Page 134 of Forbidden Hearts
She nods once. “That’s a good idea. Life often goes in another direction when we least expect it. Phoebe, you’re on the East Coast, correct?”
“Yes, I’m in Pennsylvania.”
“I thought that was the case. Listen, maybe this is fate stepping in, but there’s a startup company that is looking for someone who is fluent in ASL to work on a project. I was offered the position, but I don’t have the ability to commit to being in New York City once a month for round-table meetings. However, you might be perfect for it.”
“Really?” I ask, feeling a little hopeful. “I don’t even know what to say.”
“Let me reach out to them, pass on your info, and see what they think. They’re hoping to have the program up and running in the next year, which might work with your pregnancy?”
She is like my fairy godmother. “You have no idea how much your kindness means to me. Seriously.”
“You were an excellent student who cared about the people you worked with more than yourself. While I try very hard not to get involved in what goes on, you’re not the first girl who has gotten mixed up with a professor and paid the consequences.”
Asher’s hand rubs my back. “Hopefully, she’s the last.”
Professor Calloway nods. “I hope so too.” She looks down at her watch. “I have to run. I’ll send that email today, and good luck, Phoebe.”
“Thank you.”
We sit here for a few minutes, and the weight of the last twenty-four hours is enough to crush me.
I turn to Asher, needing to say everything I need to before I have to endure a twelve-hour car ride. “You left me. You left all of us and didn’t give us any way to reach you.”
“I know, and I was wrong.”
“Yes, you were. You were wrong to do that. Wrong to make me out of my goddamn mind with fear. I was so angry with you. I’mstillangry.”
“I deserve it. I’m sorry.”
Yes, he does. I pull the towel tighter around me. “I’ll forgive you before we hit Sugarloaf, which I think is generous.”
He laughs once. “It is. I’d like to know exactly how you got here so fast?”
I release a breath through my nose. “I asked Jacob Arrowood to let me use his private plane.”
“You flew on a private plane to get here?” Asher asks as though it’s impossible.
“You drove twelve hours to punch a man in the face?”
He leans back, looking up at the ceiling. “Touché. I was beyond angry and frustrated. I couldn’t believe I let this happen to someone else.”
“Letthis happen? You didn’t even know—”
“I knew him, what he was, who he is. If I hadn’t let him get away with it years ago, maybe he wouldn’t still be doing it again now.”
I get to my feet, my frustration mounting. “While I understand and appreciate your need to protect me and all the people you love, you can’t. You’re a cop, so you know as well as anyone that sometimes people do horrible things, and sometimes they get away with it. Your sister made peace with it, she doesn’t blame you, and I sure as hell don’t either. However, you had me terrified. I was so worried about you, and the only thing I cared about was getting to you before you did something stupid, which you did by even coming here. You stupid, caring, dumb, wonderful, overprotective ass of a man, if you ever leave me like that again, I will rip your arms off and beat you with them. Understand?”
He smiles and dips his head to kiss me. “I’ll never leave you like that again.”
“How about you just never leave me period.”
“I can handle that.”
“Good, now let’s go. I am exhausted, and we need to get back home and deal with this situation because I have no doubt the entire town knows we’re together now.”
* * *
We’re just getting back on the road now. We stayed the night somewhere in Ohio after driving as much as we could. Brynn was adamant she was fine and Olivia was more than taken care of. I’m grateful for that because even with the two of us napping as the other drove, we were worn out.
