“My reputation has nothing to do with the work I’ve put in here at the university. I was a little bit afraid that Dr. Ross might press for the board to approve my dissertation but not support me, but I think I made my points clearly enough. Dr. Isham seemed more than pleased to vouch for me. I don’t think that’s going to be a problem in the future.”
If at all possible, his face grew even redder with each word that I spoke. “So, you just got everything that you wanted, is that it? Stardom before you even graduate. That little tale you spun on television might have fooled everyone else, but it will not fool me. I recognize a woman who spreads her legs for success while the rest of us have to put in hard work.”
His anger stunned me, and I backed up into the wall. “What are you talking about?”
“Is this how you planned it, Jill? Make me look like an idiot when I was ready to start a private clinic with you? When I was ready to marry you and lend my name to help you launch your career? Use that simpering idiot of an actress to advance your career and fuck that ridiculous rancher husband of yours until everyone was just dripping with sympathy? You should have been humiliated on television, damn it. I don’t know how you’re still standing.”
Revelation dawned on me, and my jaw dropped. “You,” I whispered, dizzy with the fact of how wrong I’d been. “You leaked that information to Joyce?”
“It should have ended you!” His face was almost purple with rage.
“All of this time, I thought that you were guiding me,” I said through gritted teeth. “Advising me to keep my feelings in check because you wanted to see me succeed, but you were stifling me. You were jealous of the relationship I’d formed with Cindy and afraid of where that would lead me. And when you couldn’t stop it, you thought you’d try to join me on my way to the top.” Disgusted, I pushed away from him. “You are worthless, Don. A washed-up academic who never could make it work in the real world, and I was your last shot. I can’t believe I was pulled in by your lies.”
I never saw it coming. The punch came hard, striking my jaw and throwing me back into the wall. When he pulled his elbow back again, I ducked, and he slammed his fist into the wall. He howled in anger, and I stumbled away from him. Without thinking, I put my hand over my belly to protect my child.
“Dr. Augusta!” Ross’s outraged voice filled the hall, and we both turned to look. Every single judge from my orals, all twelve of them, were staring at us in horror.
His job at the university was finished. Vengeful satisfaction bloomed inside of me, but it wasn’t nearly as strong as the horrible realization that I’d wrongly accused the man I loved of betraying me.
“Jillian, are you all right?” Patterson asked in a quiet voice. “Should we call the police?”
“No.” I straightened my blouse and pushed my shoulders back. “But I will be writing a report to the university about Dr. Augusta’s conduct. It would make me happy if the twelve of you signed it as witnesses.”
“Of course.” Ross’s lips tightened in a thin line. I had a feeling that Don had expected Ross to bring me down, but obviously striking a woman was not something that she tolerated well.
“I appreciate that. If you’ll excuse me, I have something that I need to do.”
I didn’t even bother to spare Don another look. His hatred was rolling off him in waves, but there was something far more important that I needed to do.
***
A few of the ranch hands recognized me as I wandered the pastures in search of Brendan, but he was nowhere to be found. The house was empty, and the office in the stable was locked up tight. Debra was in the middle of a training session, and I knew the dangers of interrupting her when she was working. No one seemed to know where Brendan was, and someone finally told me that he thought Ben was working on a new fence line.
It was going to take me forever to walk down there, but I needed to see Brendan. Before I headed down the path, I stopped in the stable to check on Silva. I’d missed my stallion.
He wasn’t alone. Kim was at the gate feeding him, and Mickie was sitting up on the gate and giving her his most charming smile.
I hesitated. I’d left the ranch without even saying goodbye to Kim. How would she feel about me?
Silva’s nose flared, and he turned his head to me. Kim followed suit, but she didn’t greet me nearly as warmly as the horse did. “Mickie, can you give us a second?” she asked softly.