Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 136296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 681(@200wpm)___ 545(@250wpm)___ 454(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136296 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 681(@200wpm)___ 545(@250wpm)___ 454(@300wpm)
My dad invites Kody and Quinn out to dinner with us, but they both cite homework. Kody probably wants to take another shower because he hates the locker room ones and Quinn is likely being honest. But my parents don’t hassle them about it. Quinn and Kody head to the parking lot on the north side of the arena.
“I noticed the scouts, were they checking up on us?” I ask as we make our way through the lobby and head for the doors.
Dad nods and claps me on the shoulder. “You had a great game tonight, and they noticed.”
“That’s good.” It’s a relief that I played well.
The parking lot is mostly empty at this point, with only a few small groups of people left heading for their cars. The sun is close to the horizon, and the sky a murky gray, clouds heavy and threatening rain. I scan the lot, assuming Clover is long gone. I’ll have to let her know I’m going to be a lot later than I planned.
I notice a couple standing near the back of the lot. At first, I don’t think anything of it, until I recognize the woman as Clover. She’s easy to spot with her green jacket. The problem is the man—it’s freaking Gabriel. What the hell is he up to?
I don’t weigh the consequences of my actions as I drop my backpack on the sidewalk. “I gotta handle this.”
“Handle what?” my mom asks.
I leave my parents standing there and jog in Clover’s direction. “Hey!” I shout.
Gabriel’s head swings around, and so does Clover’s. Her eyes flare when she sees me walking toward them. She gives me a quick headshake, but it’s too late. Gabriel’s expression turns stormy. At least they’re in the corner of the lot, and it’s mostly empty at this point. The bad part is that my parents are following me.
It’s too late to turn around and walk away—not that I want to—but I stop about fifteen feet from where they’re standing. “Everything okay, Professor?”
“It’s fine. Thank you,” she calls. If she weren’t wearing a jacket, she’d definitely be holding the edges of her cardigan together.
I can tell she’s anything but fine. And the fact that her ex is here, after staying away for weeks, is a huge red flag.
Gabriel’s lip curls, eyes shifting between the two of us. “What the hell are you thinking, Clover?” He turns to me. “You need to stay away from my wife.”
When he takes a step toward me, Clover grabs for his sleeve, but he shakes her off. “I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but it needs to stop. Now.”
“What’s going on?” my dad asks.
I raise my hands, as if I have no idea what he’s talking about, as if he’s lost his mind. “I’m just checking in since you seem pretty hostile.”
“I’m not an idiot. I know what you’re doing. She’s still married to me.” He points at himself. “And you need to back off.”
Clover’s fingers are at her lips, and thankfully the hood of her jacket is pulled up, shielding her face and her identity. “Gabriel, this is inappropriate, and you have no idea what you’re talking about,” she says. “He’s a student.” Her voice wavers.
“Well, that’s the fucking problem, isn’t it?” he spits.
“You should go.” I look at her for a moment before returning my gaze to him. “I’ve got this.”
He huffs a humorless laugh and shakes his head. “You’ve got this? What’s inappropriate is you thinking you have a right to tell my wife what to do.”
“What the hell is going on, son?” My dad steps up beside me and rests a protective hand on my shoulder as Gabriel approaches.
I wish I’d thought this through better, but I’m not sure what other options I had. I’m not worried about myself, or about my parents finding out. In fact, it would be a hell of a lot easier if I could stop pretending I’m still on a dating hiatus. It would be even better if I didn’t have to keep sneaking around like a criminal—leaving Clover’s place before the sun comes up and waiting until it goes down before I can steal my way back into her house and her bed.
But we’re almost at the end of the semester. Just a couple more weeks and exams will be over, and she’ll no longer be an employee of the university, and I’ll no longer be a student. Not long after that, I should be signing a contract.
“Isn’t that the question we’d both like an answer to?” Gabriel smiles, but it’s stiff and unfriendly, not like the previous time I met him. Then, he was cocky and dismissive, charming almost. His angry glare swings to my dad and then to my mom, who’s standing a step behind us.
I glance between Clover and her car, a silent request for her to get the hell out of here already.