’d had in ages.

  * * *

  Outside, the sky was dark, and the air was warm. Ruth slid into her car beside Chloe. “I’ll turn on the air conditioning.”

  Chloe nodded. “Thanks.” Her cheeks were flushed. “That was really fun.”

  “Thanks for coming. I couldn’t have done it without you.” They’d won the history and current events rounds, while tying the faculty on music, earning a few grumpy stares. Ruth had enjoyed their moments of glory a little too much, partly because she and Chloe had done it together. Even after work, they were on the same team—a fearsome pair and worthy competition.

  Not that winning at trivia mattered, of course. It was just for fun—and the scholarship program. Work was another story. She needed allies with the future of the college at stake, not to mention her own career. Chloe was a true partner and friend.

  My employee, she corrected herself. They clicked so well that it was easy to forget, but they weren’t equals.

  As they turned onto the main road, the moon appeared before them. “Whoa.” Even partly obscured by trees, it was magnificent: huge and full, with an ethereal orange glow.

  “Oh wow.” Chloe sat up straight. “It’s one of those supermoons.”

  “That’s amazing. I’ve never seen one so big.” Ruth shifted her gaze back and forth from the moon to the road, entranced by the sight but mindful that she was operating a motor vehicle. She turned the car into the parking garage. “What floor are you on?”

  “The third.” Chloe turned to her. “But I bet the moon looks cool from the very top of the garage,” she said with hope in her voice.

  “Let’s find out.” Ruth navigated the twisty path to the top floor, an open-air lot ringed by tall metal guardrails.

  “Oh, look!” Chloe’s voice came out in a gasp.

  The moon hovered before them, unobstructed and whole.

  “Gorgeous.” Ruth stopped the car across two empty parking spaces.

  “Do you mind if I get out? I’d like to get a picture.”

  “Go ahead.”

  Chloe unbuckled her seatbelt and slipped from the vehicle.

  Ruth rested her thumb on the red button of her seatbelt, hesitating. There was no reason not to follow—so why did her heart thump as though it were dangerous? Shaking off the unwelcome feeling, Ruth unsnapped the seatbelt and threw open the door.

  A few paces ahead, Chloe’s hair bounced lightly behind her as she reached the guardrail at the edge of the lot. She held up her phone to snap a photo.

  Ruth walked up beside her. “Did you get a good shot?”

  Chloe inspected the result and giggled. “No. It’s terrible. See?”

  Ruth moved closer to peer at the screen. The moon appeared as an orange dot in the center of an otherwise black photo. “Not quite Ansel Adams,” she said dryly.

  Chloe laughed harder and dropped her phone to her side, brushing Ruth’s arm. “Oh well. At least we get to see it.” She stepped even closer to the guardrail.

  With Chloe’s focus on the sky, Ruth was drawn instead to Chloe’s profile, which seemed to glow in the soft orange moonlight. Every inch of her was art—full cheeks, high cheekbones, defined chin. The slight slope of her nose. Her eyes gleamed at the sight before her, while her lips parted in wonder. A breeze ruffled her hair, sending a few strands askew.

  “It’s really something,” Chloe said, brushing an errant whisp from her eyes.

  “Beautiful,” Ruth said without thinking. When Chloe turned, Ruth was openly staring at her, the moon nowhere in her field of vision. Shit. Ruth’s pulse sped, but she couldn’t look away.

  Chloe watched Ruth closely, a question burning in her eyes.

  Ruth wrenched her gaze away from Chloe and fixed it on the moon. What was she doing? She had no business speaking like that to her assistant, especially not alone together at night. And Chloe’s silent reply said she knew it had nothing to do with the wonders of astronomy.

  Chloe could file a Title IX complaint for that stare.

  “I’m…” Chloe paused.

  The only sounds were the cicadas and the rumbling of an engine far below them.

  Ruth’s stomach flopped like a fish on sand. What?

  “I’m really glad you invited me tonight.” Her warm voice suggested a Title IX complaint would not be forthcoming.

  Ruth struggled to get a grip. “Yes. Me too.” It came out scratchy. She cleared her throat. “After all, you’re part of the administration, so you belong on the team. Perhaps you can join us next time, when Piper and the others come too.”

  “Right.” Chloe exhaled, and her whole body seemed to deflate.

  Guilt twisted within Ruth. She hadn’t meant to put Chloe in her place, but that was obviously Chloe’s interpretation. When their gazes met again, a hard wall stood between them.

  It’s for the best. “Come on,” Ruth said gently. “I’ll drive you to your car.”

  Chloe nodded and followed a few paces behind her. The sound of her slow, sullen footsteps broke Ruth’s heart.

  * * *

  Caitlyn sat alone in her car, fingers trembling in her lap. This time there was no ambiguity, no plausible excuse for the intensity of Ruth’s stare.

  Ruth likes me. Not as an assistant, a colleague, or even a friend. She had called Caitlyn beautiful, the soft word slipping from her lips as though Ruth were talking to herself. The shocked look that followed confirmed the sentiment was genuine, a private thought Ruth hadn’t meant to express.

  For a few reckless seconds, Caitlyn’s heart had filled with warmth and joy—until Ruth’s strained demeanor brought her back to reality. While Ruth clearly struggled with the employer/employee conflict, a personal relationship was impossible for more reasons than Ruth could ever fathom.