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Chapter 8
“Oh my God, he did not do that,” Mandy exclaimed over Skype the next day.
Mairi grimaced when her friend started laughing. Either this was like déjà vu or she really had a nice set of friends, the kind that never failed to find amusement in her foibles.
Her gaze flitted back to the restroom’s full-length mirror. Oh God, no matter which way she looked at it, there was just no way people would mistake the dark spot above her collarbone for anything but a hickey.
Damn you, Damen.
“Can’t you use some makeup to conceal it?”
“I don’t have that kind of makeup with me.” She glared at her reflection, wishing it were her husband she was glaring at instead. “And even if I did, I wouldn’t know how to conceal it.”
From the other end of the line, Mandy heard sounds of water and scrubbing. “What are you doing?”
“Trying to scrub it out?”
Laughter had Mandy doubling over. “Oh God, Mairi. You’re crazy.”
“No,” Mairi protested miserably as she straightened up from the sink. “I’m desperate. How am I going to teach like this?” She bit back a curse when the bell started to ring, indicating that classes had started. Smoothing a nervous hand over the minimal creases on her black A-line skirt, she squared her shoulders. “Wish me luck, Mandy.”
“I wish you luck,” her friend returned promptly.
She relaxed a little. “Thanks Mandy, and I can’t wait until you join me here.”
Mairi’s phone rang just as she left the restroom and she frowned when she saw the name on the screen. Canceling the call, she sent a message to Damen.
Is it an emergency? Could we talk later if it’s not? I might be late for class.
Just call me soon as you can. It’s about Esther.
A leaden feeling enveloped her at the name. Esther Leventis. The heartless woman who had given birth to Damen and only thought of her children as pawns. She had secretly hoped that by leaving Greece, she and Damen would no longer have anything to do with his mother.
Guess not, Mairi thought. Taking the first step to the second floor, she came face to face with the vice dean. The fiftyish woman had also been one of the panelists during Mairi’s job interview for the university.
“Good morning, Dean Blanchard.”
“Professor Leventis.” The woman’s gaze immediately went to her neck.
Mairi resisted the urge to cover her hickey. I’m going to kill you for this, Damen.
Clearing her throat, the vice dean said, “I’ve been looking for you actually.” A discomfited look crossed her face. “I’d like a moment with you in my office.” Before Mairi could answer, the other woman added, “I know you’re thinking about your class, but I’ve already taken care of it. An aide has been sent to take charge of your students for now.”
Mairi slowly nodded. “Understood, Dean Blanchard.” She had a bad feeling about this, and it worsened when they reached the vice dean’s office. Instead of inviting her to the small living area in the office, Dean Blanchard indicated the swivel seat before her desk. She was definitely in trouble...but for what?
The vice dean took her seat behind the other side of the large desk. Leaning back, she clasped her hands in front of her. “Do you have any idea why I’ve called you in here?”
Mairi shook her head. “I’m afraid not, Dean Blanchard.”
“As you know, CU is a privately funded university. Its founding family, the Christopoulos’, takes its responsibilities to the student body seriously. Because of this, one of the family’s representatives has contacted me about a rather worrying matter.”
Mairi swallowed. “If this is about my past—-”
“Yes,” the vice dean acknowledged bluntly, “it is. I’m afraid we’ve received word from trusted sources that you’re about to be the subject of an exposé.”
The word ‘exposé’ caught her off guard. “A-about me?”
Dean Blanchard inclined her head. “Apparently, it’s based on complaints filed by women whose children are enrolled here.”
“But it’s only my second day,” Mairi blurted out, now even more confused.
“Exactly. Which was why the university had been predisposed to ignore or even discredit this until...” The older woman adjusted her glasses with a sigh. “We heard about what happened yesterday.”
It took a while for the meaning behind the words to sink in, Mairi paling when she realized the vice dean was talking about Leon Arlotta.
“According to other students, Mr. Arlotta has expressed his interest in you, and it’s allegedly mutual—-”
“Absolutely not, Dean Blanchard.” Mairi wished there was a way she could say the words more vehemently. “I’m happily married to my husband and will be so forever. I’m in love with him, head over heels, and he’s a dream boat and—-” She stopped with a gasp, realizing she had let her tongue run away...in front of the vice dean.
“A dream boat, you say?”
Mairi was surprised but relieved to hear the amusement in Dean Blanchard’s voice, but she still felt compelled to apologize. “I’m sorry, Dean.” She fought against turning red as she did but she failed on that, too.
