The Neighbor #4 (The Neighbor Romance Series - Book #4) (2 page)

I took a seat before his large mahogany desk. “As
stated earlier, you were seen kissing your freshman human sexuality professor
at the Seven Wonders putt-putt establishment.”
 
The sentence sounded so absurd that, combined with his formal delivery,
I was tempted to laugh.
 
However, I held
it together out of fear.

“May I ask who the witness was?” I asked.

“No, everything is confidential. It is for your
protection as well as that of anyone else involved. You have the right to know
that this conversation is being audio recorded. We have received several
anonymous complaints over the past several months.”

“Several complaints?
Ryder Curran is
my
professor but he’s also my golf
instructor. I don’t recall kissing Ryder Curran, if there was physical contact,
it was congratulatory. We have worked hard on my game. You see it all of the
time in professional golf. When Tiger Woods or Rory McElroy wins a golf
tournament, they hug their caddy.”

“I’m sorry if this seams indelicate, but it was
noted that a tongue was involved.”

“Yeah, that qualifies as indelicate.
I
’m sure that this misunderstanding will be cleared up
easily. I will watch my P’s and Q’s from now on.” I started to leave.

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple, Ms. Walsh. Our
freshman human sexuality program
is known
throughout
the country. We are the first large university to have a class of this nature
as a freshman requirement so this is a black eye on the university. We will be
conducting a full investigation.”

“Fine.
What does that mean for me?” I asked.

“You will be suspended from the university
immediately. You
won’t be allowed
within a half mile
of campus for the duration of our investigation. If you’re reinstated, any
costs incurred, such as finding alternate housing, will be reimbursed.” Dean
Meadows neatly folded his hands as if he was adjourning the meeting.

“Are you saying that I cannot return to my room?” I
said.

“We will give you 24 hours to collect you things.
You can have the majority of your belongings sent to you.”

“This is bullshit, sir, and you know it,” I said as
I was leaving.

I couldn’t believe that I had just said bullshit to
the dean. It took resolve not to flip off the rotund secretary on the way out.
I scraped the bottom of my bag in search of my phone; when I found it, I still
had no messages from Ryder. There wasn’t even a reassuring text. I dialed
Ryder.

“It’s me again. I just faced the gauntlet. It wasn’t
pretty, and
I
’m suspended, so I imagine you were
treated similarly. I’ll be heading back to Lewis Ave. I will be waiting for
your call.”

I walked back to Leach Hall to fill up my suitcases;
I felt like I had just unpacked them. I took a second to survey the room then
walked out and then threw the suitcases in my car. I would call Kelly on the
ride back. With my tail between my legs, I headed home.

Chapter
Two

I was desperate for some advice. I needed help and
Ryder was pulling some type of disappearing act. Where did I always turn? I
dialed Sayler.

“Hey, I remember you. You are my best friend who
only calls me in a state-of-emergency. What’s up, Jenna? The doctor is in,”
Sayler answered.

“I’m heading back into town, Sayler.”

“It’s Monday. What’s up with that?”

“I have been suspended. I think they call it a
self-fulfilling prophecy.
I
’m not going to throw a
fit. I really need to hang out tomorrow, if you have the time. I will come over
at about 11 AM. Will you be there?”

“I will have to check my appointment calendar and
get back to you, Jenna.”

“Oh,” I muttered.

“God, Jenna – I’m fucking kidding. Of course, I will
be here. Bring some coffee and tread lightly, because Juliet will probably be
sleeping.

I pulled on to Lewis Ave. Of course, I looked to
Ryder’s house first. The lights were out and the blinds drawn. I pulled up
alongside my mother’s house and paused. I picked up my phone and dialed Ryder
again. I was thinking he would hear my car and feel I was nearby. I was waiting
for some movement of the blinds. I thought back to the time when I thought
Ryder was my mother’s mystery man and I camped out on my front porch to sneak a
peek. I felt like a stalker then, now I had confirmation. I sat in my car for a
moment. I was embarrassed to enter my mother’s home. Things had turned sour in
my life very quickly. Finally, I departed my car.

The ten steps to the front door felt more like
one-hundred.

I found my mother and Claude Simmons sitting in the
kitchen nook when I walked in.

“Hey, Mom.
Mr. Simmons.”

I stood before them with my plum duffle bag, which
was hefty.

“Hi, Jenna,” my mom said.

She looked stunned to see me.

“I know this is unexpected. This is the only place I
could come—home.”

Tears gathered in the corners of my eyes and slowly
flowed down my cheeks. I remained standing in my mother’s kitchen, when she
gave me something, I didn’t know I needed. She stood up and gave me a long motherly
hug.
It was the type of all-encompassing embrace that only a
mother could give.

“Come sit down and tell us all about it. Claude, get
us two cups of coffee and be a dear and get fresh sheets on Jenna’s bed,” my
mother ordered in a wife-
ish
sort of way.

I laughed.

“Well, I see you’re getting Mr. Simmons broken in.”

“Oh, he’s learning quickly. There isn’t much that
I
ask that he won’t do. I spent years taking care of your
father. It’s nice for a change.”

“Mom, I was suspended. You were right and it probably
pleases you.”

“Jenna. Nothing could be further from the truth. I
didn’t want you to go down this road, but you did. My own mother advised me not
to marry your father, but I did. And guess what? She and my dad were still at
the wedding and we had three great kids. Where affairs of the heart are
concerned, it’s a personal choice.”

“Yeah, but suspension from school.
Graduating from college was my dream. I fucked everything up.”

My mother sipped her coffee.

“I’m going to leave the two of you alone and I will
take Potato for a walk. Should I have the dog shit on Curran’s lawn?” Claude
asked.

“No, Claude.” I laughed. “I’m not at that stage yet.
I will keep you posted.”

Claude put a leash on the dog and disappeared.

“Now, Jenna, fill me in. Have you called Sayler
yet?”

“Yeah, I’m going to her house tomorrow.”

“Good. After you’re finished feeling sorry for
yourself, we will begin making this thing better. We will get you back in
school sweetheart. I will challenge that dean of yours. He has never met Marnie
Walsh.”

“I will let you know if I need your assistance. I’m
not sure the guy is ready for the likes of you.”

I recounted my tale to my mother. I left out many of
the spicy details. They were for Sayler’s ears only. We laughed and cried a
little. As I sipped my enhanced coffee and spoke to my mom, I looked to Ryder’s
windows. I was desperate for any signs of movement. I started to worry about
his health. If he had suffered a setback in his cancer treatment, everything
else would’ve been mute. My mind started going to very dark places.

I went to bed that night and had very real dreams. I
was relieved when morning came to and realized they had not come true—yet. I
pictured myself at Ryder’s funeral. Everyone was there – Sammy, Sally, his
golfing buddies, Riko from the club, and because it was a dream, Arnold Palmer
showed up.
I
was in the dream too, decked out in
yellow. I didn’t know where to stand or if I was there as his lover, student,
or golf protégé. No one talked to me and they blamed me for Ryder’s death. He
had no job and no insurance when he died, thanks to me.

The morning brought relief and I called Ryder once
more before I took off to Sayler’s house.
I
was sent
to voicemail.

“Ryder. It’s me again.
I
’m
right next door at my mother’s house. I need to see you. This avoidance thing
is ridiculous. I will be gone for most of the day with Sayler. Are you okay?”

I hung up the phone and showered to go to Sayler’s.

****

I stopped to pick up coffees along the way at the
Coffee Shack. It was my old routine. It didn’t feel good, as I should have been
moving forward not back.

“Hey, Jenna.
Haven’t seen you in a long time.
What brings you back
to our region? I thought you were a big time college girl now.” Rems smiled.

“I never forgot where I came from, Rems.
I
’m taking a little break. I will have two
grande
coffees.”

“Tell Sayler I said hello.
I
assume that’s where you’re heading. I miss her. I have been busy opening up a
second location, so I don’t get out much. These are on the house again, and I
hope your break goes well.”

“Thanks a ton, Rems. Congrats on the new location,”
I said as I sped away.

I cringed. I felt like a huge failure. Even
Rembrandt from The Coffee Shack was progressing in life, while mine has turned
to a pile of shit.

I pulled up to Sayler’s house and tiptoed in the
side entrance. Her mother was likely still sleeping and I would probably find
Sayler snoozing as well.

I surprised when I walked into her room and she was
awake.
“Hey, Sayler.
You are awake and you have
cleaned this shit hole. What is the deal with you? Don’t tell me you have gone
and grown up on me.”

“Not really.
I
’m working in
the administrative office at the community college. It’s not really
my
thing, but it’s helping to pay for some classes.
I
’m doing what I can…but we’re not here to talk about me.
Fill me in on the Ryder Curran mess. You were in heaven with the guy a couple
of weeks ago. I thought you two were taking steps forward as a couple while
managing to keep it on the down low. You got the Sammy thing cleared up and
from the intimate details you shared, the love train was moving smoothly down
the tracks.”

“Well, Sayler, the train ran off the tracks. It
crashed and it
was sold
as scrap metal. Ryder and I
were having a blissful date of putt-putt golf…and we kissed. It isn’t as though
we were fornicating on the course. But, apparently, someone saw us and reported
us to the dean. They threw the book at me, Sayler. They suspended me and might
expel me, depending on the results of the investigation.”

“Wow, bad. What about
Rydery
-pooh.
Did they can his ass?” Sayler asked.

“That is where it goes from bad to worse. I have no
idea how this effected Ryder.
I
do know he’s not
teaching human sexuality, though.
I
assume he was
given a suspension. I have tried to reach him, but he’s gone underground.”

“More Ryder drama.
Remember what happened last time? You made assumptions and everything worked
out after you spoke with him. Just knock on his fucking door. You can beat this
thing together more so than if you’re apart.”

“When did you get so smart?” I playfully knocked
Sayler on the head.

“I’m hoping to surprise everyone someday—you just
wait. My big question is, who the hell narcs on someone for kissing a guy?
Must be someone who’s jealous.
Can you think of anyone?
 
Maybe we can ask Max!” Her voice was thick
with sarcasm.

“Not in a million years, Sayler.
I
know we have a past, and a recent past at that, but in the end, we’re good
friends. Max can be a little inappropriate and juvenile, but I love the guy. He
is also growing up. He got into it with the wrong girl at school and it scared
him. Ryder is very handsome and the freshman girls in class love him. He’s
dynamic, engaging and he knows everything there is to know about sex.
I
haven’t given it much thought because I’m most afraid of
losing my future and Ryder being disgraced in his field…shit Sayler. I’m
concerned about me and Ryder.”

“You have to go to Ryder. He is probably as afraid
as you are, Jenna. He just has a different way of dealing things.”
 
Sayler paused and gave me the once-over. “One
bit of advice: you should change your clothes before you go knocking on his
door. I just don’t think a South Carolina sweatshirt is appropriate. Wear
something fun and flirty.”

“Thanks, Sayler. When all this gets resolved, I want
you to meet Ryder,” I said.

“I feel like I know him already. Does he know that
BFF’s share
everything
? I feel sorry
for men. I don’t think they share as much with their friends.”