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“And then what? You’d have had questions. I see your point. It's just where was that conversation supposed to go? It's a weird situation. That's all I'm saying. But it's obvious you really have feelings for him, and I hate to see you throw this away.”
“I know. I do have feelings for him,” I murmured. “It’s just I felt like he was out of my league anyway.”
“Why is he out of your league?” Audrey asked, her tone almost sharp.
“You knew what he was like in high school. He was handsome and popular with girls chasing after him.”
My friend gave me a searching look. “I'm not going to argue the point that Ian was handsome. Obviously, he was and is. But that doesn’t make him out of your league.”
“I think I'm still hung up that I was pretty much the opposite of him in high school. It’s hard to believe he wants to be with me now when he barely noticed me then.”
“Well, believe it. You're beautiful, you're smart, and you're totally a catch. Trust me. These are facts.”
“If I am such a catch, how come no one else noticed before?”
Audrey’s brows hitched as she gave me a considering look. “Because you don't give anybody a chance, and maybe you just didn't meet the right guy. Plus, men are stupid sometimes.”
I laughed. “Fine then.”
“I think you should call Ian. Stop letting this get in the way.”
I wrinkled my nose and sighed. “I'll think about it.”
“Dallas thinks Ian's in love with you.” I almost choked on a swallow of water. Audrey continued, “Actually, he doesn't think. He said he knows it.”
“How could he know?” I managed.
“He knows Ian well. They're all close. They’ve gotten really tight these past few years. They lost their mom, and they got even closer in the aftermath of what happened with their dad. They talk all the time.”
Just then, Audrey glanced at her watch. “Oh, I need to go. I've got a meeting at work.”
I stood from the table as she did. “It’s good to see you. Thanks for listening.”
Her smile was warm. “Always. I'm so glad you're in Boston now.”
She left with a smile and a wave. I promised her we'd have lunch soon. Her parting comment about me being in Boston had me mulling over it. Living hours apart was no small barrier to Ian and me.
I finished my coffee and walked back toward the university, only to encounter a reporter.
“Ma'am, can you tell us what you knew about Ian Tate being the primary whistleblower on the finance case?”
Ugh. I hated that the case was all over the news. “No comment,” I said firmly.
“Surely, you knew something about this,” the reporter countered.
“Actually, you probably know more than I do,” I said, my tone a little too sharp.
I'd had to field phone calls, so having a reporter thrust a phone in my face with another reporter holding a camera left me feeling unsettled.
“We understand you're an old family friend. Do you think it's possible Ian was involved in the scam himself? Like father, like son.”
Iknewthat was bullshit, but I pressed my lips together and took a breath. “Of course not,” I said swiftly. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
I hurried past them, relieved to reach the main entrance of the building where my office was at the university. I jogged up the stairs, closing and locking my door before sitting down at my desk with a giant sigh. I didn't have time to dwell. I had three classes in a row. For that, I was relieved. I didn't need to be obsessing about it this afternoon.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Ian
