Page 129 of The Professor's Possession (Crystal River Billionaire Brothers)

Ava sighs, and her face turns downcast. “It’s bad,” she says softly.

“How so?”

“I don’t really want to talk about it because that will just make me upset. It’s like he’s digging a hole that he can’t get out of. I just wish there was something I could do to help him.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I say.

Ava’s phone rings. It’s a message. She quickly reads it.

“Luke,” she says to me as a way of explanation. “He wants to meet up. Is that okay if I leave you?”

I nod. “Well, I want to go back to the dorm,” I reply. “I’m gagging to go for one of my runs.”

Ava shakes her head pitifully at me. “You’re crazy.”

“See you. Thanks for the coffee.”

“Thank you for your company.”

When I arrive - alone - at the dorm building, someone is waiting outside. It’s Spencer, of course. Waiting for me. He’s standing next to his parked car.

“Spencer? Where have you been? I’ve been so worried...”

He doesn’t let me finish.

“Get in the car,” he orders me.

62

SPENCER

We sitin total silence as I drive - all the way without a single word spoken - until we’re far outside of town. Far enough to not even see any trace of human civilization in the rearview mirror. Throughout the entire drive, I am afraid of what Olivia might say to me about being ushered into this vehicle or about my aloofness these last few days, but she remains deathly silent. I don’t know if she’s angry or disappointed, or what.

This is my way of talking to her. I want us to be alone when we finally open up.Veryalone.

I finally decide to pull over. The road here is empty of cars. Barely a chance that any would even pass us or come in the opposite direction. This road is rarely used; I should know because I used to come out here alone when I was a teenager when I wanted to get away from everything. I know there’s nothing around us but trees.

And then she speaks.

“How have the last few days been?” Olivia asks me. “You have been hard to reach, even more so than usual.”

Here it comes...

“That’s why I’ve come to see you,” I say. “I need to see you.”

“Oh?”

“I couldn’t write things out as a message,” I confess. “It was too...difficult. I just needed to see your face and hear your voice in person.”

“What happened? What’s been going on?”

She’s nervous. She’s been thinking about me. I really better come clean, then. The thought of Olivia being upset because of me is one of the most terrible feelings I could ever experience.

“I’ve spent all my time talking to the police and my lawyer and Quinn’s lawyer, and she’s finally agreed to go to rehab for her alcoholism,” I reply solemnly. “It’s a major breakthrough. I am so sorry about what happened in the park.”

“Please don’t apologize,” Olivia says to me. “That was out of your control.”

“That’s why I’ve been...quiet,” I whisper. “I didn’t want you to get any more involved in any of this than what you already are.”

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