As Zelda turned into the corridor that led to Boone's office, she noticed Professor Paulette Fanning enter his office and close the door.  It was poor timing on Zelda's part, so she continued to the chair outside his door and sat. When she heard their voices, she looked over at the office door, noting that Professor Fanning had forgotten to latch it behind her.

The honest thing to do would be to stand up and walk away, letting them have what was possibly a private conversation without her overhearing. But Zelda remembered what Simone had said about Professor Fanning and Boone, and her curiosity made walking away from the situation an impossibility.

"Boone, do you have a moment," Professor Fanning asked in a soft, almost timid, voice.

"Sure, Paulette, what can I help you with?" Boone replied before Zelda heard the squeaking of a chair.

"I thought we could go out for drinks like we used to, maybe an evening out, dinner and a show? I have tickets to the ballet this weekend," Dr. Fanning suggested.

"No, thank you. I have plans, but I appreciate you thinking of me." Zelda could hear the friendly smile in Boone's voice.

The part about Boone and Professor Fanning having a relationship must be true, and Zelda felt a spurt of jealousy, something she hadn't felt since Boone was engaged and she would see him at parties with his fiancé.

Dr. Fanning wasn't ready to give up so easily. "Why don't we go out like we used to? We had some good times." She sounded only mildly curious.

Zelda couldn't see them, but she could picture Professor Fanning circling Boone as if he was her prey.

"We did have fun, Paulette, but we both knew, even back then, that there is never going to be anything serious between us." Boone's voice was gentle as he said the words.

"No, I didn't know that, but thank you for clarifying the situation for me." Professor Fanning's voice sounded a little strained. "We'll still be friends of course."

Zelda felt that Professor Fanning only said it to save face in an awkward situation.

"I've heard a rumor that has me concerned." She changed the subject quickly, too quickly, it was as if she had laid a trap and now she was springing it.

Zelda wished she could see them. She wanted a better read on the situation.

"What's that?" This time Boone sounded only mildly curious and not the least bit fazed by the embarrassing conversation that he and Professor Fanning had just had about a nonexistent relationship.

"Someone informed me that you were living with Zelda Strauss." Professor Fanning's voice was all polite gentleness once more.

There was a heavy pause.

"I am living with Zelda Strauss," Boone confirmed, and Zelda's heart lurched when she heard him say it. "So now you might see the difficulty with us going out together. I've already chosen another."

Zelda bit her lip. It had been an unnecessarily harsh statement, which meant Boone was probably feeling defensive or angry.

"Boone," Professor Fanning admonished. "That's not allowed, nor is it wise. Zelda Strauss is your student!"

"It might be frowned upon, but nowhere is the school's handbook does it say that it's not allowed. As for whether it is wise or not, that's between Zelda and me." Boone sounded polite, but his voice had lost its friendliness.

"You know what everyone will say when she passes your class, don't you? They will say that she slept with you to get her A." Professor Fanning's voice had lowered to a hiss, and it was hard for Zelda to make out what she said, so she turned to face the door, catching Boone's eye as she did.

He knew that she was there. Zelda couldn't help the guilt that flooded through her, but it was too late to leave, so she settled back into her seat, determined to hear the rest.

"She very well could be asked to leave the school for misconduct, as could you." The concern in Fanning's ss voice sounded fake. "It could ruin your career as a teacher."

"I have a few other careers to fall back on if need be," Boone said, sounding unconcerned.

"What about Zelda, this is her second time trying for a degree, if she fails again, it might crush her." Professor Fanning sounded distressed at the thought.

"Zelda is not easily crushable, but I'm sure she knows the risks involved." 

Zelda caught a movement out of the corner of her eye and saw Boone stand, pushing back his chair, signaling that the conversation was at an end. Her nerves failed her, and she darted down the corridor and into the lady's room where she waited for a few minutes before she ventured out and back towards Boone's office. When she reached it, she stopped at the partially opened door, listening for voices.

"Come in, Zelda, the coast is clear." She could hear the amusement in Boone's voice. "Did you enjoy the show?"

Zelda closed the door behind her, making sure the latch caught.

"I'm not going to apologize for eavesdropping. I was in a public space." Zelda sounded like a petulant child, like Eden.

"A weak excuse at best, but don't worry I won't hold it against you. I would have done the same had the situation been reversed." Boone grinned, and Zelda's heart stopped at the sight of it.

"I guess the rumors are true then?" Zelda asked as she sat in the chair opposite his desk.

"More rumors? Do tell." Boone leaned forward with his hands resting on the desk in front of him.

"Simone told me that you and Professor Fanning had an affair, and that was how you got the job here," Zelda said it quickly, afraid of how he would take it, and what he would say.

Boone leaned back in his chair and considered Zelda for a moment. He was taking so long to comment that Zelda was about to scream in frustration by the time he finally spoke.

"Excuse me for delaying my response, I'm enjoying your little display of jealously masked in polite manners." He gave a crooked grin at Zelda's huff of anger. "In answer to that, and all of the other questions you have not asked, Paulette and I did go out, but it was years ago before you came back to town. We were set up by my editor who felt I was becoming a hermit. I went out with her a few times to get both of them off my back.  When I was asked by the president of the school to teach a class I met her again and felt obliged to go out for drinks a few times. Nothing serious ever happened between us because I only had thoughts of you." Boone's gaze looked at her longingly and Zelda knew he was trying to charm her.

"Did you two ever..." Zelda couldn't bring herself to ask the question.

"Have sex, sleep together, bump nasties -"

"Boone!" Zelda cut him off before he could go any further. He was being crass on purpose.

"I only want to make sure the question is clear before I tell you no. We never had an intimate relationship of any kind. I never even kissed Paulette."

Zelda felt some of the tension in her ease at his answer, and she was satisfied enough to change the subject. "I spoke to Simone today at the coffee shop."

"Was she following you again?" Boone frowned.

"No, she was already there when I got there. She says that she did find you fascinating, but that she could see how we felt about each other, so she gave up. When I asked her why she took photos of us she looked confused and denied taking any photos. She did admit to following us on several occasions though." Zelda only told him the highlights of their conversation.

"Do you believe her?' Boone asked, looking at his watch then standing.

"I do," Zelda nodded.

"Then that rules her out and hopefully means her troublemaking is at an end." His thoughts were the same as Zelda's

Zelda stood and followed Boone out of his office, waiting as he locked his door behind them.

"I  agree with you, but if she didn't do take the photos then that leaves either Charles or maybe a reporter, and we still don't know what Charles wants if he did take the photos." Zelda sighed.

"Perhaps not, but the photos would be proof that he has something he can hold over you if needed." Boone put a comforting arm around Zelda's shoulders as they walked. "Don't worry, I have a few things up my sleeve that I can hold over him, and I have a friend digging into his past for more."

Boone stopped and looked down at her. "On another subject, there was one thing that I wanted to clarify about that conversation I just had with Fanning. You do know the risk involved with this relationship, and that it could potentially get you kicked out of school?"

Zelda looked up at him, praying he could see the honesty in her eyes. "Boone, I would walk away from getting my degree right now, so long as I got to keep you in my life. That's probably not the feminist way to feel, but it is the way I feel."

Boone took a shaky breath then kissed her right in the middle of the busy hallway. "Thank you for that. It's exactly how I feel, and how I thought you felt, but I needed to hear you say it. For the record, I want you to have the education you want and deserve, so I will fight to make sure that you receive it. If not from here then from another school of your choice." 

"You're welcome," Zelda said, rising on tiptoe to kiss him again, sealing the deal and whatever their fate might be.

"We're going to be late to class, Mrs. Strauss." He grinned as he grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hall towards the classroom.

Everyone was there and saw them enter together, with Boone's hand holding hers.

There could be no doubt now about their relationship.