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Parker gave it one last try. “Five minutes. Please.”

I sniffed. “I don’t owe you that.”

He nodded. “Of course not. You owe me nothing. Please give me the five minutes anyway.”

I shook my head. “I don’t believe this. How’d you know I’d be here?”

“I asked.”

“Asked who?”

“Does it matter?”

“No. But you better get the hell out before my dad finds you. I kind of doubt he’ll be as restrained as Curtis over here.”

Parker glanced at Curtis, who answered with a dead-eyed stare that warned he might be capable of just about anything.

“Okay,” Parker said, backing up a few steps. “I’m heading over to the coffee place a few doors down.”

“Great.” I clapped my hands together. “Please try to trip on the doorstop on your way out.”

Curtis snorted with laughter.

Parker ignored him and continued. “I’ll wait there for an hour in the hopes you’ll give me a chance to apologize properly. I’ve never done that and I need to. But I’ll understand if you don’t show up, Cassie. And I’ll still drop the class.”

I could have shouted to him to get lost or fuck off or any number of things but I didn’t want to call more attention to the situation. If my father came out here and realized that the guy who humiliated his daughter was standing in the lobby there might be fireworks indeed.

Curtis kept his eyes on Parker until he was out the door. Unfortunately, Parker did not lose his balance and trip on the doorstop or anything else.

When Curtis was satisfied that Parker was gone he turned to me. “What the fuck was that?” he asked.

To my dismay I discovered that I was on the verge of crying.

“None of your damn business,” I snapped. I snatched a tissue from the box on the desk and blew my nose.

Curtis wasn’t wounded by my sharpness. “Just asking,” he said, shrugging.

I took a breath. “Sorry. He just…caught me off guard.”

“I can see that,” said Curtis but his voice wasn’t unkind. He was looking at me rather intently now, with a little bit of pity mixed in. Open pity from Curtis Mulligan made me feel even worse.

At least we were alone in the lobby so there wasn’t any additional explaining to do. Any minute now the staff would start heading out to lunch. It was nearly noon.

Curtis was still watching me as I struggled to contain my emotions.

“Curtis,” I said, “I’d really appreciate it if you wouldn’t mention this to my dad or Uncle Deck or anyone else.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Mention what?”

I managed a smile. “Exactly.”

He glanced toward the door. “Who the hell is that guy anyway?”

I considered how to sum up Parker Neely. “An unsolicited blast from the past.”

“Ah.” Curtis nodded. “I’ve got a few of those.”

“I’m sure you do.”

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