“Is that all that’s different?”
“Careful, kid.” My tone was low and menacing. “I saw you in the lobby with her earlier. It was her, wasn’t it? You seemed awfully cozy to be accusing me of inappropriate behavior.”
“I was just comforting her. She was upset. She was telling me she couldn’t help me with my manuscript because hers wasn’t good enough to get published. I know that can’t be true.”
I stood back and shoved one hand into the pocket of my slacks. “Did she hear from an agent or publisher?” Inside I was furious, my blood boiling. Something was going on that didn’t add up. Surely, Luke had it all wrong, but either way, she ignored my calls and spilled her guts to this… boy? Had she share something we swore to keep just between us?
Involuntarily, I felt my lower jaw jut out. I was beyond pissed, and I could barely contain it.
“Finally, something we can agree on,” I spat, flinging open my briefcase and pulling out the class notes I had prepared on my laptop that I proceeded to hook up to the multi-media projector.
“Did you sabotage her with that agent of yours?”
“You tell me since you seem to know everything,” I said dryly. “But if I were you, I’d choose your words carefully.”
“Look, Professor, I respect you, but this girl is gifted. Something had to have happened. She’s heartbroken.”
“I’ll take it under advisement.” My mind was reeling. Everything was perfect when I left her the night before, and Gloria had just affirmed that her book had been pitched to a couple of publishers. “I’ll confer with Miss Tomms later, but I’ll reiterate, it’s none of your business. Now, get your shit ready for class,” I demanded. My eyes flashed up to scan the room. Her usual seat was empty, though Michelle and the others who sat near her were there, waiting. “And next time you want to ask me something, have the balls to do it yourself.”
“Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”
“And grade her papers, but that’s it. Got it?”
I wanted to punch him. I wanted to scream that she was mine and he should keep his prick in his pants or face the consequences. As it was, it was time for class, and I had no choice but to remain cool on the outside… when inside, I was on fucking fire.
I felt betrayed, confused, and… hurt. So goddamned hurt. How could she tell him? Why didn’t she come to me if Gloria had rejected her manuscript?
A new wave of fury filled me. I’d deal with Gloria later, but Addison was my first priority.
“Class take your seats. I have notes on plotting and conflict building that we’ll go over today. Make sure to pay attention because the remainder of the semester will be working up your own novel, so take copious notes. You have a month to get three chapters written. Three chapters that will make or break your book.”
Luke leaned in. “This isn’t on my syllabus,” he said, using his hand to cover the microphone on the podium.
“Change of plans. Adapt. I’ll be speaking to the dean about taking a month off to finish my own book. You wanted to work on yours, then work on it with this class. I’ll take a look at it when I get back.”
“These kids… they want to work with you, not me.”
“Well, life sucks sometimes. You don’t always get what you want, and it’s better to learn early.”
I used my hand to shoo him away from the microphone and touched my laptop to bring up the first slide and begin my class. The sooner I got this fucking thing over with, the better. Where was Addison, and what the hell was going on?
“There are seven plot points you must have to create an engaging novel. They are the Back Story, the Catalyst, the Big Event, the Midpoint, the Crisis, the Climax, and the Realization. You can write a story without some of these, but it won’t be one your readers will want to read.”
I looked out at the stunned faces, some of them exuberant, but most seemed terrified. “I can see some of you celebrating this moment and others bemoaning it. But you’re about to earn your grades, good or bad. If you didn’t take this class to be real writers, well… tough shit! Life sucks… until you write a book. Sometimes, it sucks even then. Get used to it.”
I tried to go to class, but after Luke thought he had to come to my rescue and confront Jax, I couldn’t bear it. Instead, I went to the library where I felt like I was hiding out. I was intent on just telling Luke I couldn’t assist in the writing of his novel because I was writing my own, but when I tried, my emotions got the better of me.
I had rationalized Gloria’s deal, and it made sense, so why was I so freaking emotional over it. I’d broken down in front of him, and then, it was impossible not to tell him.
“Michaels is working with you in secret? You could have told me before, instead of making an ass out of me,” he riled. “How could you let me go on and on like that, when all the while he was helping you? What’s he getting out of this? He demanded.
My stomach felt sick, and my heart started to thrum. I’d just exposed my relationship with Jax… the one thing I promised not to do. “How dare you! Dr. Michaels thought I was a good writer and when he found out I was writing a novel, he wanted to look it over. That’s all!” I frantically did my best to try to cover. Jax was right, I didn’t owe Luke anything, and now everything had gone off of the rails.
His lips thinned, and he shook his head, a look of hatred coming over his face. “Yeah, right. A guy like him doesn’t do anything for nothing. I thought you were better than that, Addy.” He huffed out his disgust before he stood and stormed into the auditorium to confront the subject of our conversation.
“Luke, please wait!” I’d called after him; pleading, but he only scowled at me over his shoulder. I grabbed my book bag and followed, but when he disappeared behind the big wooden double doors, I didn’t have the heart to follow. I couldn’t watch; I couldn’t see my relationship with Jax destroyed right before my eyes.
“Oh, God,” I moaned, putting my head down on the desk. My moment of reckoning was coming, and I dreaded it. Jax would never understand, would he?
The phone inside my backpack started to ring, the ringtone of Heart’s Barracuda telling me it was Gloria. I quickly dug the phone out and answered.
“Hi, Gloria.”
“Hi, there. Stella has the contract at the reception desk of my office. Can you pop over and sign it? I can get you a job pretty quickly if you do.”
“It’s just about the ghostwriting thing?”
“Yes, just the typical legalese. Just our firm’s standard agreement with your name added. Not a big deal, but I can’t move on it until it’s inked.”
“Does it cover your agency representing me for my own book?” I asked. My hand smoothed down the black knit of my yoga pants.
“That will come, soon enough. I promise, but I need to get this one in the can. Can you make it over? If not, I can messenger it to you.”
I hesitated briefly. I knew I should speak to Jax about it, but it might add fuel to the fire, and the last thing he needed was more distractions or more conflict with his agency. In a split second I made the decision.
A meeting with Gloria would give me a valid excuse for not being in class today, depending on what Luke told him. Shit. I was screwed where Jax was concerned either way, and I wasn’t sure if he’d understand, but I’d rather beg forgiveness than ask permission; after all, I wanted him to see me as a woman, his equal and not his student, and I’d be getting paid to write.