"Have you lost your mind?" Ezra asked. His mind unable to find the logic in the offer that was his best friend Hardy had just presented him with.
"No, but you would if you don't take us up on this" Hardy reasoned.
"Going back to Rosewood, would be a step backwards for me, there is nothing good for me in that town." Ezra argued.
"Head of the English department doesn't sound good to you?" Hardy asked in disbelief.
Ezra paused, he knew that was years ahead of him at his current job. "But it's Rosewood, I have too much history there."
"Speaking of" Hardy smirked. "I can imagine there is one particular professor, who would be livid at you taking his once guaranteed position."
Both men knowingly smiled at each other.
Ezra was now intrigued, and Hardy knew it.
"Keep talking" Ezra relented.
"Well the dean has a beef with Montgomery. When he said he was going outside of the department to fill the position, I was shocked. But we all know Hollis prefers to keep alumni on staff. I couldn't help myself, I mentioned you. You could see it in his eyes. Not only are you an excellent candidate, but Byron will lose it." Hardy said with a silly grin.
Thinking to himself, imagining the look of fury on Byron's face. "I'm in" Ezra answered quickly.
"That's my boy" Hardy cheered.
"Aria!" Can you grab Zoey for me?" Ella called out.
"Of course" Aria answered happily, picking up her baby sister. "Why I would keep her all weekend if you would let me" she cooed to the eight month old.
"Remember those words" Ella warned.
Aria just smiled back at her mother. "I mean it, I love my Zoey time."
Ella smiled at both of her daughters. Even with the twenty year age difference, they're so close.
"Well as long as your offering, I need to run by the Brew to help Zach with the payroll" Ella smirked.
"Go, I've got this" Aria said confidently.
"Oh, and I almost forgot. We have family dinner tonight over at your dad's." Ella reminded her.
"I remember" Aria laughed.
"Mike called to say he was bringing Callie, are you bringing anyone?" Ella asked hesitantly.
Aria's face contorted into an almost frown. "No mom, just me, same as last week" she reminded her mother.
"Well if you were more forth coming on your love life, a mother wouldn't have to pry" Ella defended.
"My love life is pretty non-existent. You know that." Aria said on the verge of being annoyed now.
"I know, it just been so long since….." Ella stopped herself.
"Since Ezra took off" Aria finished for her. "You can say the words mother"
Ella paused for a moment. "Well yeah, it's been over a year. It's not like you to stay in a rut for so long."
"I know mom, and that was a problem. That is exactly why Ezra wants nothing to do with me. I don't need to keep filling my life with a guy. I need to concentrate on me, then maybe a plant, then maybe a healthy relationship." Aria calmly explained.
Ella stood there and stared at her.
"What?" Aria asked her suspiciously.
"That was such a grown up thing to say" Ella responded sadly.
"Is that a bad thing?" Aria questioned.
"No it's good, it's just hard to see you as a woman, it takes some adjusting" Ella admitted.
"So how are things over at The Brew" Byron asked Zach, in an awkward attempt to make these "Family" Dinner's more successful than the last three.
"It's going good, with the school year starting up next week, I'm up to a full staff again. That is a huge relief, now I can spend more time with Ella and Zoey" he smiled. "Are you excited to get back to Hollis?" Zach asked politely.
Byron audibly sighed.
"What's wrong?" Ella asked him.
Well word around the campus is that Dean Williams is bringing in some new guy to be the Head of the English Department." Byron said agitated.
"What?" Ella is in disbelief. "That was always going to be your job" she said frustrated.
"Well seems Dean Williams doesn't agree" Byron said sadly.
"I'm sorry dad" Aria offered.
"Well the sword of office politics swings both ways" Byron admitted.
Aria didn't respond but she knew he was referring to him having the Dean fire Ezra.
"Well however they bring in won't be able to hold a candle to you" Ella assured him.
"That's another thing" Byron fumed. "They are being very secretive about the whole thing. They are actually going to make an official announcement for the guy and everything." Byron rolled his eyes.
"Don't let it get to you dad. They are making a huge mistake, and they will have to admit it soon" Mike offered.
"Yeah, I don't need to be head of the department, I just need to be employed. I swear if my children didn't get free tuition, I would just leave that place" Byron huffed.
"Well then five more years, and you're out the door!" Mike laughed nervously.
"Don't worry I know what my priorities are. Nothing they throw at me, is going to make me walk away from the benefits I have earned after all these years" Byron said confidently.
What will Bryon's reaction to Ezra be? Review and let me know if you're interested in my newest fic! Ezria coming soon!