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“What rumors are those?” I ask, knowing there is no right or wrong thing to say right now.
“I’ve been told that you are having sexual relations with Andie Foster, your TA and graduate student. Is this information correct?” He leans closer. “I want the truth.”
Sighing, I say, “I’ll tell you everything you want to know if you’ll tell me how you came across these rumors?”
He searches my gaze before sitting back in his chair. “I won’t reveal my source, but I will show you.”
He pulls a brown envelope out of his desk and slides it toward me. His hand stays on top and when I meet his gaze, he says, “I haven’t showed anyone else.”
Swallowing back the lump in my throat, I take the envelope and pull the images out. My heart thuds heavily against my breastbone when I turn and look at them.
They’re images from the night when the lights around the pool had been switched on. Some images have us snuggled together on the lounge chair, and others are of Andie astride my hips. It’s obvious what we’re doing with the way that Andie has her head thrown back and my hands tugging at her nipples. The images would be erotic if our futures weren’t currently hanging in the balance.
“So, are you still having sexual relations with this student?”
My jaw tightens because the way he’s asking makes what I have with Andie cheap when it’s anything but. “My relationship with Andie is just that—a relationship between two consenting adults.”
“And it’s been going on since she started here,” he comments.
My jaw drops. “What? No!” I shake my head. “It’s recent. Whatever this person has told you about when we started seeing each other is wrong. A few weeks and that’s it.”
He’s thoughtful. “Considering the surprise that looked genuine on your face, I’m inclined to believe you. Someone has something against you, huh?”
“Long?” I question, but his answer is written on his face. “She has hinted since the year started that she’d like to get together with me.” I sigh and sitting forward, run my hands through my hair. “I’ve always shied away because I’m not interested.” I meet his gaze. “She’s picked up that there is someone else and now won’t leave me alone about it. It’s annoying considering she’s an adult and not a child.”
“I can’t ignore what’s been thrown on my desk, Sawyer. I wish that I could.”
He sighs heavily but stays silent.
“I’ll resign if you promise no to let anything affect Andie. She stays as a TA and someone else will take over as her adviser. Nothing can harm everything she’s worked hard for.”
“You really do love her?”
“More than anything.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Sawyer. You’re a damn fine Professor and the students love you, unlike some of your colleagues. There’s seven weeks until she graduates, so what I propose is this: you don’t resign and Andie keeps everything. You resign and Andie will go with you. These rules only apply as long as you stay apart. If I discover that you’re still together then our deal is off and you’re both gone.”
I sit with my mouth open wondering the logic behind his words. To all intents and purposes he’s blackmailing us.
“I want to keep you both and this is the only way I can think of doing it. The chancellor won’t discover your liaison with a student from me and I’ll try and keep Long out of it. In seven weeks you can marry the girl for all I care. There’ll be tongues chatting but who cares when she’s no longer a student here?”
“You’ll accept my resignation then?”
I can’t really believe that I’m considering this, but if it keeps Andie safe, which is my main concern, then there really isn’t a choice to make.
Dean Johansson nods.
“I’ll talk to Andie and then we’ll stay away from each other for the remainder of the school year.”
“You won’t talk to her, at least not in person. The separation starts now, so call her, text her, email her, just nothing in between.”
He stands so I know the meeting is over.
I walk out, my head buzzing with a thousand wasps, knowing that Andie isn’t going to be happy. What more can I do though? Seven weeks is a hell of a long time.
Outside the administration building, I drop on to one of the benches and ignore the world going by while I try to get my mind working again. It shut down in the Dean’s office, and still doesn’t want to come back online.
But as I do start thinking my one and only thought is of Andie and how the hell I’m going to tell her about the deal I’ve just made.
