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“What we do off-campus reflects on us as much as what we do on campus. I’m sure you can see where I am going with this.”
“Are you saying that in order to keep my job, to even be considered ever for my tenure position, I would need to never see Zach again?”
“Is that the name of the man you were with?”
I thought he had said “Mr. Thomas” earlier in the conversation, but I couldn’t be sure, and it wasn’t something to worry about, all things considered.
“Yes. I don’t think you can ask me that. What I do on my own time is my own. Not yours,” I said.
“Technically, you are right; I can’t. However, I don’t have to be as kind to you in your current situation either. I’m not telling you what to do or how to dictate your life. I’m just pointing out to you that your actions have consequences. How deep and far those consequences go depends entirely on how you handle yourself from this point forward.”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. He knew he had me. He didn’t have to let this go. And if I pushed him on what he was saying, he would just find another reason not to keep me. The only way to keep my job was to let Zach go. I didn’t have a leg to stand on or a way to fight Dr. Janson. I could see that, and as much as I hated to admit it, I knew there was nothing that I could do.
Could I really give up Zach for my career? Could I walk away from my career to be with Zach? As I looked over at Dr. Janson and he waited for my answer, I had no idea what I was going to do or how I was going to make it right.
Chapter 22
Zach
“He’s just trying to scare you. It’s what he does. He’s used to being able to intimidate people, and he doesn’t like that he can't with you,” Ashley said over the phone.
I was standing in my backyard watching the setting sun as we talked. It was perfect for entertaining with a large patio, lounge furniture scattered around, and an expansive kitchen area with a smoker and grill. The swimming pool took up the back half of the yard with a firepit in the middle. I bought the place a few years ago, thinking I would use it to showcase my work and live among the people I wanted to work with. It was hardly home even before Victoria and I got together. It was a decent house with four bedrooms and five baths, but I didn’t like it as much as I did Victoria’s place. Hers had felt more like home than mine ever had.
All afternoon, I had racked my brain trying to figure out what my father would do to Victoria to make me toe the line. The list had been as long and as complicated as the man. I had called Victoria numerous times, but her phone had only gone to voicemail. I was worried that he had already gotten to her, told her something, made her think the worst of me, and I couldn’t have that. I needed to talk to her, but I had no idea where she was, and she wasn’t returning my calls.
Frustrated, I had gone for a drive to try and clear my head and then went home. When that hadn’t worked, I had called Ashley. If anyone would know what my father was thinking, it was her. I had expected her to be outraged at what he was doing; she hated him getting involved in her life as much as I did. She might not like that I was with Victoria, but I thought I had gotten her on board, and knowing what Father had done would have only made it more so. But she was beyond calm and told me I was overreacting.
“He isn’t going to do anything. He only wanted to see what you would do. I’m sure he was hoping you would cave as soon as he said anything. That you didn’t pissed him off, so he had to go a step farther. Dad loves Victoria; he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”
“Father loves his career more, and if he thinks that I can help his career and me being with Victoria would hurt him, he would cut her off and throw her to the wolves in a second.”
“Think about it logically. If he does that, it’ll only make Samantha more upset, and the last thing any of us wants is her upset and doing something rash.”
“Samantha breathes irrationally, so I think that goes without saying. But yes, she would probably go all Momma Bear on all of us if someone hurt Victoria. Especially if it could make her look good.”
“And Dad knows that. He’s not going to jeopardize the divorce over this. It wouldn’t be smart, and he’s a smart man.”
“Do you really think he’s bluffing?”
I ran through the conversation I had with him over in my head, and I started to see what Ashley was saying. He didn’t sound as forceful as he could, and I wondered if she was right and he was only trying to scare me. I hoped so. The last thing I wanted was for Victoria to be hurt by us being together. I wanted to protect her and make her life better, not the other way around. I hated thinking that my father could or would do anything to make her life difficult. Whatever that might be.
“Yes. Stop worrying. How did the showing go today?” Ashley asked, clearly done with the subject.
“It went well; they should be sending over an offer tomorrow morning.”
“Good. See? All is right in the world.”
The ringing of my doorbell had me turning my head. “I got to go; someone’s at my door. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”
“Sure thing. Have a good night.”
“You too. And thanks for talking me off the ledge.”
“Anytime,” Ashley replied and hung up.
I ended the call right before I looked to see who was standing outside. I smiled, and it only grew as I opened up the door to see Victoria standing there, but as soon as I saw her face, my smile fell. “What happened? What’s wrong?”
“Everything,” she said and walked past me.
