Page 14 of Trust Me With Forever

For a few seconds, she stared at me, her expression unreadable. Just as I thought maybe I’d fucked up—she could be done with teaching, for all I knew—she asked, “Do you have a curriculum? Or would I have to make it? What are your projected student numbers? Is it only for paying customers, or for anyone?”

Her questions gave me hope that she was interested. “There’s no curriculum yet, especially since it’ll depend on what people need. You could always hire help, for subjects you don’t know. And the center would be free and open to all students in Starry Hills. Anyone who comes from out of town will have a sliding fee, depending on their situation.”

She shifted in her seat, and then again, as she bit her bottom lip. I stared hard at her teeth and plump mouth, until her voice nearly made me jump as she said, “I’m interested, but there’s something you should know about me before you offer me the job. Especially since this whole fake marriage thing is to protect your business’s reputation.”

I frowned. “What do I need to know?”

She looked off to the side. “During my student teaching internship, my mentor teacher seduced me and tricked me into believing he was in love with me. So imagine my surprise when he announced his engagement to someone else on my last day.” She finally met my eyes, her expression sad and shameful. “And if I ever breathe a word of our affair to his now wife, he’s going to tell everyone I only got a passing grade because I slept with him. Not only that, he threatened to tell the world lies about me sleeping with students, too.” She sighed. “So you see, staying married to me might not be the best idea, after all, Rafe. I could bring a bigger scandal than any annulment.”

Chapter Six

Abby

Emmy:You’re coming to the big dinner West and I are hosting, aren’t you?

Me:I should be there.

Emmy:I miss us living together, you know.

Me:I know. But it wasn’t feasible for me to stay.

Emmy:Is everything okay? You’ve been kind of quiet recently. And there haven’t been any emojis.

Me:I’m fine. I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my future since I don’t want to live with my family forever.

Emmy:You can always come back to work for me, if you want. Although I know your heart isn’t there.

Me:Trust me, I’m working on the future. But enough of my problems. Enjoy your new hubby and kids! I have to go help Aunt Lori.

Emmy:I’m here if you need me. Love you.

Me:Love you, too.

It was only fair that I told Rafe of Travis’s threats and blackmail, and I hadn’t even shared all of it. My ex had said that if I tried teaching anywhere in California, he’d go to the police about me seducing students. He even had a few teacher buddies who would back him up.

I’d tested him out to see if he was bluffing by interviewing in Santa Rosa not too long ago. But as soon as the interview was over and they’d offered me the job, Travis had sent a naked picture of me. It had originally been of us, but he’d had someone Photoshop it so that it was me with some teenager.

It’d made me sick, but I’d gotten the message and turned down the job. My family thought I hadn’t gotten it, but it wasn’t as if I could tell them the truth. My own naïveté and lust had caused my shitstorm, one that I’d have to figure out at some point.

Rafe deserved to know the truth, though. And honestly, I’d expected disgust to flare in his eyes and for him to tell me to fuck off.

However, anger flared in his gaze as he curled his fingers into fists. “Who the fuck does he think he is?”

I blinked. “Pardon?”

He stood up fast, and his stool crashed to the floor. “That asshole’s the one who took advantage of his position of power. He’s the fucker who treats women as toys to use and discard. He should be the one fucking punished, not you. Why hasn’t your family helped you with this? Nolan has the money to make that asshole pay.”

I blinked, trying to wrap my head around Rafe’s reaction. I finally made my mouth work again. “Well, they don’t know about it.”

“Why not?”

“Why do you think? Oh, let me just tell Aunt Lori about how stupid I was, how embarrassed I still am, or how sick I feel thatanyone thinks I’d take advantage of high school students, take advantage ofchildren, like that.”

“But you don’t deserve to be punished for what he did to you.”

“And I agree. I tried to call his bluff once, but…”

I shut my mouth. Given how angry he already was, I shouldn’t tell Rafe any more.

---