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I look over at my brother. Sweat pours down my back, and I remove my suit jacket and hand it to a startled Pam.
“What are you doing? You look better with the jack–” Richard’s voice calling my name makes her stop as she smiles tightly and claps.
Is this what it’s all about? This empty feeling? I walk up the stairs, rolling my sleeves up as Richard shakes my hand.
“I love you,” she whispers into my mouth.
As everyone stands, I gaze out at them, yet all I can think of is her. Her scent, her taste, her fucking love that I rejected because I didn’t think I was capable of being that kind of man.
Love?
As a scientist and a scholar, that emotion was not one that I chased. It was all about achieving that incredible high of doing something that very few can.
I smile and nod at my parents, my eyes glossing over my colleagues. When I reach the podium, I grab ahold of it, needing it to steady me.
It’s so simple. All I had to do was let myself see it.
Love!
Man seeks it or runs from it, but at the end of the day, it’s always there, chasing us in all different forms. It is that missing piece that completes us. My hands tighten as everything falls into place, like a mathematical equation you’ve been working on and finally solve. My heart is pounding as I look down and grin because what I’m about to do…
“Thank you.” I nod as everyone sits. “Let me start by saying I did not plan any speech. In fact, I was going to say thank you and get back to class.” Everyone laughs, and a few yell. “I am truly honored to be a part of this distinguished community. I’m humbled by being able to teach and hopefully inspire. I did this job because it was something that I loved. Confucius once said,Choose a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” I look around at my mom and dad who nod and smile proudly at me.
“I live by that,” I continue. “I have been privileged to study, teach, and become a dean at CAU and have never felt like I’ve worked a day.”
The crowd claps, and I hear someone yell, “Dean Powers!”
“Which might make what I’m about to say come as a surprise to some because I will not be accepting this position.”
Richard stands. Hushed tones run through the crowd.
“I have too much respect for this university, and therefore cannot take on this leadership role. I will stay focused on my important research and the ‘National Science Trust Prize’ that I am confident will lead to an energy solution and elevate the world’s poor out of poverty.” Richard is at my side saying something that I can’t hear over all the noise. I glance over at Jenners and nod. He looks stunned as people pat his shoulder like he just won the lottery.
And for him, maybe he has.
“Please tell Diane to forgive me. Tell her she can have Jett’s house in Italy for a month, but I need to go.” I grin at Richard and walk off the stairs. Not waiting to hear anything he’s going to say, I make my way to my bike. Straddling it, I start it up.
I don’t look back.
I don’t answer my phone.
My blood pumps as I lean low, gunning it out of the parking lot. That old feeling of adrenaline floods through me, but this time I’m not seeking it out. I’m racing to it. Alex is my rush. Nothing compares to her: not surfing, not my bike,none of it.
She was worth the risk.
She’s the best rule I’ve ever broken.
ALEXANDREA
I rub my sore nose as I stare at my Honda. I either packed better on the way out, or have gotten more stuff, because I’m not sure it can hold any more. I mean, it’s weighed down so much it actually looks lower.
“God.” I huff, glancing over at a strangely quiet dog. He just sits watching me through the gate, his tail wagging sporadically.
“Now, you want to be friends?” I ask him, taking the band from my wrist and pulling my wet hair into a messy bun.
“I’m gonna need another shower by the time I’m done with this, Walter.” I sigh, looking over at him. He whines and jumps up excitedly.
I reach down for a duffel bag that I couldn’t even zip because I’ve stuffed too many clothes in it, ignoring the pain as I see my pink Jimmy Choo sandals, and try to shove it in the trunk. God, this probably isn’t even going to close.
