Free On Common Ground (Harlequin Super Romance) by Tracy Kelleher

certainly respect my work, and they were delighted to hear about the award—especially from Grantham. I’m an only child, and to have their daughter not only get in but be honored by the university is like a dream come true for them. I’m the first person in my family ever to go to college outside the state, let alone an Ivy League institution. In fact, my dad’s coming in later today for the ceremony on Saturday.”
    “Not both your parents? I thought—” the president said, looking momentarily baffled.
    “No, my mother is unable to come. She’s the principal of the elementary school on Orcas Island, and they still have another week to go, including their own little graduation. It wouldn’t do for the principal to miss that.”
    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Justin’s eyebrows seemed raised to new heights as he gazed at the university president. And that the president, after less than a moment’s hesitation, seemed to respond to some telepathic communication.
    He refocused on her. “Yes. It would be a long way to come from Washington State for such a short period of time,” he said with what sounded like genuine understanding. Then he held out his arm to guide her through the hallway to the smaller dining room. “We go this way,” he said with extreme largesse. The Queen couldn’t have been treated more royally.
    Lilah stepped across the dark-stained wood floors under the watchful gaze of nineteenth-century portraits of old white men and then hesitated slightly. The only other time she’d been in Edinburgh House had been as a freshman when there was a welcoming reception for new students. Actually, to be technically correct, she’d never been in the house, only the terraced garden in the back. She, along with the other nervous newcomers, had formed a serpentine line along the gravel paths that bisected the formal beds of perennials. The then-president had been Eleanor Henrietta Nesmith, an expert on Victorian literature who the alums adored for her devotion to the football team. She had held forth in front of the bubbling fountain, greeting each new Grantham student with a sturdy handshake as twin carved-stone fish spouted water playfully from their bounteous lips.
    “You all right?” Justin whispered behind her and touched the small of her back.
    The feel of his fingertips through her loose-fitting black jacket didn’t help her regain her bearings one bit. But at least the jolt of contact helped her avoid turning into the cloakroom by mistake.
    “Here we are,” Ted announced and waited as she passed through tall double doors—to a whole throng of people.
    Lilah gulped. “I thought this was a private lunch?” She had been anticipating that the three of them would sit at a small table discussing world politics, or baseball or the annual alumni fund drive or whatever it was one talked to university presidents about.
    “I thought you’d enjoy meeting some of the university trustees. They’re in for one of their regular meetings, of course.”
    “Of course.” She felt like a broken record.
    “And I knew there were several who were interested in meeting you,” Ted said, encouraging her to go in. “I hope you don’t mind?”
    “Mind?” Lilah asked. Sure, she was used to talking to individuals to raise money for her foundation, but they were usually like-minded women who already knew about her work. But a bunch of middle-aged banker types or insurance execs who held a soft spot for the old orange-and-black of Grantham University? She was not exactly in her element.
    Justin leaned closer. “Don’t worry. They’ll love you,” he whispered.
    She knew he meant to make her feel better. But if only she didn’t feel the flutter of his breath on the sensitive skin of her neck. She closed her eyes a moment to regroup, and out of nowhere, the mental image appeared of him placing his lips right where the molecules of air tickled her epidermis.
    Her eyes flashed open. Just in time to