***
"You look pale." Eliza glanced up from her desk as a smile played at the edge of her mouth. "You okay?"
"I've been better." I walked in and glanced around, amused at how pristine her office was. Mine was a holy-hell wreck on a good day. "You got a minute?"
"For you? Anything." She leaned back and crossed her hands over her stomach. She was twenty-years my senior, and as brilliant in life as she was in accounting. "Tell me what's on your mind."
"Everything." I dropped down in the chair in front of her desk. "Nothing?"
She chuckled. "You know, you really shouldn't wear those glasses." She tilted her head to the side a little. "They're not doing you any favors."
I pulled off my black-rimmed glasses and studied them. "No? I thought they made me look smarter."
"Naw... you can still see your face." She chuckled and patted her chest. "I love that line from Grease. Classic movie for sure."
I forced a laugh. "So, it's a no-go on the glasses?"
"Yeah. You're a handsome man, Kendal. You know that. The glasses only help with the appeal."
"Oh." I dropped my hand into my lap. "Oh."
She laughed again. "Alright, Mister. What are you up to? You look like you're at death's door. I take it that you haven't been to see Mark about Heather yet."
"No, I haven't. That's why I was stopping by." I put my glasses back on and shrugged as she gave me a stern look. "I can't see without them."
"Take your chances then." She sat up and rested her forearms on the desk in front of her. "You need to go talk to Lance. He's a good guy. Tell him the situation and ask what your next steps are. I can ask Daisy if she would be willing to talk to him about the affair she and Mark had." She held up her hand as I started to respond, which shut me up quickly. "He's just as liable in all of this sexual harassment mess as Heather is. Things rot from the head down. He's a filthy cheating bastard, and therefore, he puts up with people just like himself. He finds no wrong in it."
"And you think Lance would really want to talk with me? I don't have any evidence, Eliza. I'm the one that almost lost my job six years ago because of dating a student."
"Stupid move, but we've been over that a million times."
"Yes, thank you." I pursed my lips together to keep from being the cock I wanted to be. No sleep, the pain of losing love again and a raging hangover had me willing to act more like I did in college, which wasn't good at all.
There was a reason Damon was my only friend back then. No one else could stand my ass. Or his.
"Lance knows the situation. Go to him more for advice. See what he tells you to do and follow it, unless it doesn't make much sense."
"Mark's advice to take care of Heather didn't make much sense either, but he's more interested in getting a promotion than taking care of the fucking department."
"Yep, and that leaves all of us in quite a predicament." Her phone rang and she glanced at it. "That's my granddaughter. Let me get it and I'll come down to your office when I'm done."
"No, it's okay." I stood up and picked up my bag. "I'll catch you later."
"Alright. I'm here if you need me." She gave me a tight smile before I turned and walked out into the hallway.
Mark nodded as he caught sight of me and motioned for me to come closer. "Dr. Tarrington. Good to see you. Some of your students have been asking about the accuracy of your office hours."
"Yeah, losing my little sister has me a little off." I extended my hand to shake his. "I'll be back on track starting next week. I'll have one of my TAs send out a note letting everyone know."
"Sounds great." He shook my hand with vigor. "You know the Fall Festival for Beta Alpha Psi is coming up. You're taking care of that, right?"
Fuck. I'd forgotten all about the accounting honors fraternity's big fall event. It was their main fundraiser as they charged a fee for getting in the door.
"Yeah. Of course. I'll get together with some of the officers later today and get the details locked down."
"You know with Heather being out of town for the event that you're going to need to ask another professor, or maybe one of your grad-students to help you chaperon."
I snorted. "Chaperon? We're talking about twenty-two year old adults."
"You know it's the University rules that if we have a University-sponsored event that we have one male and one female chaperon there." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you need me to find someone?"
"No. Where is Heather going to be?" I felt like an idiot for not knowing.
The sound of her voice behind me caused my hair to stand on edge. Our last encounter had ended with my fingers wrapped around her throat and her threatening to tell everyone from the Dean to the President of the University that I was once again dating a student.
"My parent's are having their thirty-fifth wedding anniversary." She sounded almost bored with the announcement.
I glanced over my shoulder and forced myself into a calm I didn't feel. "Nice. I'll take care of everything. No worries."
"Do you have time to chat later today?" She gave me a cute, innocent smile that would make most men howl like heathens.
"I might. I'll stop by your office after my classes if I can manage it." I turned back to Mark, not waiting on the bitch's response. She was a snake in the grass and had her eyes completely on me.
Some part of me wanted to send her to McKenzie and Bryant to let Damon deal with her ass, but there was no way I would do that. He and Bethany were finally working things out, and I loved them both. Hurting them would bring me no joy, and it's not like Heather was going anywhere. She wanted a hard fuck in the hall closet from one person. Me.
"You good on getting someone then?" Mark reached out and patted my shoulder.
"Yeah. Sure." I moved past him and walked to the stairwell just outside of our office, my mind running through the possibility of asking Dana.
I'd called ten times over the last two weeks, but had yet to leave a message. She thought me to be a creeper for sure by now, but some part of me could care less.
After getting settled in my classroom, I dropped down in the front row and pulled out my phone. I had another twenty minutes until my class would show up.
"Please." I closed my eyes and tilted my chin toward the ceiling. "Please, please, please let her come. Maybe we can just be friends if nothing else."
We couldn't. I already knew without a doubt, but it didn't stop me from wanting anything I could get from her. I just needed a way back into her life. Surely she would forgive me over time. I wasn't at all at fault for the situation and nothing had changed for me.
Yes, Ana was her sister. Yes, I'd once thought I was in love with Ana, but I was wrong. At the first sign of trouble, Ana picked up and ran, leaving me to stand in the spotlight of shame alone. If I did love the girl, I'd quickly gotten over it.
That was a lie.
I let out a soft sigh. I knew two things.
One, I didn't love Ana anymore. I didn't have any feelings for her when she walked through the door at Dana's mother's house. Nothing. Not even a drop of lust, love or longing.
And two, I was completely in love with Dana. She was everything I wanted in my life, everything I'd ever dreamed I might have.
I dialed the number and almost hoped that she wouldn't pick up. It would be easier to just leave a message and chunk the ball back into her court.
Four rings later, the answering machine picks up.
Her sweet voice filled my ear, leaving my pulse racing and my cock hardening in my slacks. She sounded like a naughty angel. My angel. I was so going to hell.
"This is Dana Young. I'm not here right now, but if you want to leave me your name and number, I'll try and get back to you soon. I hope you're having a healthy day!!"
The loud beep resounded in my ear, and I sucked in a shaky breath.
"Dana, it’s Kendal. Look, I know we haven't talked in a couple of weeks, but I really could use your help. I have an accounting honors event that I have to chaperon this Friday. I know its short notice, but I need a female grad-student that's not in the club to attend with me." I took another breath and stood up, feeling a little light-headed. What the fuck was wrong with me? "Just wanted to see if you might be free. I'd love to see you, but I totally understand if you're busy or don't want to see me. I want to explain everything, but we don't have to do that on Friday. I just... fuck. I'm rambling, aren't I? Call me if you're interested, but if not, it's all good."
I hung up before I whispered, 'bye, baby' into the phone and locked in my creeper status forever.
The door to the auditorium opened and a few students walked in, saving me from either an emotional breakdown or me making the mistake of calling her back... over and over and over until she answered.
After avoiding women altogether for the last six years, I was going to turn into a Class-A stalker if I wasn't careful.
From not caring at all to caring too much.
Was there no way to strike a balance and live in the middle where moderation existed? I would have thought so before, but not now.
I yearned for Dana so much more than I thought possible.
I was even willing to leave my career and move to New York... today, tonight, tomorrow. Whatever she wanted.
But first, I needed to get her to talk to me, to see me.
"Dr. Tarrington? You alright, man? You look lost in thought."
I smirked and extended my hand to one of my students. "Yep. Just trying to solve a cost accounting question that none of you nugget-heads stand a chance against."
"Awww... cold! Throw it at us. We'll get it."
"We'll see about that." I forced a smile and turned my back on them walking to the front of the class. Dana would play on my mind all day long, the idea of her ignoring my call the only thing I could seem to think about.
Losing her hurt like a bitch, but not standing a chance of getting her back?
I couldn't even fathom it.