Chapter Eleven
Chase
I paced back and forth as I waited for an answer, finally coming to rest on the corner of the desk in the center of the room. “Can anyone else answer the question?” I scanned the room noticing all of the heads that immediately looked down at their desks, papers or phones. “Mr. Zellar? Can you name the four pillars of an efficient sales operation?”
Cary Zellar fumbled through his papers before looking up at me. “Um, no. I’m sorry Professor Kerns.”
I could feel my face reddening as I continued to scan the lecture hall. It had only been two weeks since I’d taken over the class and apparently Grant had taught them nothing. It was obvious that he was neither a teacher nor a real businessman.
“All right, everyone,” I said, trying to keep my cool. “Chapters ten through fifteen by next class. There will be a quiz and I won’t be as forgiving as I’ve been today. Prove to me you belong in this class.”
A few of the students scribbled down notes while others typed away at their laptops. Eventually some packed their things and left as I sat, frustrated. This wasn’t what I had planned on doing this semester. I didn’t want to teach. That was supposed to be what Grant was hired for. However, Grant had bigger issues, which included being tied up in a conspiracy charge and blackmail. After some digging, the entire plot involved several layers of people, including Jamie’s stepfather. Tom Wells had done his homework and leveraged relationships at the university to get Jamie hired as Grant’s teaching assistant.
Business can be ruthless, and the person that got themselves into Dunamis stood make millions, if not billions over the long run. Tom was willing to risk it all, including his stepdaughter and family.
I watched as the students began to file out of the lecture hall and make their way up the stairs to doors. The lines of people parted as one student made her way toward me. Jamie.
“Hey, can we talk?” She looked a bit hesitant and didn’t make direct eye contact.
Shortly after Grant was removed from the university and I took my class over, I removed Jamie as a teaching assistant. I couldn’t risk another scandal or rumor circulating amongst everything else that had been going on. I felt bad since she had counted on the money, so I’d decided to pay for her semester of school as well as cover her bills so she was able to cut back on the extra shifts at The Fox Hole.
Jamie and I hadn’t spoken much since that day. I had thought we both needed a break, and I had been way too busy to focus on anything other than the new investment I had made, getting Derrick and his company up to speed on the new plans, and working on the transition with Jake at Velocity Capital.
“Is everything all right?” I asked as I cautiously looked at her.
“Chase, we haven’t spoken in weeks,” she whispered. “I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done, helping me with bills and school, but I need a way to pay it back. I’m not willing to take a handout.” She took a step closer. “Everything has been so…weird.”
“I know. How’s your mom?” I asked.
“She’s okay. Shocked. She isn’t sure what she’s going to do. Tom had been her rock these last several years. They seemed happy, but when she learned what he was up to, how he set me up, she kicked him out of the house.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I hate him for what he did, how he used me, but I hate him more for hurting my mom, even though we weren’t that close.” Jamie rocked back and forth as she continued. “There’s a part of me that hopes things work out for them. I don’t want her to hurt like this.”
I understood how she was feeling and I was learning more about Tom’s involvement. Tom had gotten Jamie the job as the teaching assistant, but it was Darryl Franklin that actually set Jamie up. He was the one that took advantage of her. Yes, Tom had done his research and was looking for a company that happened to be close to Jamie, because her mom wanted them to be closer to her daughter. In my gut, I didn’t believe that Tom was the nasty person he was made out to be. I believed that Grant and Darryl had taken it to that level.
I wanted to hug Jamie and tell her everything was going to be fine, but the truth was, I didn’t know.
“Jamie, I don’t think Tom was out to get you or hurt your mom. I do know he was genuinely trying to help you, without you knowing it. Maybe give him another chance, for your mom’s sake.”
Jamie’s lip quivered as she looked at up at me. “And what about us? Is there an us?”
Before I could answer the way I truly wanted to answer, a line of students formed behind Jamie, waiting for their chance to talk to me.
“I think so, but for right now, I need to take care of them. Let’s talk. Tonight, maybe?”
“I’m working,” she sniffled. “But I’ll call you afterward, okay?”
“Perfect,” I said giving her a small wink and smile. “That would be perfect.”