Chapter Sixteen
“What in thehell?” His jaw clenched in dismay. “I’ll be right there.”
“Thanks. I’ll explain later.”
He ended the call and then quickly ran by his boss’s office to let her know he had an emergency to deal with. Thank God management was pretty chill here and she waved him off with concern.
The drive to Hannah’s school only took ten minutes, and he spent it with anxiety gnawing in his gut. What had happened? She’d probably be in tears. Did he have tissues? Any old Starbucks napkins floating around?
Damn, he really needed to be more prepared for this kind of thing.
He pulled into the school parking lot and spotted her standing where their usual drop-off spot was.
The muscles in his body tightened and his breath locked as he pulled up to her. He braced for the tears.
She pulled open the door, sat down inside, and closed it again. Then, “I’m so fucking furious.”
His jaw hit the floor. Never, ever in all the time he’d known her, had he heard her curse. And now she’d just screamed an f-bomb.
So, definitely no tears. In fact, she trembled with rage.
“What happened?” He pulled away from the curb and school.
“Stoddard Wentworth told them I hit his son. Left marks on his arm.”
“What?” Shock ripped through him. “That’s a lie.”
“Of course it is. It wouldn’t surprise me if he bruised his own child to frame me,” she seethed.
“How can they just take his word for that?”
“Big money talks, and he’s a big donor. Also, apparently, there have been ‘several’ complaints about my lascivious behavior in the morning when you drop me off.”
But the kisses had all been damn near chaste. Except a few times where there’d been a little bit of tongue, but even that had been quick.
It wasn’t like they’d been groping in public.
“This is nuts.”
“The school hates any kind of scandal. They don’t want anything that will tarnish their image or prestige. They want to sweep it under the rug as quickly as possible.” She shook her head. “They told me an investigation will be made and it could take a while. I can tell they want me to quit. And Wentworth clearly wants me to beg him for my job back.”
“Maybe it’s worth looking into finding another school to work at. This isn’t worth your physical and mental health.”
“I completely agree, but no.”
His jaw clenched. “Okay.”
“There’s no way he’s forcing me to quit my job. I enjoy my job, the students, and the other teachers who I’ve become friends with. Without a doubt, I could quit, go work for a public school and make more money, but I’m not giving him that satisfaction.”
“Absolutely understandable. So what are you going to do?” He backed her no matter what her choice was.
“I’m going to take this bastard down.”
A sliver of unease moved down his spine and he took a slow breath. Okay, well, that choice sounded a little bit riskier.
But he stuck to his vow. “How do we do that?”
She turned to him and her gaze softened. “I love that you say we.”