Chapter 8

Kendal

"Thanks for meeting up with me. I know you have a lot going on." Mark lifted his coffee cup as if to somehow salute me with it. We weren't necessarily friends seeing that he was dean of the accounting department, but he was a brother from my fraternity back in his day. Kappa Alphas always worked to respect and help one another in life, no matter the situation or circumstance. I was more than grateful for the connection if nothing else.

"Of course." I took a quick sip of my coffee and set the mug down before leaning back in my chair and giving him my attention. It was early Thursday morning and where I'd gotten back in the routine of being back on campus the last few days, I was still a little unsure of myself. Getting over my sister's death wasn't going to be easy, but keeping busy seemed to help.

"How are you holding up?" Mark lifted his thick black eyebrow at me.

"I'm doing all right. As good as can be expected." I clasped my hands in my lap and let the excitement of going out of town with Dana the next day keep me warm and awake.

"Good. Well, you know if you need time off, you just need to ask for it. Eliza has stopped by here twice this week already offering to take your classes if you need some time."

Eliza Turner was a good mentor to me, and an excellent friend. She was the only one aware of Heather's advances toward me at work, and she wanted me to spill all of it to Mark. I just couldn't. It wasn't in my nature to complain or cause trouble and in all actuality, Heather hadn't done anything but rub up against me a few times and offer herself naked on a hot platter.

She hadn't changed a bit since college.

"I appreciate that, but I'm good. I'm headed to New York for the weekend to see some old friends and just hang out away from home. I think it'll do me some good to have a few beers and a handful of laughs."

"I bet it will." He took another drink of his coffee. "How are things going with Heather?"

My throat tightened, making it hard to breathe or speak. "Heather?"

“Yeah. Dr. Turner. You're still mentoring her, right?"

"Somewhat. With everything that's been going on in my personal life, I hate to say it, but I think she's had to work through most of the newness of being here on her own." I gave him a sympathetic look. "She's a strong woman though. She'll do great."

"She told me that you guys went to college together."

I nodded, not sure where the conversation was going. "I wasn't sure that was her the day we first met in your office, and I didn't want to look like a fool, so I didn't mention it."

"No, it's good. It's been like six or seven years, right? People change."

"Something like that." I sat up and reached for my coffee. "Did she mention needing help on something?'

"No, not necessarily. She seems to think highly of you, so I'd like you to stay involved with her." He set his cup down. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but her father is a big oil tycoon. Her family is from there and the man is loaded. He's thinking about donating a new wing to the business department, and our dean has asked that we help facilitate that if at all possible."

"Oh wow." I faked surprise. Everyone knew that Heather was loaded back in college. It was half the reason we kept her around. The other half was her willingness to drop her panties at the mere sign of someone getting a hard-on. "How can I help?"

"Just help me keep her happy." He shrugged. "Not sure what a woman like her wants or needs, but figure it out and give it to her if you're able."

I snorted. "I'm happy helping Heather with anything work related. Outside of that... consider me off limits."

"Of course." He shook his head. "I didn't mean anything of a personal nature. I would never ask that of you or anyone else."

Right. Why didn't I believe that all of a sudden?

"Who's running Beta Alpha Psi now that Daisy left? Did Heather take over for her?"

"The accounting honors fraternity thing?" He looked less than interested, which was humorous. The group of students that ran it were the top of our business program and would be key decision-makers in big businesses around us in the next three to five years.

"Yes." I pulled my phone from my pocket and turned the vibrator off to keep it from going off in my pocket. Damon had called a few times, which meant he was in desperate need of my attention, or simply impatient like he'd always been.

"Let's have you and Heather run it together. That would be good for both of you, and perhaps give you a better opportunity to interact with each other. That sound all right?"

It sounded like a question, but it wasn't. It was a request from my boss to spend more time with our rich new accounting professor that just happened to be a whore from my past.

"Absolutely. I'll check with one of your secretaries to find out if the club has an upcoming meeting and who their current president is." As if I didn't have enough on my mind.

"Excellent. Let me know if anything comes up, or if you have too much on your plate Kendal. Eliza seemed awfully worried about you."

I got up and picked up my mug. "I'm good, but I'll let you know."

Eliza was worried because she knew the truth of who Heather was and what she was after. It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Eliza told Mark all about my run-ins with Heather in an effort to save me from myself. Hell, she might have already done it.

It wasn't like Mark was going to do anything to make ripples in the pool. Heather's family was too wealthy for that, and it would seem that our new dean was just as greedy as the last.