One Night With My Alpha Professor by Eve Above Story

Chapter 254

Audrey

The bar was busier than usual for a Tuesday night. The air was filled with the low hum of conversation and the scent of alcohol and greasy bar food, some sports game or another playing on the big TV against the far wall.

We managed to claim our usual corner booth, tucked away from prying eyes and ears. The Silver Star was here, after all. People were already starting to stare.

“Ah, I needed this,” Tina said as she took a long gulp of her beer. It feels like it hasn’t been just us girls for way too long.”

Betty nodded in agreement, turning to me and Avis at the same time. “Seriously. It’s about time you two pry yourselves away from your men for five minutes.”

Avis and I both blushed, although we knew that Betty was just teasing.

Little did she know that she had a man of her own who was pining over her. Peter must have had it pretty bad, too, if he still hadn’t mustered up the courage to speak more than three words to her.

I smiled as I sipped my gin and tonic, listening to my friends‘ chatter. It really was nice to get out, just the four of us; no pack business, no pressing matters looming over my head. It felt like we were in college again, spending a typical night at the bar when we had nothing better to do.

But something wasn’t right.

My eyes kept drifting toward Avis, who was sitting beside me. She was unusually quiet, nursing a martini, but hadn’t taken

eyes distant. more than a sip. Her fingers circled the rim absently, her

I wondered if she was having problems with Gavin, although it seemed unlikely. Those two had been thick as thieves since they had started dating. No, it had to be something else.

“Hey.” I nudged her gently, lowering my voice. “You alright?”

Avis blinked, her focus snapping back to the present like she had just been pulled out of a deep train of thought.

“What? Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” she said, but I could see straight through her lie. All of us could.

“You don’t look fine,” Tina chimed in, blunt as ever. “You look like someone just kicked your puppy or something.”

have a puppy,” Avis muttered, pursing

little more tactful, leaned in. “Seriously, Avis. What’s going on? You’ve barely

lost her interest in it. “It’s nothing,” she said, but her tone gave her away yet again. “Just…

shop?” I asked, cocking

“It’s been… rough lately. I’ve barely had any clients this month. I’m not even

was always busy–so busy that at least one of us usually had to help her on weekends just so she could get her projects finished on time.

you’re amazing at what you do,” Betty protested. “How is that

the tension in her shoulders. “It’s that new company, Nightfall Threads,” she

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Chapter 254

voice tightening, “They’re everywhere now. Selling cheap clothes for so

time any of us had heard of that

sighed, scratching her head. “I can’t imagine why people actually

+5

they care about is getting trendy clothes for cheap.” She grit her teeth and stared

other, matching expressions of pain on our faces. Avis had taken a major leap of faith in dropping out of school and starting her own business, and we all respected her

of that

to be something we can do,” I said, already running through ideas in my head. I wasn’t

into a thin line. “Can’t afford it right now,” she said softly. “Like I said, I’m barely making a profit. I’m struggling just to afford rent, and that’s even

I reached into my bag and pulled out the digital tablet Edwin had bought me all those months ago–I carried it everywhere, just in case inspiration ever struck. “Okay but what about flyers?” I asked. “We could design them ourselves, print them cheap at the

she said, a teasing grin spreading across her freckled face. “That’s

my tablet. “Oh, hush, you.” I turned to Avis. “We’ll make a point of mentioning the environmental benefits of

interest flickered in my friend’s eyes. “You really think that

“And we can

time that night, Avis’s shoulders seemed to loosen just

pushing up my sleeves.

hour, the four of us crowded around my drawing tablet, taking turns editing the flyers we drew up. More drinks were to

rolls of tape. The night air was cool and the sky was dark but clear, the scent of early autumn

pinned flyers to every community bulletin board I could find, and taped thefn

feet were pleasantly sore. I made my way back to our meeting spot outside the bar, where I found