Chapter 15
Chase
The week feels like it’s been the longest of my life. Not only have I been worried about Mateo and how he’s getting along in Los Angeles, but I’ve had the whole Snarr situation sitting in the back of my mind as well. Before Mateo came around, everything was so quiet. Like a plan white wall of existence. My life wasn’t perfect but it was simple and I was content. But after just a few days with the man, everything has changed.
I’ve changed.
The things that make me happy and content have changed. Now I’m just unsettled and anxious and out of sorts.
Being in this house, although it was always empty before, I’ve never felt so alone as I do now. Every evening, I come home, hoping I’ll find Mateo waiting for me when I walk in. I even spend a few moments standing in the guest room every night, just remembering the time we spent together. When I was allowed to hold him and love him.
I haven’t even washed the sheets yet because his scent still lingers on the fabric.
I’m being a pathetic fool for dreaming about a life we’ll never have. Especially since the reason we met isn’t necessarily one that starts a great relationship. But he fit into my life perfectly. Having him here was like having an extension of myself around. He made me want to have fun again, rather than simply existing.
While I still enjoy my work, I’d be willing to do less of it if Mateo was around. Spending time with him made me happy, especially when I thought we were working past his inner demons. He told me not to call him, and I shouldn’t.
But I want to hear his voice so badly.
I ignore the urge to dial my old phone number and focus on getting dressed for work. I need to see Jessica as soon as I arrive. The board meeting is this afternoon at two o’clock, and I’m anxious to find out what she has planned for dealng with Snarr. In a perfect world, she’ll be able to talk him down from his vendetta and let the matter rest. But my world has never been perfect so I expect a full-blown fight this afternoon.
My drive to the university drags on, just like my week. Everything seems to be in slow motion when I all I want is for things to just hurry up and be better. If I get fired today, I’d rather just get it over with. When I arrive at the school, I find a faculty parking space near my building and pull in. The hallways are quiet as I walk to my office and let myself inside.
An email is waiting for me when I log in for the day. Jessica is requesting that I come to her office before my first class. I force myself to read a few student papers and create a pop quiz for today, which helps ease some of the tension that’s building inside my chest.
I don’t know why I’m so worried. No matter what happens, I won’t be sorry for what I did to help Tanner and his business. It was the right thing to do, and if this job is over for me, I’ll do something else. Rainier has been bugging me about some startup idea he has. Maybe I’ll finally hear him out on that.
Around nine-thirty, I make the call to the dean’s office. Shelly is formal and short when she informs me that Dean Winters is ready for me whenever I can come to the fourth floor of our building. I tell her I’ll be right up, then lock up my office and head upstairs.
Unlike earlier in the morning, the hallways are swarmed with students. Many of them are sitting along the hallway floors next to their upcoming classes, waiting for the current class to dismiss. At the elevator bank, I hop onto the first available car and press the button for the fourth floor.
Jessica’s office is in the north wing. When I get there, Shelly looks stressed as she organizes a stack of folders.
“Hey, Shelly.”
“Oh, good. You’re here.” She heaves out a deep sigh. “You don’t come up here enough for us to see that handsome face.”
Shelly knows I’m gay, but it doesn’t keep her from flirting with me anyway. “It’s good to see you too.”
“You can go right in.” she says, pointing toward Jessica’s door.
“Thanks.” I step over to Jessica’s door and knock lightly.
“Come in.”
“You wanted to see me, Dean Winters?”
“Dr. Ryan, please, come in and shut the door.”
I step inside and sit at the guest chair across from her. “So, are we completely screwed?”
Jessica smiles and shakes her head. “I think we’re going to be okay.”
“Really?” I lean back in the comfortable chair.
She bites her lip and shrugs. “Yes, but I need you to follow my lead on something.”
“Okay, what?”
“Let’s just say that we’re going to beat Snarr at his own game.” Jessica chuckles quietly just as her intercom buzzes. She puts the phone on speaker. “Yes?”
“Professor Snarr is here to see you.”
“Send him in.” Jessica hits the disconnect button on her phone and gives me a nod. “Here we go.”
When the door opens, I’m surprised Snarr is able to fit through it with his enormous ego. The aura of the room changes just from his presence, making me feel uncomfortable and in need of a shower.
“Dean Winters.” His nose is actually in the air as he greets his boss. When I stand beside Jessica, Snarr glares at me and immediately furrows his brows. “Chase… What are you doing here? What is this?”
Jessica waves to the other guest chair across from her desk. “Sit down, Snarr.”
“You can’t convince me not to speak to the board today, no matter how hard you try.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Jessica says. Her voice is calm, and her tone is professional. “After all, you’re just trying to do the right thing.”
Snarr looks at her carefully and then turns to me. “Exactly. So why have I been called to meet with the two of you?”
“Oh, that. Well, we thought it was only fair that we provided the same courtesy to you.”
“What are you talking about? What courtesy?”
“You were gracious enough to let us know that you were approaching the board today with your concerns about recent events.”
“And?” His sneer grows deeper as he tries to figure out where Jessica is going with this conversation.
I glance between them, pretending to know what Jessica’s talking about but just as curious as he is.
Jessica gives him a sweet smile then opens the folder in front of her. “I wanted to let you know about the information we’ll be presenting to the board today.”
“And what information could you be presenting that concerns me?” Snarr is still trying to control his curiosity but his voice wavers, which means he’s worried about something.
“Oh, it’s nothing nearly as serious as an ethical question.” Jessica pauses and taps her pen on the papers in the folder. “In fact, it’s not so much ethical as much as a question of your dedication to the university.”
“I must say, I might expect such an insinuation from Chase. But, Dean Winters, you of all people should know how much respect I have for this institution.”
“That’s what I thought... Until someone contacted me who was concerned that the inner workings of the university, its staff, and the board of directors were being discussed externally... You can imagine my shock when I learned it was you.” Jessica looks at Snarr pointedly, playing every bit of the cool and collected professional. But her eyes say something else. They say, “Checkmate.”
“I would never...”
“One would think that Vegas is large enough that such gossip wouldn’t create an issue. And I’m sure a small misstep could be avoided. But when I heard some of the things you said about the board...” Jessica shakes her head as she reviews the paperwork, acting like the information she’s reading is too disgusting to repeat.
Snarr just sits there, quiet and less confident than he was when he walked in. He stands up suddenly with either a newfound gusto or a last-minute grasp at controlling the situation. “This will not stand. Do you really think you can blackmail me into not approaching the board about what you and he have done?” Snarr points a finger at me and then recoils, as if coming too close to me might ruin his suit. Fortunately for me, I don’t want him any closer than he has to be either.
“Blackmail? Who said anything about blackmail?” Jessica maintains her cool composure. “I just know that since you’re so concerned about decisions Dr. Ryan and I made about the student survey incident, it would only behoove me to provide additional insight to the board about how you truly feel about them.”
“This is... I cannot even believe... Ugh!” Snarr begins to pace behind the chair he was sitting it. “This is preposterous. So, we have mutually assured destruction? Is that it?”
“No, Snarr. This is a fact. I’ve spoken to the chairwoman about the incident concerning the student who was performing criminal acts. And while she did wish it had been handled a bit differently, the end result was worth the small risk taken on behalf of the university. So, no... We don’t have mutually assured destruction. Along with the chairwoman, I’ll be informing the board today about the incident. But afterwards, I’ll be telling them the reasons you’ll be fired at the end of the day.”
“You wouldn’t...” Snarr’s voice is the weakest I’ve ever heard it. He’s truly afraid. For once, this slime ball is having his actions come back to haunt him.
And I have a front row seat.
“Unless, of course, you would like to resign. Then I’ll let the board know you’ve decided to pursue work at another college, which...” She picks up the paper in front of her and reads from somewhere in the middle. “Will keep me from having to tell Mr. Smithson that he’s apparently too ugly for his wife and has to pay prostitutes to get laid.” Jessica puts down the paper and tsks. “It’s really unnerving to know you feel this way. I’d hate to have to read the rest, especially in front of the people they concern.”
Snarr’s face blanches as he hangs on to the back of the chair. For a second, I worry he’s going to pass out. He just stares angrily at Jessica and then at me before releasing the back and walking toward the door.
“Shelly has your resignation prepared. You can sign it and vacate your office before noon today.”
Snarr doesn’t even acknowledge her as he opens the door and slams it behind him. Jessica claps her hands together and lets out a low cheer. “Finally! I’ve been wanting to get rid of him for years.”
I just stare at her in awe. “Was all that true?”
“Every bit of it. I spoke with Gretchen yesterday. She completely understood. I’m just grateful things worked out like they did on that case or we might be facing a different situation.”
“And the stuff Snarr said?”
She laughs. “He was stupid enough to tell some bartender all sorts of stuff at one of the local clubs. The club owner was helping behind the bar that night and is an old friend of mine from high school. He thought I might like to know what transpired with one of my staff. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.”
“I can’t believe this,” I say, shaking my head. “It’s over...”
“It’s over. And we got rid of a nuisance in the process. I’d say that makes for a pretty good week.”
“Definitely.” At least on the work front. Now if only I can find a way to get Mateo back into my life, things would be great on all fronts.