“You deserve it. But the celebration needs to move elsewhere.” I nod to the table of startled academics.
Royce is the next one to look up at me. “You’ve helped us. Who are they going to stick us with if you’re not here?”
“I’ve already spoken with another faculty member to cover the commitment. Dr. Greene.”
“Dr. Greene is eighty,” Adam blurts.
Madison nods. “We want you to stay. We won’t let you leave.”
“We were about to render our verdict,” the woman says pointedly. “You all need to leave.”
“If you want me to go, you can say it in front of my students.”
She frowns. “Fine. Professor Redmond, the relationship you had with a student was ill-advised and unethical. But because the student is of age, there is nothing illegal. Further…we found no evidence that it unfairly affected your other students. In fact, the students in question wrote letters of support on your behalf.”
My head snaps around to my students, then back to the administrators.
This isn’t how I expect it to sound.
“We would like you to remain at Russell next semester.”
I swear I’ve misheard.
There’s no way they want me here.
“Thank fuck,” Royce blurts. Madison gasps and even Adam looks relieved.
Olivia’s eyes widen with hope and emotions that threaten to gut me.
There’s a chance.
We can make this work.
I’m here and so is she. The woman who sees me at my best and my worst.
The second we’re out of here, we’ll set things right.
The vice provost rises from her seat. “Could everyone but Professor Redmond and Miss Barclay please leave the room?”
Madison, Royce, and Adam head for the hall. Once the door closes behind them, the room is quiet.
The dean of engineering clears his throat. But it’s not me he’s looking at—it’s Olivia.
“I spoke to your parents this morning. I wanted to keep them apprised of your situation, as a concerned parent and particularly given his support of the department. The thing is, he had no idea what I was talking about.”
Olivia tenses at my side.
Hidden from view by our bodies, my fingers itch to thread through hers behind her back, but she’s too far away.
“Olivia Barclay,” the dean begins, “for your conduct, including possessing a copy of a faculty keycard and lying about an alumni donation, Russell University has decided you are no longer fit to attend this institution. You are hereby expelled.”
Thank you for reading Collide!
When Olivia’s future is torn from her fingertips, can she and Sawyer defy the odds and fight for their future?
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Books by Piper Lawson
OFF-LIMITS SERIES
Crave
Collide
Claim
ENEMIES SERIES
Beautiful Enemy
Beautiful Sins
Beautiful Ruin
Beautiful Salvation
RIVALS SERIES
Love Notes
A Love Song for Liars
A Love Song for Rebels
A Love Song for Dreamers
A Love Song for Always
WICKED SERIES
Good Girl
Bad Girl
Wicked Girl
Forever Wicked
MODERN ROMANCE SERIES
Easy Love
Bad Love
Twisted Love
PLAY SERIES
PLAY
NSFW
RISE
TRAVESTY SERIES
Schooled
Stripped
Sealed
Styled
Satisfaction
Acknowledgments
Sawyer and Liv’s story has taken me on a ride I never expected. I have loved every second of going deeper into their world.
How is it possible their highs and lows feel as if they transcend college firsts, but are also the perfect example of that time? No idea. But they’re so real and visceral to me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Collide wouldn’t have happened without the support of my awesome readers, including my ARC team. You ladies provide endless enthusiasm, cheerleading, and help spreading the word. I could NOT do it without you.
Thank you Tal, Suzanne, and Tina for your honest (and timely!) feedback. Becca, thank you for knowing the characters in my head better than I do. Erica, thank you for polishing, cheerleading and catching all the little things.
Thank you Regina for the perfect image. And Dani for your sage advice and for helping my stories find their way to readers who’ll cherish them like I do.
And Annette Brignac and Michelle Clay… I don’t know how I published a sentence before you. Don’t ever leave me.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. The best part of author life is having YOU in it.
Love always,
Piper
About the Author
Piper Lawson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of smart, steamy romance.
She writes about women who follow their dreams (even the scary ones), best friends who know your dirty secrets (and love you anyway), and complex heroes you’ll fall hard for (especially after talking with them). Brains or brawn? She’ll never make you choose.
Piper lives in Canada with her tall, dark and brilliant husband. She believes peanut butter is a protein, rose gold is a neutral, and love is ALWAYS the answer.
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Copyright 2021 by Piper Lawson Books
Content editing by Becca Mysoor
Line and copy editing by Erica Russikoff
Cover photography by Regina Wamba