A sinking feeling grew in Cal’s chest as he watched the metal coil slowly turn, then…nothing. The bag of chips wobbled, slumped to one side but did not fall, merely opting to dangle precariously from its snug little place in the vending machine.

Cal groaned and let his head fall forward, banging it against the glass a couple of times before resting there.

“You can’t be in despair yet. It’s only February.”

Cal rolled his head to one side to find Wendell standing there, the same slightly smug grin he always wore on his slightly smug face. Not that Cal disliked his co-worker. But everyone, including Wendell, knew that he led some kind of charmed life, where nothing went wrong and everyone loved him. Cal had tried to hate him but there was no way. The guy was too frigging nice.

“I can and I will,” Cal growled back, but it just made Wendell roll his eyes. Stepping closer, the redhead slapped the side of the vending machine and Cal’s bag of chips plunged to the trough below. And, because it was Wendell, the bag managed to dislodge a Snickers bar along the way too.

Cal had to huff out a laugh as he bent to retrieve his prize. “Thanks, man. That was the last of my change.” He held out the chocolate bar to Wendell. It only seemed fair but Wendell held up his hand and shook his head. Cal wasn’t surprised, not much passed those lips but kale and leprechaun tears.

“Nah, I’m good thanks. I didn’t really do anything.”

“Yeah, well, I should probably stop using this damn machine. That’s the third time it’s eaten my money this week. I’ve even tried bashing it but it never seems to work for me.”

“You’ve just got to find the sweet spot. I can show you if you like?”

Cal shook his head. “I should start bringing my lunch with me. Or maybe use the machine on the third floor instead.” He adjusted the satchel strap lying across his chest and started to walk back to his office. Wendell fell into step next to him.

“Please don’t tell me that’s your lunch.”

“Alright, I won’t tell you.”

Wendell rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath, but he didn’t say anything when Cal popped open the packet of chips and dug right in. At least, not right away. “Hey, don’t take this the wrong way but—are you okay?”

Cal frowned and looked over at Wendell as he chewed, but the guy looked serious. “I’m fine.” Cal managed to get the words out without spraying Wendell with potato.

“Tell me to butt out if you want but you’ve just seemed different. Since the start of the semester, I mean”

“Different, how?” Cal asked. A pang of panic hit his gut. He certainly felt fine. In fact, the only thing that was different in his life was a semi-regular appointment with a certain middle-aged virgin and the subsequent fantasies that he was jerking off to before he fell asleep every night. Currently, one recollecting the pleasure of sucking off said guy a few days before. Not that Wendell or anyone else he knew would worry about him being with a guy; Cal was hardly in the closet. But the fact that money was changing hands…that mattered. Mattered in a way that could mean Cal losing his job.

“I don’t know,” Wendell mused. “More relaxed, in a way but then sometimes, like now, you seem really on edge.”

Cal scowled without really meaning to. He could feel lines appear on his face, deep chasms of worry he sometimes saw when he caught his reflection in a window or chrome surface. “You know I hate it when you try to psych me.”

“Maybe,” Wendell smiled and leaned a little closer, dropping his voice, “Or maybe you’re just mad that I discovered your little secret.”

Cal didn’t scream or fall into a dead faint but the effort of appearing nonchalant about Wendell’s potentially career-threatening discovery made him feel like doing both of those things.

This was the moment he’d dreaded. It was the main reason he’d stopped hooking in college even though he’d ended up having to get two jobs to make half the money. It was partly why he’d taken up studying gender and sexuality, just so that he could down lay any ghosts from his sordid past as “research” rather than a job in and of itself. This moment, the moment, when his life and career came crashing down around his ears. When someone uttered the words—

“You’re seeing someone, aren’t you?”

Cal held his breath, too stupefied to be relieved. “What?”

Wendell smiled. “You are, aren’t you? Come on. Spill. I’ve seen those secret little smiles on your face. You really want to keep it to yourself?”

Cal gaped like a fish. Maybe it would be easier to just agree but if he did that Wendell would never let it lie. And he had a way of getting things out of people. Cal was sure he’d screw up any poorly thought-out lie eventually.

“I’m not seeing anyone.”

Wendell scoffed. “Sure you’re not. Come on. Is it a faculty member?” Cal grimaced at the thought. Wendell did too. “No, you’re right.” He thought for a moment. “Oh God, it’s not a student is it?”

Cal rounded on him, hissing, “Jesus Christ, Wendell! No!”

Wendell shrugged. “Hey, I’m not judging. And don’t look at me like that. Hell, if old Markham can get pensioned off for it when he’s pushing seventy, I bet you have a queue of freshmen just lining up for—”

“Sometimes, I wonder why we’re friends at all.” Cal turned and started to walk away.

Wendell had to jog a little to catch up. “It’s not my fault you’re keeping secrets.”

“I’m not keeping secrets,” Cal lied. Except it wasn’t really a lie. “Aren’t I allowed a little privacy?”

“Ha! So you are seeing someone?” The smug smile was back on Wendell’s face and Cal wondered again why he didn’t hate the guy.

“No. I mean—” Cal sighed and looked at his sneakers. Actually, I’m having sex with a man for money and the fact that he’s sweet and funny and maybe I look forward to it is completely coincidental. It’s simply a business arrangement…that makes me smile when I think about it. “I’m not seeing anyone, Wendell. Believe me. Why would I lie about that?”

Wendell regarded him in that way he had that made Cal wonder if it was something they taught in Advanced Psych to freak people out. As if Wendell was looking directly into his brain.
“Shame,” Wendell said. “I could do with some romance in my life, even if it is vicarious.”

“You’re married.”

“Exactly!” Wendell beamed.

He looked so pleased with himself that Cal had to laugh. “Well, on the slim chance that I do meet someone, I promise you’ll be the first to know. Happy?”

Wendell sighed dramatically. “I suppose so.” A buzzing came from his pocket and he scooped out his cell and turned off the alarm without looking at it. “Ugh. I told Parker I’d sub for him next week. You wanna take it for me instead?”

Cal laughed. “No way.”

“I didn’t think so.” Wendell sighed. “I better go meet the old goat then so he can walk me through Persuasive Speaking 202, and see if I can get excited about it.”

“Good luck with that.” Cal smiled.

Wendell pointed at him as he backed away. “I’m counting on you to break the monotony by regaling me with your adventures in dating.”

Cal shook his head and was tempted to flip him the finger but he figured he was already in enough trouble. He was taking a risk, seeing Ben, but he’d known that from the moment Harry had suggested it. That first time it had been all about the money. He’d need some quick cash but now he had to weigh up whether the risk was worth it. His job might not be the most glamorous but he liked it and it was the only teaching position he could get with his qualifications and experience. Deciding if he wanted to risk that over one john shouldn’t have made him wrestle with himself quite so much.

He did just that as he trudged back to his cramped little office. By the time he got there and saw the hunched figure sat on the floor outside his door, Cal wasn’t close to making up his mind.

“Everything okay, Sarah?”

Sarah jumped up, books and crumpled pages falling from her lap as she did so. “Oh crap. I mean—I’m sorry, Mr. Fraser. I know I don’t have an appointment and I wasn’t even sure if you had office hours today, I just—”

“It’s fine. I don’t, but it’s fine.” Cal slipped the key into the lock and tried not to audibly sigh. “Still, having trouble with that assignment, huh?”

The girl nodded, or at least her pink hair flopped about under her raised hood. Cal smiled and held open the door. “Come in, then. Let’s see if we can’t get one of us back on track.”