Free Manila Marriage App by Jan Elder Page B

called out, “Let me guess. You were a quarterback in college?”
    “Yep.”
    I’d never seen him play—he was four years older than I—and though I’d gone to most of the games when I was in school, I didn’t know much when it came to football. I was hardly cheerleader material, and I’d had way more fun besting the boys on the skeet shooting team.
    The scrimmage resumed without Timothy’s help. He waved and rushed off to yet another pressing task.
    Grabbing the opportunity, I wandered around the grounds and absorbed the atmosphere. The campus was compact, but well laid out, each nook and cranny rife with unfamiliar foliage and lush undergrowth. And it wasn’t even the rainy season yet. As I hiked, I searched for geckos. I found three, not quite as fast as Timothy’s, but close. I’d been so busy checking out the scenery, I’d forgotten the time. I shifted into high gear and took off for the Faculty Center. Whoa, whoa, whoa ! I stepped on the self-control brakes and continued at a slower pace. I was leaving here next week. It wouldn’t do to seem overeager, even if he was growing on me.
    As I walked down the hall toward Timothy’s office, Jemma glided out of his office on tiny feet, a huge grin gracing her pretty face. What was she so happy about? And once again, why did I give a flip what Jemma thought? Maybe I wanted to be sure Timothy chose well after I left, right? When she saw me, her smiley face morphed back to solemn.
    I made an effort and nodded at her.
    Having passed that obstacle, I swept into Timothy’s office. He sat in his chair, fingers laced behind his neck, elbows pointed toward the ceiling. He lit up at the sight of me, and I was…charmed. As my mouth curved into a smile, the image of our inexplicable first meeting played in my head. The same idea must have crossed his mind because he reached into the top drawer of his desk and fished out a small yellow package. “Gum?”
    I tossed my blondetresses over my shoulders and declined. I still didn’t know what Timothy had meant when he’d said I was “way too…” that first day. We needed to delve deep into that wretched marriage application discussion. I hoped he didn’t genuinely believe we were going to wed. Nah, uh. No way, not gonna happen. I had to set him straight. I was starting to feel bad about my small deception. It wasn’t fair of me to lead him on. I perched on an office chair and chose a non-volatile subject. “Timothy, may I ask you a question?”
    His forehead furrowed. “Uh, sure. Ask away.”
    “OK, but I warn you, this is very important, and I’ll not sleep tonight until I have the answer.”
    His gaze bounced around the room seeking an escape route. “OK…”
    Men were so much fun to tease.
    “Did you know you have a spotted lizard living in your bedroom?”
    His face smoothed back into shape, his relief palpable. “Ah. I see you’ve met George.”
    “He has a name?”
    “Of course. His girlfriend, Martha, lives in the kitchen.”
    I couldn’t help it. I cracked up. “He has a girlfriend? Good to know. George and Martha. You are ever the historian, aren’t you?”
    He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.
    “I think I’ve seen Martha scurry up the wall in the middle of the night.” I said with a laugh. “I assume they’re friendly.”
    “Absolutely. In fact, they earn their keep. House lizards prey on flies, spiders, and other pesky critters.”
    Anything that decreased the spider population was all right in my book. “So what? You just let them wander around the house unchecked? What if I open a flatware drawer and find one staring up at me.”
    “Stare back.”
    “Cute.”
    “Ready to go?” He escorted me out of the Faculty and Student Center.
    I wasn’t watching where I was going—OK, I was enjoying the view that was Timothy—when I bumped into a tall, lanky guy standing in my way.
    “Hey there, sweetie.”
    What was Blaine, the ex-boyfriend who’d deserted me, doing