“I understand the appeal, Mel – trust me, I do. But I’m also scared as hell for you.”
She took his hands, scooting closer to him on the couch. “Look at me, Jeff. I’m fine.”
The full force of the concern in his eyes took her breath away. “This could go really badly really quickly, Mel. You’re just supposed to keep lying to everyone? To your friends and your family, and to the people who control what grad schools you get into? And what happens if you break up? It’s not like you could avoid him.”
“I’m in love with him,” she said, the first tear slipping down her cheek.
It was the first time she’d admitted it out loud, and it felt so good to say it, but also terrifying. What if Jeff was right? What if this was going to end badly, no matter how she felt about Liam? What if he didn’t love her back?
“Of course you are. Who wouldn’t be in love with him?” he exhaled, unwilling or unable to yell at her when she was in such a vulnerable place. Jeff leaned back, throwing his arm over her shoulder and pulling her against him. “Does he treat you well?” he asked. She nodded as she crawled closer to her best friend, her head sinking to his shoulder. “Does he love you?”
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
Jeff took a deep breath, puffing out his cheeks as he blew out the air. “I don’t think he’d intentionally hurt you… but I’m worried about you, doll,” he said, squeezing her shoulder. “A man like Dr. J wouldn’t just break your heart. He’d annihilate it. And if anyone else finds out –”
“No one is going to find out,” she insisted, more confidently than she felt.
He rolled his eyes. “You two weren’t exactly discreet today.”
“Do you think anyone else noticed?” she asked, almost afraid to hear his answer.
“I don’t think so. Everyone else was too busy taking sides in Bobby and Phoebe’s latest fight. That and being scandalized by your costume.”
She laughed and he joined in. Min took a deep breath – they would be okay. She should have told Jeff from the start. It felt so good to be able to talk about it with her best friend. She understood why Jeff was worried – hell, she was worried, too – but she also knew he’d have her back. Just like he always did.
Jeff’s Cheshire Cat grin spread over his face. “Who would’ve thunk it. Our Mel, little miss goodie-two-shoes, having dirty, forbidden sex with a professor.”
“Shut up,” she laughed into his chest.
“You gotta tell me, doll. He’s good, right? I mean, he looks like he’d be good.”
“I’m not answering that,” she said, blushing fiercely.
He sank further into the couch, taking her with him. “Oh, that means he’s better than good,” he teased.
∞∞∞
Liam stood in his kitchen Wednesday morning brewing a pot of coffee, shirtless, a pair of drawstring pajama pants hanging low on his hips. He and Min had been up half the night, as if they could have enough sex in one night to make up for the two days they’d be away from each other when she went home for Thanksgiving. They hadn’t gone two days without seeing each other since they’d given in to being together. He rubbed the palm of his hand over his heart in a vain attempt to massage away the ache brought on by the mere idea of being without her.
His phone rang, startling him. Glancing at the caller ID, he huffed out a breath, pulling his thoughts away from the naked woman sleeping in his bed. Nothing good could come from the dean calling him this early.
“Son? You’re coming to Shira’s for Thanksgiving,” the dean boomed before Liam could even get out a greeting.
Liam dragged his hand over his face. He always went to Noah’s mother’s house for Thanksgiving – Shira had been inviting him since he and Noah first became friends more than a decade ago. At this point, Noah’s mother and sister were Liam’s family as well. “Yes, sir,” Liam said.
“Good. You’ll join me for a meeting with Karl and Petra Dietrich on Friday.”
“Excuse me?” It was too early, and he was too tired for this.
“The Dietrichs. They’ll be in Jersey for the holiday and we are meeting them on Friday,” the Dean said. “It’s high time you closed this deal. The President wants a signed agreement on his desk before winter break.”
“Of course,” Liam said.
He ignored the sour taste filling his mouth. Every time he met with the Dietrich family something felt off – like staring down a snake and waiting for it to strike.
“Don’t screw it up. This isn’t just your legacy, son – it’s mine, too.”
With that, the dean hung up. Liam leaned his weight against the granite countertop, his hands spread wide, hanging his head. He was so close to finally building the program of his dreams and doing all the things his father never could. But was it really his program if he had to capitulate to people like the Dietrichs? It was hard to focus on meetings with donors and five-year strategic plans when all he wanted to do was spend every second buried inside Min.
