Page 98 of Love Around the Corner
“No, not even the head of the department.” He left off the “acting” in his job description. That was no mistake. “It has to do with keeping the researchers accountable every step of the way. I’m sure you understand. If Finch had listed you as a research partner, it might be different. But as it is, you’re just one of her students.”
She wasn’t just any student. She was Janet’sstarstudent. He was trying to put her in her place, to rub her nose in her powerlessness. Fury bubbled up in her chest. White-hot, impotent fury. Because no matter how much of a jerk Langley was, in this one way, he was right. She was powerless.
“What if I submit the request on my own? Not as part of Janet’s research?”
“Without a comprehensive research proposal, it’s doubtful a graduate student would get approved for a spot on Hubble. And since you can’t use Finch’s work, I’m afraid you don’t have enough on your own to justify the spot.”
He smiled then, a thin, slightly smug smile, as he leaned back in his chair. Livie clenched her back teeth together so hard it hurt. He could sign off on her application if he wanted to, she knew it. The bastard was perfectly willing to bend the rules when he wanted Janet to pay for his equipment with her grant money, but suddenly he was all about the rules if it meant screwing her over.
“You’re telling me I can’t move forward until Janet is back?”
He made a show of frowning, like he was actually sympathetic with her plight. “You’re a bright student, Miss Romano. One of our best. I’m sure you’ll think of something.”
Thebest. She was the department’s best student and he knew it. Maybe she’d been too self-effacing in the past to admit that, but not anymore. Sheknewhow good she was. Langley had all but admitted it himself when he tried to get her to abandon Janet’s research for his.
In a flash, it all became so clear. It had nothing to do with rules, or even Janet, really. This was about her. She’d turned him down and now he was punishing her. He wasenjoyingwatching her PhD go down in flames, almost as much as he was enjoying his power over the whole department. For once, he was the king around here, and he was loving the hell out of it.
“I’m sure I will,” Livie bit out from between clenched teeth.
“Good luck, Miss Romano. And give Professor Finch’s family my best when you speak to them again.”
He could pick up the phone and call them himself, but she knew he wouldn’t. “Sure. Thanks for your time.”
“My door is always open for you,” he said magnanimously as she stood.
She had no intention of ever willingly stepping foot in his office again. Never in her life had she had an urge to commit physical violence. Maybe it was her frustration at this injustice. Maybe it was leftover anger and grief over Nick. But right now she wanted to plant her fist square in Langley’s face. The urge was so strong that she was practically shaking with it. But her position in this department was precarious and getting worse by the day. Violence—even a well-earned display of temper—wouldn’t help, and would only make things worse for her.
Even though it felt like swallowing glass, she smiled at Langley as she left his office.
She was still in a daze as she walked down the hall.
Everything was for nothing. Months of working with Nick on a program that they’d never be able to use, for research that was never going to happen. Maybe it would have been better if she’d never met him, if none of this had ever happened, if this was how it was going to turn out.
No. As terrible as she felt—and if she allowed herself to think about him for even a second, the grief punched her so hard she could barely breathe—but she still couldn’t regret having met him, having loved him. He’d changed her life. Yes, in an awful way, by breaking her heart. But also in a million good ways. Maybe Teresa was right, and one day she’d be able to look back without pain and appreciate that.
She was barely aware of what she did as she entered the departmental office and made her way to her mail cubby.
“Hi, Livie,” Anita called from behind her desk in the corner.
“Hi, Anita.”
Michiko was riffling through a stack of flyers by her mail cubby. She paused, looking up at Livie. “Hey, you okay? You look like your dog died.”
Spudge had not died this week. That was about the only piece of good news Livie could come up with at present.
“Um, it’s been kind of a crappy week.”
Michiko’s lips quirked to the side as she considered that. “Is it school or life? Or should I not ask?”
Once, Livie would have made some polite demurral and escaped. She was not one to share herself with strangers. But that was once, and she wasn’t the same as she used to be. Besides, Michiko wasn’t exactly a stranger, was she?
“Both. But right now, school is the major problem. Langley won’t sign off on my application for time on Hubble. Without that, Janet’s research is dead in the water. And so am I.”
“Why won’t he sign off on it? I mean, I know she’s supposed to, but under the circumstances, I’m sure he could make an exception.”
Livie’s anger flared anew. “Hecould. Iknowhe could. But he won’t, because he’s an asshole and he’s punishing me because I won’t work on his stupid research.”
Michiko blinked in shock at her sudden outburst. Anita chuckled.
