Sawyer’s hands twitch at his sides as he watches Jeremy helping me, and his jaw tightens. Long is watching me and I suppose it’s as well considering Sawyer’s feelings for me are all over his face as he glares at the other man.
I offer him a soft smile and ask him, “Where are we?”
“The ER.” He winces. “You went down hard, Andie. No words for it. Plus no one could wake you up. Scared the hell out of me.”
“You were there?”
He shakes his head and runs a shaky hand through his messy hair. “I’d walked in at the back of the class just as you went down...I couldn’t get to you in time to prevent you from hitting the ground.”
I groan. “Could this get any more embarrassing?”
“I want to know why I wasn’t aware you had a problem?” Professor Long, questions.
Sawyer hisses. “It isn’t a problem, it’s a sickness...and isn’t it your responsibility to check whether any of the students have any medical conditions?”
“Are you aware of any medical conditions of the students you teach?” she counters.
“Anything that could become an emergency in class then yes I am.” Sawyer quickly glances at me with a slight wince before he gives her his attention.
Jeremy whispers, “She won’t leave until he does and he knows it.”
Meeting his gaze, I know what I have to do. It isn’t easy though because I want nothing more than to borrow into Sawyer’s strong arms.
“For the millionth time, she is only a student!” Sawyer runs his hands through his hair and although I know he can’t very well admit that I’m more to him than that, it hurts all the same.
My eyes fill with tears as I slowly swing my legs from the bed. Jeremy, guessing what I’m looking for, slips my shoes onto my feet and helps me stand. He keeps an arm around my waist and I’m so thankful for his support.
Moving toward the door, Sawyer stops mid-sentence and I feel his gaze on me, so I glance in his direction. “Jeremy is taking me home.” I hold his frustrated gaze. “You two can stay here and continue arguing but you’re causing my head to pound.” I take a few more steps and add, “I’m with Jeremy, Professor Long. Perhaps you should get your facts straight before going around accusing people, and possibly ruining relationships.”
She opens and closes her mouth like a fish as I ignore them both and let Jeremy lead me outside.
“I, um, came in with you so I don’t have wheels,” he winces. “I’m sorry. I actually thought you’d be leaving with your Prof.”
“I’m not feeling too badly right now, but I don’t think I could walk back.” I sit on one of the benches outside the front, and take my purse from him. “I’ll get an Uber.” Two minutes later, I add, “It will be here in five minutes.”
He nods and sitting beside me, stretches out with his legs. “You’re in a mess, Andie. She’s convinced that Lawrence and you are, in her words, ‘fucking’. She isn’t going to stop until the whole damn college is gossiping about the two of you.”
“This morning I woke up thinking that nothing could touch us, and now this.” I wrap my arms around my drawn up knees on the bench. My cheek is wet from my silent tears, so I wipe my damp face on my dress as I rest against my knees. I’m also wondering about last night.
“While Sawyer and me slept on the patio last night, someone came in and switched on the lights around the pool. I thought maybe it was her, but she isn’t acting like she’s actually seen us together.” My eyes search his face and he lets out a huff of breath.
“You’re asking if it was me.” He shakes his head. “No, it wasn’t me. I have better things to do than stalk you.”
“I didn’t really think it was you. Sawyer mentioned that it might have been, but I told him if it was anyone we knew, then it was Long, but I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Our rides here.” Jeremy tugs me up and once inside the car, I look back just as Sawyer and Long walk out of the front doors.
Sawyer looks around while he’s backing away from the witch. His actions are impatient, and I realize that he’s probably looking for me.
“I hate that we can’t be seen together in public and that we have to hide,” I whisper softly, feeling jealousy rise up inside of me. My heart aches with wanting to be a normal couple. I just can’t see that happening anytime soon.
18
Sawyer
My temples throb as I quickly leave campus, heading home. It’s been a long day and with the added stress of Andie passing out, I long for some quiet time with her. It was like my gut was on fire when I watched her leave the hospital with Jeremy’s hands on her. I could see that she was slightly unsteady and she needed the assistance, but it should have been me.
It would have been me if it hadn’t been for Professor Long insisting on coming to the hospital. She is a vicious woman, whom I have quickly discovered, and she’ll stop at nothing until everyone knows about Andie and me.