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“I told them you’re definitely gay,” Dawn went on, increasingly worried, probably because Aled hadn’t said anything yet.
He took in a breath to force himself to pull it together and said, “Thanks, love. Just ignore it, though. It’s just gossip. It only grows if people keep talking about it and give it any time. You and I know the truth.”
“Should I tell them that, then?” Dawn asked, more agitated instead of less. She had already been wound tight, and the last thing they needed was for some idle, vicious gossip designed to cause trouble to send her over the edge.
“No,” he said, resting a hand on the side of her face for a second and smiling. “Let me handle it. You just go and have fun with your friends. But keep me and Jamie out of the conversation, okay?”
Dawn smiled like she’d been reassured. “Okay.” She lifted to her toes to kiss Jamie’s cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Aled said, then watched Dawn run back over to her friends.
Once he was satisfied that she was in good hands, he sought out Jamie across the room. Jamie glanced to him briefly with a concerned look, but Aled pretended nonchalance and turned away, heading over to get the last of the chairs.
When he reached the dolly, though, he pulled out his mobile and texted Jamie. “Someone’s been spreading vicious rumors about us, and I think we know who that is.”
He continued with his work, and a few minutes later, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Jamie’s reply. “I’ll take care of it.”
SEVENTEEN
Panic.That’s what Aled’s text had caused in Jamie. Even though he’d sent a calm, mature reply, in actuality, what Jamie felt was sheer panic. It was the beginning of the end, the arrival of the thing he’d most feared for months now. His private live had been exposed, and like it had when his family had found out he was gay, the truth would ravage his life all over again.
Jamie barely had to do any digging at all to figure out that the rumors about him and Aled had made it all the way through the university. Or at least the parts of the university that affected both his and Aled’s lives. Alexandra had heard the rumors, and after a quick check, Brian had as well. They all seemed to have started about a week ago, which made it fairly obvious that Ronny was behind them.
And it wasn’t just the students who were whispering and giggling about the whole thing.
“I’ve been willing to overlook this dalliance you’re having with a student,” Dr. Epstein said with a frown as he and Jamie stood with a group from the fundraising committee near the door to the banquet hall. The banquet was about to start, and donors were already arriving.
“It’s more than a dalliance,” Jamie inserted before Dr. Epstein went on, hoping he could salvage things.
“But these recent rumors circulating around the university aren’t a good look, as the young people are saying these days,” Dr. Epstein finished with a sigh. “I thought you were going to be discreet about this, Professor Croft.”
Jamie swallowed and adjusted his glasses. “That was the intention,” he said. “If I can be candid, Dr. Epstein, I believe the rumors were started by someone with ill-intentions toward me.”
Dr. Epstein frowned. “This isn’t a Bronte novel, Croft. This is a university, and you are a professor here. You need to maintain a certain standard of decorum.”
“I understand, Dr. Epstein,” Jamie said, already anticipating that his teaching career was over. “I can assure you, I’m working on solving the problem. I won’t let it affect the university or the quality of my work.”
Dr. Epstein hummed, then turned to greet a donor with connections to the royal family with a wide smile and a handshake.
Jamie did his best to smile and greet the guests, but his gaze kept wandering to the other side of the hall, where Ronny was laughing and entertaining another cluster of donors. How much spite could one man have?
Ronny seemed to sense Jamie was staring at him. He turned and met Jamie’s eyes before Jamie had a chance to look away and pretend he didn’t care one way or another if Ronny existed. Ronny grinned at him and raised his wine glass. To anyone observing, it would have seemed like a friendly greeting, but Jamie knew the steel in Ronny’s eyes. He still thought he owned Jamie, and he wasn’t going to give up that ownership easily.
Jamie’s mind had just started to spin around the impossible problem of how to convince a jealous ex to leave him in peace and move on when Aled and Dawn arrived. All of the students who had helped set up for the supper had been invited to attend, but that hadn’t prepared Jamie for how magnificent Aled would look all spruced up. His suit was perfectly tailored to show off how fit he was, and the blue of his tie matched his eyes. His golden hair seemed to gleam, even though they were indoors, and the moment Aled spotted Jamie, he burst into a smile that went against every warning about discretion Dr. Epstein had given him.
Jamie couldn’t do a damned thing about it. His heart lifted and sped up as Aled and Dawn walked over to him. There was no getting around the fact that he had fallen head over heels for Aled, no matter how it might impact his career. He would either have to admit to everything and risk his professional life imploding or break things off with Aled to save his career. Both options left him cold.
“You look absolutely lovely, Dawn,” he said, figuring it would be safer to compliment her than speak with Aled directly.
“Thanks,” Dawn said, blushing a little and glancing to her brother. “I’ve had this for years, but there aren’t many places to wear it,” she said, holding out the skirt of her black, glittery party frock.
“You’re looking nice yourself,” Aled said with a warm smile.
Jamie laughed and shook his head. “You’d better go find your table and get the best seats quickly,” he said, pretending he hadn’t heart the compliment. He didn’t meet Aled’s eyes directly either. “I think the program will be starting soon.”
Aled’s smile dropped into a look of disappointment. The air between them crackled with a tension that carried troublesome connotations instead of the promise of fun. “Is everything alright?” Aled asked, barely above a whisper.
Jamie darted a quick glance to Dr. Epstein, who was close enough to see them, but was currently engaged with a donor. “Perhaps some distance would be in order,” he said.
