Sawyer isn’t the only one with a sick feeling in his stomach after the discovery that neither one of us had turned the pool lights on.

I’ve gone over it in my mind and I know they weren’t on when we’d gotten out of the pool, no matter how sleepy I was. So if Sawyer hadn’t gotten up to turn them on then that meant that someone had been there and switched them on and seen us. But who?

It actually makes me sick to the stomach to think about, which was why I passed on breakfast and settled on a lonesome latte.

I know Sawyer is worried when even in the same breath he’s telling me not too.

After the discovery though, we’d wrapped up and once we’d locked up, stayed inside with the curtains drawn. We were so unnerved that Sawyer insisted on searching the house from top to bottom, which I was grateful for. Everything had seemed to be as it was left, but someone had been there.

It was frightening to realize that they could have done anything to us while we slept, but it scared us both that it could be someone who knows us from the College.

My suggestion of it being Professor Long was met with a frown, just like Sawyer’s suggestion of Jeremy was by me.

It could be one of them.

Or it could be neither.

But one thing I do feel as I enter the room for today’s lecture is that it’s the calm before the storm.

My gut churns as I take my seat beside Jeremy who gives me a quizzical look before glancing into his textbook. “What’s going on?” I nudge into him.

“It’s weird, okay?” He eventually meets my gaze. “You shouldn’t be doing what you are. Neither of you should be,” he whispers. “I can’t believe for one minute that you’d risk everything you’ve worked so hard for, for him,” he spits in anger.

“Keep your voice down,” I hiss. “We kept our distance for a long time and I really am sorry that I’ve disappointed you, but you’re my friend. I don’t want to lose you.”

“It’s difficult, okay? My feelings for you go deeper than mere friendship, and you know that. It isn’t easy for me to just ‘carry on as normal’.” He slumps in his chair.

I pause for a moment then mutter a pitiful, “I’m sorry.”

No more is said although we do exchange looks when Professor Janice Long strides into the room, heading toward the desk where she drops her things.

“What’s she doing in here?”

“Dennison mustn’t be in today,” Jeremy mutters.

“This should be fun.” I slump in my chair, hoping she doesn’t see me while I feel Jeremy’s frown on me.

“What’s going on?”

I debate whether or not to tell him, but the heck. “She thinks there’s something going on between Sawyer and me.”

“But there is.”

“Yeah, but she only thinks there is. She has no proof.”

“Not like me you mean?” Jeremy’s angry again.

Great!

“Yes, but I trust you. I don’t trust her. She has a vindictive streak and I have a feeling that she’d do anything to break Sawyer and I up.”

“I have something in common with her, then huh?” Jeremy smiles.

My eyes widen in surprise. “You wouldn’t?”

He rolls his eyes. “No, I wouldn’t. I was joking.” After a wry smile, he keeps his gaze on the witch at the front.

Professor Long leans against the desk in the front and lets her gaze wander over everyone. I get a sick feeling that it has everything to do with me. That’s she’s taking this class today because she knows that it’s a required one for me, and right now she’s looking...and bingo! Her gaze lands on me, and stays. Her lips twitch and curl up into a knowing smirk.

Beside me Jeremy groans. “This isn’t going to end well.” He heavily sighs and placing his hand on my thigh, squeezes. “We’re friends, Andie.”

My hand covers his and we stay like that for a moment, even when I watch Long’s gaze lower to our joined hands. At the time I never even gave it a thought, but I wonder if this will throw her off. She certainly doesn’t like it and narrows her gaze.

“I presume,” she starts, “that you all know who I am, and today I’m standing in for Professor Dennison who has a date with a surgeon over his gallbladder.” She pauses and stares a moment too long again before continuing, “Ms. Foster,” she shouts and my heart thuds in my chest while the blood rushes through my ears. “Front of the class. You can assist me today.”

“Shit,” Jeremy curses.

He stares at me along with everyone else in the room and even though I don’t make eye contact, I can feel their eyes. I sense their relief that she hasn’t picked one of them, but I can’t stop the anxiety that has me in its grip.

Sawyer and Jeremy are the only two who know about me, and with the way Jeremy has now shifted in his chair, he knows I’m about to have another full-fledged attack.

“Miss. Foster, I do not have all day,” Long snaps.

Whispers meet my ears and I know I have to move, I just hope that I manage to stay on my feet when I do.

“Let’s leave,” Jeremy whispers. “I’ll come with you.”

I swallow, trying to clear the fear and panic from my fogged brain. “We can’t.”

Slowing my breathing. I slowly move from behind my desk and one minute I think I’m going to be okay, and the next my vision goes funny. I feel like I’m swimming. I turn toward Jeremy who’s mouth I can see moving, but that’s all. Then as I see him moving toward me, nothing . . .

* * *

Intense arguing beside me has my eyelids fluttering open and my vision clearing. I wish it hadn’t. I’m met with Sawyer and her having a standoff.

There’s accusations flying between them and then I hear, “You’re not concerned because she’s a graduate of yours, you’re concerned because you’re fucking her.”

The room goes silent for a few seconds before Long starts ranting again right in Sawyer’s face.

Choosing this moment to make my wakeful presence known, I cough and try to push myself up in the bed. To my surprise Jeremy is the one who comes to my aid. He’s a surprise though because I had no clue that he was even in the room.

Sawyer’s hands twitch at his sides as he watches Jeremy helping me, and his jaw tightens. Long is watching me and I suppose it’s as well considering Sawyer’s feelings for me are all over his face as he glares at the other man.

I offer him a soft smile and ask him, “Where are we?”

“The ER.” He winces. “You went down hard, Andie. No words for it. Plus no one could wake you up. Scared the hell out of me.”

“You were there?”

He shakes his head and runs a shaky hand through his messy hair. “I’d walked in at the back of the class just as you went down...I couldn’t get to you in time to prevent you from hitting the ground.”

I groan. “Could this get any more embarrassing?”

“I want to know why I wasn’t aware you had a problem?” Professor Long, questions.

Sawyer hisses. “It isn’t a problem, it’s a sickness...and isn’t it your responsibility to check whether any of the students have any medical conditions?”

“Are you aware of any medical conditions of the students you teach?” she counters.

“Anything that could become an emergency in class then yes I am.” Sawyer quickly glances at me with a slight wince before he gives her his attention.

Jeremy whispers, “She won’t leave until he does and he knows it.”

Meeting his gaze, I know what I have to do. It isn’t easy though because I want nothing more than to borrow into Sawyer’s strong arms.

“For the millionth time, she is only a student!” Sawyer runs his hands through his hair and although I know he can’t very well admit that I’m more to him than that, it hurts all the same.

My eyes fill with tears as I slowly swing my legs from the bed. Jeremy, guessing what I’m looking for, slips my shoes onto my feet and helps me stand. He keeps an arm around my waist and I’m so thankful for his support.

Moving toward the door, Sawyer stops mid-sentence and I feel his gaze on me, so I glance in his direction. “Jeremy is taking me home.” I hold his frustrated gaze. “You two can stay here and continue arguing but you’re causing my head to pound.” I take a few more steps and add, “I’m with Jeremy, Professor Long. Perhaps you should get your facts straight before going around accusing people, and possibly ruining relationships.”

She opens and closes her mouth like a fish as I ignore them both and let Jeremy lead me outside.

“I, um, came in with you so I don’t have wheels,” he winces. “I’m sorry. I actually thought you’d be leaving with your Prof.”

“I’m not feeling too badly right now, but I don’t think I could walk back.” I sit on one of the benches outside the front, and take my purse from him. “I’ll get an Uber.” Two minutes later, I add, “It will be here in five minutes.”

He nods and sitting beside me, stretches out with his legs. “You’re in a mess, Andie. She’s convinced that Lawrence and you are, in her words, ‘fucking’. She isn’t going to stop until the whole damn college is gossiping about the two of you.”

“This morning I woke up thinking that nothing could touch us, and now this.” I wrap my arms around my drawn up knees on the bench. My cheek is wet from my silent tears, so I wipe my damp face on my dress as I rest against my knees. I’m also wondering about last night.

“While Sawyer and me slept on the patio last night, someone came in and switched on the lights around the pool. I thought maybe it was her, but she isn’t acting like she’s actually seen us together.” My eyes search his face and he lets out a huff of breath.

“You’re asking if it was me.” He shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t me. I have better things to do than stalk you.”

“I didn’t really think it was you. Sawyer mentioned that it might have been, but I told him if it was anyone we knew, then it was Long, but I’m not so sure anymore.”

“Our rides here.” Jeremy tugs me up and once inside the car, I look back just as Sawyer and Long walk out of the front doors.

Sawyer looks around while he’s backing away from the witch. His actions are impatient, and I realize that he’s probably looking for me.

“I hate that we can’t be seen together in public and that we have to hide,” I whisper softly, feeling jealousy rise up inside of me. My heart aches with wanting to be a normal couple. I just can’t see that happening anytime soon.