Waking Up To Love (Lakeside Porches Book 4) (21 page)

“You are right. Here goes.” She took a cleansing breath and described the sailplane incident. Her rambling narrative included caving into the pressure from Justin and Kyle to become a snitch, to pretend to date Rand, to ride in his car and in a glider with him even though she knew he was not to be trusted.

“That’s a lot of honesty, thank you,” Gianessa said. “And, just for the record, no matter what Justin told you, I would not have volunteered for, or agreed to, the job of snitch. If you’d come to me right away, I’d have explained how I go about my role as troubleshooter, which is part of my job as the wife of the college president.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“As Justin’s wife, I watch and listen for discontent, veiled threats, negative remarks about the college or its officers, public perception of the college, and so on. I also watch for gaffs by my husband or other officers. That’s different from the spy role Justin has put you in, and it
never
lands me in a compromising or dangerous situation.” She folded her arms across her chest.

“On the other hand,” she continued, “if you
want
a little thrill, an occasional walk on the wild side . . .”

Lyssa paused on the crest of the hill. “Why did you say that last?”

“Just something I sense in you. Before our next talk, I want you to look back over your relationship with Kyle and with Rand with that thrill-seeking in mind. It may be getting you in more trouble than you know.”

Rand scuffed the sand as they trudged the deserted beach. Pris kept up a nervous chatter, catching him up on all their new accounts, Chrissie’s latest string of dates, and the long version of the demise of her relationship with Phillip. Rand merely grunted and interjected a few questions.

“So, when are you going to tell me the trouble you’re in?”

He stopped and grimaced at the sight of a family a hundred yards ahead, gathering their children and gear. “Looks like there’s heavy wind just around the bend.” Sand swirled around the parents. The children clung to their legs, hampering the exodus.

“Let’s turn back.” Pris took his elbow to steady him on the turnaround.

“So, yeah, I’m in trouble, Pris,” he said as they settled into the mile-long walk back to the house.

“How serious?”

“Serious enough to lay low for a few days. The students have reading days right now, ahead of mid-semester exams. No one’s going to miss me. I’m glad the beach house is available.”

“No one’s going to bother you here. The parental unit is in Europe for some shows, for at least another week. The thing is, you’ll be on your own here during the week. I mean, there’s enough food, but can you handle being alone?”

“Alone is better than the cops paying me visits.”

“Rand, what have you done? Tell me they didn’t find drugs.”

“No. But I’ve blown it totally with Lyssa.”

“We haven’t talked since I coached you after the apple-picking fiasco. Did you two kiss and make up? Spill.”

“I took your advice and talked to her at a coffee shop. She was mostly cold, but she got excited when I mentioned sailplanes, so I arranged an afternoon at a soaring center. I had to make it look like other couples would be joining us or she wouldn’t come. Long story short, she came with me to the airfield, but then everything went wrong. I hadn’t been able to get hold of the pilot I know who owns the plane. I had wanted him to take Lyssa up and then give me a lesson. I had to bribe the mechanic to let me use the plane, which I knew the owner would agree to, if I’d ever gotten hold of him.”

“You stole his plane, Rand?” Pris hugged her middle against the cold wind and looked sideways at her brother with a worried frown.

“Used it.”

“And who was the pilot?”

“Me.”

“Rand, you haven’t flown a glider, ever, without an instructor. What were you thinking?”

“I’ve never had a problem. I figured we’d be fine.”

“And?” Pris shivered.

“We drew some turbulence, and it’s just my skill that kept us from crashing into trees at the end of the airstrip.”

“That’s how you hurt your hand?” She glanced at the athletic bandage on his wrist and the splints on two of his fingers.

“No, Lyssa did that.”

Pris let out a guffaw. “She decked you?”

“I took her to a steakhouse after, and we had some wine. I had some wine. When I made a move on her in the parking lot, she turned on me, and I fell.”

“Is your hand broken?”

“Sprained wrist, two broken fingers. It’ll heal.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Are you kidding?” He looked back in the direction where the family had been. All he saw now was a half-mile of deserted shore, with a thin layer of sand snaking above the beach. “I have drugs for that.”

“Which is why you’re having trouble keeping your balance on the sand. Promise me you won’t drink along with those drugs when you’re here alone this week.”

“Pris—”

“Promise me, Rand.”

“All right. I promise.”

“Tell me about the cops coming to your door.”

“From what they said, Lyssa left me and my car at Urgent Care and then tried to walk home. The cops picked her up in a bad neighborhood, and she vented to them about what happened. One of them recorded it and made her sign it as a statement. Then they came to get my side of the story.”

“So you’re in the paper and everything?”

“No. I convinced them they don’t need to contact the owner. But Lyssa has probably told Justin Cushman by now. I can’t afford to lose this job, Pris.” He came to a stop. Panic rose in his chest. To his relief, the drugs took the edge off. He looked up to see Pris standing a few yards ahead, watching him, and he gave her a smile. She waited for him to catch up to her.

“Sounds like you need to back off this thing with Lyssa, big bro. She’s way more trouble than she’s worth.”

They walked on. He scuffed the sand. “If I could just get her to marry me, everything would be fine.”

“Rand, do you hear yourself?”

“What?” He faced her. Sand blasted his cheek, and he ducked his head and blinked to clear his eyes.

“Rand, she ratted you out to the police.” Pris shook his arm. “She’s not looking to marry you.”

“Tell me what to do.”

“
Back off
trying to impress this woman. Focus on doing your job.”

“
Saving
my job, you mean?”

“Yes.” Pris tugged her hood over her head and stuffed her hands in the pouch of her hoodie. “Yes, that’s what I mean.”

“You don’t think I should try to get back on her good side?”

“No. Let things cool down, Rand. I really think you need to end it with her.”

“Help me, Pris.”

“I’m giving you my best advice here. You acted like a total screw-up with the soaring thing. Don’t dream up any new ways to win her over. Just act like a star at your job. They have loved you until now. That’s your bread and butter.” She held up her hand with the thumb and index finger an inch apart. “You’re that close to being tenured. Don’t blow it.”

“Yeah.”

“And, hey, we’ll get your books published soon, right? We’ve got plans to make, bro, if you want to be rich. Don’t waste your time on frigid, goodie-two-shoes Lyssa. She’ll just hold you back.”

“You’re right.”

“Damn straight. Listen, I’ve got to get back to the city. Call me if you need anything this week.”

With a wave, she climbed the stairs to their boardwalk.

He hung back and thought about her take on Lyssa. Though he hungered for those long legs and feasted on that passion, did he really want to marry someone so rigid? So what if she was connected by family to his billionaire boss? Would being part of the Cushman family be any better than the Cunningham family?

He shrugged. At least Justin liked him.

Sand swirled around him. He pulled up his hood and continued down the beach.

“Sweetheart, we struck out with Justin,” Kyle said as he held the chair for her.

Lyssa sank onto the chair, speechless.
Thank God Gianessa prepared me for this
.

“You’re saying he doesn’t care about Lyssa’s safety or your relationship? This is not okay.” Manda’s fury took them all by surprise.

Lyssa looked calmly from her sister to Joel. She asked, “What’s his objection, Kyle? Do you think he wants me to resign?”

“No, Lyssa,” Kyle said, “no one wants that. And thank you, ladies, for a lovely meal.”

“It’s Manda’s doing,” Lyssa said. “She’s become a marvelous cook, and she sets a beautiful table, doesn’t she?”

Manda had placed individual bowls of salad greens topped with almonds, figs, goat cheese and avocado at each place. The aromatic centerpiece was a festive platter of spicy grilled shrimp garnished with thin-sliced lemon. Small dishes of green-chili salsa sat at each person’s right hand.

With a kiss for his wife, Joel answered the question. “Justin wants Lyssa to continue her probing, since she’s turned up valuable information every time she’s had a conversation about the grade fixing.”

Lyssa toyed with her fork. “But what is his compelling reason for shutting down public knowledge of Kyle’s and my relationship?”

“I honestly don’t know where he’s coming from,” Joel said.

Kyle stabbed a shrimp with his fork and dipped it in salsa. “He’s adamant about us not giving Rand any ammunition for a grievance.”

“Ah. Now I see. And he has a point,” Lyssa said.

“You want to explain that?” Manda asked.

“Rand is up for tenure, and the traps we’ve set—the traps
I
have set—could be interpreted as a threat to his success. And it sounds like Justin is not a hundred percent sure about Rand for tenure, which surprises me. And maybe his reservations have to do with what we’re investigating.” She blew out a noisy breath. “This is a mess.”

“Let’s enjoy the meal for a bit,” Joel said.

Manda thanked Kyle for starting the shrimp and urged the others to dig in.

When her salad bowl was empty, Lyssa touched Kyle’s forearm. “Is there some way we can support Justin’s stand and also be open about our relationship and our intentions?”

Manda screwed up her face. Joel gawked at Lyssa.

Kyle took in their expressions and licked his lips. “Sweetheart, just checking here. You did dissolve into hysterical tears this morning and insist we stop the charade? Surely you haven’t changed your mind about that?”

“No, I haven’t, but if we put our four good heads together, can we find a way to support Justin’s dilemma and also meet our own needs? I want us to brainstorm this.”

Kyle sat with his mouth open.

“Anyone have an idea?” Manda speared a shrimp and swirled it in salsa.

Joel crunched the last few almonds of his salad and pushed the bowl aside. “You’re saying there’s some kind of compromise approach that could give Justin information and also let Kyle and Lyssa act like a normal couple, publicly?”

“That’s exactly what I’m thinking,” Lyssa said. “Kyle and I need to go public, but we don’t have to tell everyone our
history
as a couple. Right? If we burst on the scene with an engagement, Rand will have proof positive that he’s been set up. But maybe Kyle and I can look as though we’re just
starting
some kind of relationship.”

Kyle sat with his fork pointing straight up, staring at her in disbelief.

“That could work,” Manda said. “You’re a good actress, Lyssa.” She picked up one more shrimp from the nearly empty platter.

“Well, I’m certainly not.” Kyle tossed his fork in his bowl. “And I’m sick of the deception. Rand is obsessed with Lyssa, and she is hurt by his antics whenever he tries to win her over. He’s not giving up, and he’s not doing himself any favors either. I know Justin doesn’t want to lose Rand, but Rand’s making himself look worse all the time.”

“Let’s let Rand fix his own mess,” Lyssa said. “If he can.”

“Agreed,” Joel said.

“And Kyle, you
are
a good actor,” she said with a flutter of her eyelashes. “You handled Rand exactly right when he ‘rescued’ you after the tire slashing.”

“I suppose.” Kyle grumbled. He picked up his salad bowl, stacked it with Lyssa’s and Joel’s, and carried them to the kitchen. “I’m doing the dishes. No arguments.”

“Thank you, Kyle,” Joel said.

“Lyssa, what can you and Kyle do together, publicly, that lets you fall in love for everyone to see?” Manda’s bright tone made Lyssa sit up straight.

“Good,” Joel said. “Something that doesn’t completely prohibit Lyssa from talking with Rand or poking at the nest of vipers at the college.”

Lyssa shuddered. “Please, let’s not say vipers. How about conspirators?”

“They’re naughty schoolboys,” Kyle said from the kitchen, “capable of doing great harm undetected.”

“I’m sure Kyle has dealt with naughty schoolboys very successfully.” Joel asked, “What worked for you, Kyle?”

“Genius,” Kyle said as he rinsed the bowls and put them in the dishwasher. “I was always five or more years younger than my classmates, physically very strong but much smaller. I convinced the bullies that my mind could benefit them, if, in return, they would give me protection.”

“Very clever of you,” Lyssa said. “I didn’t know that.”

“How did your mind benefit them?” Manda asked.

“I was a brilliant study partner, editor, researcher, computer wizard. My business eventually grew out of my ability to protect people’s files from everyone else’s probing eyes, especially the adults. And today my clients are the wealthiest of those old school chums.”

“And were you hated by the people who wanted to get at some of those files?” Joel probed.

“Didn’t matter. I was protected by the bullies whose files I was protecting. I didn’t need to be bigger and stronger as long as I had allies who were.”

“How does that help us with this situation?” Joel asked.