by Claire Adams
I had to laugh. He was good. Really good. Law school had paid off for him, and he had found his calling. I imagined lawyers would be looking for the exit when he showed up in court across the table from them. He was a force to be reckoned with.
“I’m glad you’re on my side,” I told him, meaning every word. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s head over to Tessa’s and pick her up.”
She yanked open the door the second my car came to a stop. She was very eager to get her day in court—or at least face the woman who was attempting to disrupt her life.
“Hi,” I said, giving her a quick kiss. “You ready?”
“Yep, let’s go get the bitch.”
I leaned back and laughed. “You are one fierce woman!”
We piled back into the car, with Jake taking the backseat. We chatted about the weather and nothing in particular on the drive over. Tessa was wringing her hands.
I reached over, and placed my hand over both of hers. “It’s all going to work out.”
“I hope so.”
The three of us walked into the administration office, setting the tongues to wagging. Ladies who worked in the office were trying not to look directly at us, but their effort was ridiculous. It was obvious our story had spread throughout the office and likely the whole campus. Teaching students who thought of me as a lecherous predator was not going to be easy. There was also the fact that one of those students had turned us in. She had felt it was her business to run to the dean with some bullshit story, just to get back at me.
“You’ll be meeting in one of the conference rooms,” we were informed by a young woman who looked a little too eager to do the dean’s bidding.
Tessa was dressed in a black pencil skirt and white silk blouse. She looked like she could be the lawyer, and I couldn’t help but watch as she followed behind the woman, her shoulders back, and her head held high as passing students turned to point and whisper.
I gave my best professorial scowl, but it only served to heighten the whispers.
Let them talk.
“In here.” The woman pushed open the door to a room with a large table in the center, and a whiteboard at one end of the room. There were eight chairs positioned around the table, which made me a little nervous.
Our escort left, shutting the door behind her.
I turned to Jake, who looked cool as a cucumber. “What the hell? Are they planning an ambush?”
He smirked. “Don’t panic, it’s meant to intimidate. They could bring in twenty people, and it wouldn’t matter. Tessa was right all along. The law is on our side, and their own rule book backs up our case. Have a seat and don’t let them scare you. Push back. Show them you are confident and let them be worried. We got this,” he stressed.
“I’m ready. She doesn’t scare me,” Tessa said, pulling out a chair at the head of the table. It was a calculated move. She was putting herself in the position of authority, and I was very proud of her.
The door swung open, and Dean Scribbs walked in, followed by a short, stout elderly man.
“I am Mr. Hendricks. I represent the school and will be handling the majority of any questions you may have. Dean Scribbs is here as a courtesy; please keep that in mind,” the lawyer said, attempting to shut us down before we even got started.
Jake stepped forward and introduced himself. “Dean Scribbs can either be here or not, that is her choice. She is, however, the one we will be taking to court if this isn’t resolved to our satisfaction today.”
I had to fight back the smile that threatened to cross my face. The old lawyer obviously thought he was dealing with a greenhorn. Jake was about to show him that an Ivy League education was worth every penny—even if it had been mostly paid with the various scholarships he worked his ass off to get.
“Let’s have a seat and talk this out,” the lawyer said, gesturing to the chairs. Dean Scribbs eyeballed Tessa in her seat at the head of the table. Tessa smiled sweetly in return as the woman glared.
Jake pulled out the paperwork he had prepared, where the rule was highlighted, and various examples of case law were referenced. “We are asking Tessa be reinstated to return to school and pick up where she left off.”
“Absolutely not,” Dean Scribbs said in a snide voice. “She has been expelled and is lucky I have allowed her to return to campus at all. This institution has far higher standards, and I can assure you we have many students that would appreciate the opportunity more than Miss McShane did.”
Jake cleared his throat. “Your actions were without merit. Per your own rules, there was no violation. Therefore, you have no grounds to expel her. She will return to class tomorrow.”
Dean Scribbs turned red and glared at the lawyer, willing him to speak. Withering under the angry gaze, he finally spoke up. “Now, son, making demands is not the way this meeting is going to be conducted,” the lawyer said, holding up his hands.
Jake looked at him. “You fix it today or we’ll be going to court and Tessa will be awarded more than enough money to finish her education elsewhere if she chooses.”
The dean slammed her open hand on the table and stood up. “I don’t think so! This is ridiculous!”
Tessa looked up at her, and I knew she was about to say something. I met her eyes and gave a slight shake of my head. This was Jake’s game. He would win it if we could keep our emotions in check.
“I suggest you review the document I put together, Mr. Hendricks,” Jake said, sliding a copy of the paper across the table. “You will see that I’ve put our cards on the table and stated our intent very clearly.”
After reading the document, the lawyer asked for a few minutes to confer with the dean. They stood and left the room.
“Well?” Tessa asked Jake.
“It’s in the bag,” he replied. “She’ll put up a fuss, but they really don’t have any legal grounds to expel you. If they stick to the expulsion, we’ll sue. That will cost them far more than her eating a little crow and getting through one more semester.”
Tessa nodded, looked at me, the stress of the moment overwhelming her bravado. I smiled. “Hang in there a few more minutes; it’ll be okay.” Trying to reassure her, I pushed aside the fear in my gut that it would not go our way, and I’d end up losing her. Somehow it would have been better if I’d been fired outright.
Finally, after what seemed a very long time, the dean and the lawyer came back into the room. It was very evident the dean was not happy.
“Well then, in order to expedite resolution of this matter, Miss McShane may return to school tomorrow. She will not, however, be allowed to remain as a teaching assistant to Professor Dunlap,” the lawyer stated.
“What about the credit?” Tessa asked.
“You will receive the credit for this semester, however, you will need to pick up another class for next semester. You will not be granted any assistant teaching positions,” he explained.
The dean turned to glare at me. “You will not be coming back here next year. We expect better from our professors,” she spat out.
I laughed. “Dean Scribbs, that makes me very happy. I would be more than happy to leave tomorrow if you wish.”
The lawyer shook his head. “No, you signed a contract. We expect that to be fulfilled.”
I nodded. “Fine, but you,” I said, pointing to the dean. “Stay out of my way. If a student has a problem with me, you bring him, and I’ll bring him,” I said, pointing to both lawyers in the room. “I think it’s safe to say we cannot have a proper discussion about anything at this point.”
“Fine,” she seethed.
“If we could just get all this in writing and signed by all parties involved, I think we can call this case settled,” Jake said, standing. “Agreed?” he asked, making eye contact with everyone in the room.
“Yep,” Tessa said with a smile.
The dean stepped out and returned a few minutes later with the documents that reinstated Tessa as well as my resignation effective at the end of the year.
&nb
sp; We walked out of the building, and I felt great. Tessa was grinning ear to ear, her arm around my waist as we strolled down the sidewalk that was packed full of students and faculty.
“Thank you, Jake. You’re my hero,” she teased.
“No problem. I’m glad to have helped, and I’m especially glad you got this big oaf to lighten up and have some fun,” he replied. He looked at me. “So, is it back to consulting or you going to look for another teaching job?”
“Consulting,” I answered, without hesitating. “My taste for teaching has been tainted for now. Maybe down the road, but I would prefer to avoid people like the dean for a nice long while.”
“Sounds good. Are we still on for dinner tonight?” Jake asked.
“Yep, my place, I’m cooking.”
We dropped Jake off at his car and Tessa and I headed back to my place. I had plans for her and that tight skirt. My naughty teacher fantasy was about to be fulfilled whether Tessa knew it or not.
Epilogue
Tessa
I was having a struggle fighting my nerves, after working towards this moment for four long years. There had been many hurdles and more than one occasion when I thought I couldn’t do it, but here I was—ready to graduate in front of my family, friends, and fiancé.
I sat on the stage, looking out at the audience. I couldn’t make out Ian’s face, but I knew he was out there somewhere. I was sweating like a pig in the horrible gown, but it was fine with me. I had chosen a little black dress to wear under my graduation gown, which made it a little cooler, but I was still hot. Whose bright idea was it to have a May graduation outside in southern Florida?
My heart raced as the announcer said a last name that started with an L. My turn was coming. I was about a minute away from getting the bachelor’s degree I had worked so hard for. Only a few short months ago I had thought it would never happen. Thankfully, Jake had saved the day, and I was about to make my mom very proud.
“Tessa McShane!”
I could hear my mom’s voice cut through all the rest. I knew I was beaming. Dean Scribbs was standing on the other side of stage, forced to shake my hand as I received my diploma. I grinned and winked at her. She fumed, and it was the most satisfying moment of my life. My fellow students cheered for me just as I had cheered for them. None of them cared about the scandal. In fact, more than one of my friends from school congratulated me on my engagement and wished me well. Ian was a very good-looking man, and I was only slightly jealous that so many girls were hot for him.
As I reached for the diploma, the beautiful sapphire in my engagement ring caught the light. My mind flashed back to the moment he proposed. It was Christmas morning. I assumed I was getting jewelry, but never imagined it would be an engagement ring. I walked across the stage feeling as if I were floating. My life had come full circle, with Ian at the center of my world. Our marriage would happen in the fall, one year from the time we met.
Once the ceremony was over, I made my way over to the area where Ian and my mom would be waiting. When I saw his head, higher than the rest, I quickly made a beeline for him, anxious to be near him.
“You did it, babe!” Ian said, scooping me up in his arms and spinning me around.
I laughed. “Yes, I did. Did you see the dean’s face?” I giggled.
He nodded. “I did. I am so proud of you.”
“Me too,” my mom chimed in. “I would still like to give that woman a piece of my mind. How dare she try to insinuate my little girl was anything but a fine young lady? She probably needs to get laid,” she muttered.
“Mom!” I said, shocked by her crass words. It was very unlike my mother to talk in such a way, but the past six months had changed her as well. She was currently dating a man who seemed to make her very happy. I had yet to meet him, but I had Googled the hell out of him, and he appeared to be on the up and up.
When I had to tell my mom what had happened with my expulsion, I thought for sure she would have grounded me or forbid me to see Ian again. I figured if he was standing in front of her, she would remember her manners and be nice. Ian and I had flown out for Thanksgiving and told her the sordid story. She wasn’t happy and threatened to call the dean and give her a piece of her mind. As far as Ian and I were concerned, my mom had already suspected we were more than teacher and assistant. I should have known I could never fool her.
I took Ian to visit Talia’s grave. I had been hesitant, but once we got to the cemetery, it felt right. I was happy to share that part of my life with him and be able to lean on him.
In the weeks after the scandal broke, Jennie’s role in the whole thing had been further explained. It was far worse than simply seeing us in the window. While we both suspected she had a crush on Ian, neither of us was prepared to hear she had been stalking him. Jake had demanded a copy of the report that had been filed with the dean. When it was revealed that Jennie had seen us through Ian’s living room window when we were holed up during the hurricane, all hell broke loose. Jake threatened to sue the school for withholding the information on Ian’s behalf, citing a whole slew of laws that were broken.
The police were called, and now Ian and I both had a restraining order against the young woman. She had been expelled from the school once the extent of her stalking had been revealed. The girl was not quite right and apparently had a history of stalking boys at her high school. It still gave me goosebumps to know she had watched us have sex on the couch that night. From the moment we learned about her peeping, we always made sure the blinds were closed and the doors were locked. Even then, I could never fully shake the feeling we were being watched.
“Let’s go,” Ian said, taking my hand. “Maria and Jake are waiting for us.”
“I’m so ready to party the night away. I can’t believe this is all actually happening!” I squealed.
When we got home to Ian’s house—our house—we discovered Jake had gone all out on the decorating. There were signs all over the once bleak lawn. Maria had raced home after the graduation to help Jake. The two were complete opposites of Ian and me. They acted like a couple of teenagers, completely carefree and wild. Ian and I were more likely to be at home on a Friday night, while those two went out to the clubs.
“Wow. Maria wasn’t kidding when she said she was going to make sure everyone knew I graduated!” I laughed.
We went in, and the two screamed before spraying me with silly string.
The five of us spent the night drinking and eating the food my mom had ordered.
“When do you leave?” my mom asked.
“On Sunday. We’ll fly to Hawaii and spend about a month there before we head to Australia.”
“I’m so jealous,” Maria chimed in, “but so happy for the two of you.”
Jake raised his beer. “To a bright future for my big brother, who finally found the woman of his dreams. It took you long enough.”
We all laughed. “He had to wait until I was legal,” I said, with a wink.
My mom nearly spit her wine all over. “Tessa, really.”
Ian shrugged. “I don’t even want to do the numbers. Seriously, you were in kindergarten when I started my first year of college.”
“Stop it!” I said, wrinkling my nose. “When you put it like that it sounds terrible.”
“It took me that extra twelve years to get my sh—” He stopped and glanced at my mom. “To grow up so I can be the fine husband you deserve.”
My mom smiled. “I am very happy for you both.”
“And I will be the best maid of honor, ever, but I swear if you try and put me in some poufy, pink taffeta dress, I will not show up,” Maria said, in a voice that revealed she was serious.
“When we go shopping for my dress tomorrow, I’m going to make it a point to look for the ugliest dress I can find.” I winked at her.
“You have a very busy couple of months ahead of you, Tessa; are you sure you can do it all?” my mom asked with concern.
I smiled. “With Maria taking care of things I can
’t do online, and you handling the other details, it will all be fine. But honestly, I don’t care if we get married at the courthouse.”
“No,” Ian chimed in. “I want a real wedding. I want you in the white dress and the whole nine yards. We aren’t skimping on this.”
We all laughed. He had turned into a bit of a Groomzilla.
“Yes, sir. You will have your dream wedding,” I teased.
Maria and Jake stood. “We’re going to head out.”
My mom stood as well. “Me too. So we’ll meet here at nine tomorrow, right?”
I nodded. “Yes, I made the appointment with the first bridal shop at ten. Hopefully, I can find the dress there. I don’t want to waste my last day in Florida searching for a dress.”
“And I’ll be here to help you close up the house,” Jake said to Ian.
“Sounds good, thanks,” Ian said, clapping his brother on the back.
With everyone gone, Ian and I both collapsed on the couch. It had been a long day. We were both exhausted.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes. I’m excited. I get to use my shiny new degree to do a job I love, and I get to do it with you while traveling the world. How could I not want to do it?”
“I want to make sure. We’ll be gone for five months.”
“Yep, and we’ll get to do our part to save a little tiny bit of the world. I’m excited to keep learning from you as your assistant.”
He leaned over, kissed me. “You’re more than my assistant. You’re my everything, and I could never do this without you. Thank you for showing me how to live and be happy again. I truly never thought it would be possible.”
I crawled on top of him, straddling him. “You showed me how to live. Together, we are going to be so happy that all the other couples in the world will be jealous.”
He laughed. “We’ll see about that. For now, can we discuss this little black dress you have on?”
I leaned in close to his ear and nibbled the lobe before whispering, “Okay, but you should know that it’s all I have on.”