I loved how he spoke to me like I was a valuable worker, not just a girl at a pizza place, working shifts around college. He was right, though. I’d taken on more and more since I worked there. I was the one who was always dashing around, with more and more responsibility piled on top of me.

I chanced a probing question.

“What did you do before? I somehow doubt you’ve been an insurance clerk all your life.”

“Really?” He laughed. “I thought I might be fitting into Worcester life quite comfortably by now.”

I laughed with him, enjoying his company.

“Actually,” he went on, “I was a professor...