Page 7 of Promises We Meant to Keep (Love in Massachusetts #1)

seven

Kamryn flung the blanket off her legs. She was so overheated. Her cheeks were on fire, her body covered in sweat, and nothing was comfortable. Her pants scratched against her skin—wait, pants. Jeans specifically. Pausing in her scan of her body, Kamryn started again, only this time she took better care and went slower.

She still had socks on, her jeans, and her oxford shirt. The buttons pressed into her chest and hurt, so she shifted her weight to ease up on that. Blearily blinking her eyes open, Kamryn looked up at the ceiling above her, not recognizing it at all. It was white, popcorned, and definitely higher than in the apartment she had on the third floor of the dormitory.

Pushing herself to sit up, she instantly regretted the move. Her head spun right along with her stomach, and it took everything in her not to spill whatever was left inside her onto the beautiful hardwood floors. This was too much. The splitting migraine started immediately, and she had to cover her eyes with her hands to keep the light out.

Kamryn took slow and even breaths, calming her nausea before she did anything else. She couldn’t let this get the better of her. She had to keep herself together, she had to get back to her apartment, and she had to remain in bed the rest of the day and pretend like last night had never happened. She’d never made such an embarrassment of herself before. And last night was—oh fuck.

The memories of everything that had happened rushed back to her.

Elia.

Kiss.

Talking.

Kamryn cringed. She groaned. She winced and refused to look around the house that she was damn sure was Elia’s because that wasn’t just a dream, was it? A dream would make everything better. It would mean she hadn’t made a complete ass of herself.

The cup of water on the coffee table had been refilled, and next to it were three bottles of medicine. Three different options. Leave it to Elia to think of everything. Without thinking, Kamryn snagged the migraine bottle and downed two of the pills along with the water. She wasn’t prepared for the conversation that was coming.

And there would definitely be a conversation.

Elia had made that perfectly clear.

Standing up, Kamryn turned toward the kitchen to find Elia, with a bowl in front of her and a book of crosswords next to her, staring at Kamryn.

“Bathroom?” Kamryn asked. That would at least give her a few more minutes of respite before she had to come back and face the music.

“Second door on the right.”

Kamryn walked down the hallway and slid into the bathroom, locking it behind her. What had she been thinking last night? Because surely that was going to be a question that Elia was going to ask her. And she was going to need a damn good answer—and nothing was better than the actual truth.

She went to the bathroom, washed her hands, splashed cold water on her face, and then hesitated before she walked back out into the main living area. Elia hadn’t moved from the kitchen counter. Kamryn slid onto the stool next to her, leaning her arms on the counter and closing her eyes.

“I’m so sorry about last night.”

“Which part of last night?” Elia’s voice was colder than Kamryn could ever remember. Even that first day in the staff meeting.

“If I say all of it, it won’t be the full truth. But I do regret most of it.” The guilt ate away at what was left of Kamryn’s stomach. She hated this. “I did so many things wrong.”

“Yes, you did. I didn’t think that the board would hire someone so immature as to get drunk in public and pull the stunt that you did.”

Kamryn jerked her head upright, her eyes wide as she looked directly at Elia. Where had this anger been the night before? She’d been sure that Elia wouldn’t find it now, especially after how sweet she’d been the night before. But this was something else entirely.

“Immature?”

“Yes,” Elia confirmed. “If I hadn’t been there, it could have ended in disaster and ruining the reputation of the school. You have to think before you act. You’re not just a teacher anymore, Kamryn. You’re the Head of School. Start acting like it.”

Where was this coming from?

“I know. And I’m sorry. And about…” Kamryn gulped. She was going to grovel with the best of them, and she was going to make this as right as she possibly could from every moment going forward. “…about kissing you. I shouldn’t have done that. I definitely shouldn’t have done it without asking you first.”

Elia’s lips parted like she was going to say a retort, but then she stopped. She clenched her jaw, the muscles in her cheeks bulging slightly. Elia pushed the crossword book into the center of the counter and leaned into the stool back.

“I was wrong to kiss you without your explicit consent.” She’d said that last night, right? She couldn’t quite remember, but she wanted to make it clear that this was one of the things that she regretted the most.

“You were upset.”

“That’s not a reason to hurt someone else or to violate their bodily autonomy.” Kamryn rubbed the back of her neck, wishing the medicine would kick in already. This was so difficult with a migraine splitting its way through her skull. “Aside from my behavior that reflected poorly on the school, that’s what I regret the most.”

“This school has to be your priority. Not some ex-girlfriend you have a vendetta against.” Elia picked up her mug of coffee and took a sip. The scent of it nearly sent Kamryn over the edge again, but she managed to withhold the vomiting reflex.

“I don’t have a vendetta against Lauren.”

“I meant Rosie.”

“Rosie isn’t my ex-girlfriend.” Kamryn rubbed at the center of her chest. This was so difficult to talk about. “Haven’t you ever had a relationship end on crappy terms? It hurts, and there’s still a lot of pain there for both of us.”

“Hmm.” Elia’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You need to do better.”

“You’re right. I do.” Kamryn straightened her back. “Starting right now. Which is why I’m apologizing to you, if you’d ever stop attacking me long enough to hear what I’m saying.”

Kamryn froze. Had she really just said that? She’d wanted to say those words to Elia for two weeks straight now, but she’d never thought that she’d have the gumption to let them loose from her lips. Well, perhaps there were some good things to come out of last night—depending on how Elia took it.

“We’ve been struggling with each other since my first day here. And I’d really like to start over again, if you’ll allow it. I don’t want you to see me as a threat. I’m not a threat. I’m in this position temporarily until Dr. Waddy gets back on his feet and can take back over or until the Assistant Head of School gets back from paternity leave. I am only temporary.”

Elia stayed so still. Her gaze was sharp and precise, and it was almost a physical pain for Kamryn to look at her. She held her own ground though, needing to make sure that Elia was going to hear what she was saying.

“Dr. Sharpe?”

“Elia,” she said in correction.

Kamryn frowned, something niggling in the back of her brain like she should remember it, but it was next to impossible for the words to come to her mind. She shook her head and tried again, “Dr. Sharpe, I’m not exactly sure why you have it out to hate me, especially when I was your student…” Kamryn trailed off, the jealousy she’d detected in Elia from the moment she’d stepped foot onto the campus finally clicking into place. “You applied, didn’t you?”

It wasn’t really a question. She had the answer already. Elia didn’t have to say anything to confirm it. This was hands down classic jealousy and struggle because Kamryn had gotten the job and Elia hadn’t.

“Why did they turn you down?” Kamryn asked instead.

“I wasn’t given an interview.” Elia paled, and everything about her posture pulled in on itself, making her seem even smaller than she was.

“What?” Shock registered through Kamryn. “Why wouldn’t they give you an interview? You’re perfect for this position, far more than me. Especially as only a temporary fill-in until Dr. Waddy returns.”

Elia dragged in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “What happened last night can’t happen again.”

“I know it can’t. I’ll be more careful next time, and I won’t make such stupid mistakes.” Kamryn ran with the change of topic. This was clearly something that made Elia uncomfortable. “Dr. Sharpe, I’m so sorry that you had to handle the situation like you did last night, and I’m so sorry that I put you in such a compromising position. I’m in over my head with this job. I feel like I’m not even treading water, and no one is respecting me—faculty or the board.”

“You need to prove that you’re worthy of their respect.”

“Theirs or yours?” That was a pointed question, and one that Kamryn only somewhat regretted asking in the heat of the moment.

“You have my respect.” Elia stood up and moved toward the kitchen counter. She pulled out bread and a toaster, sliding two slices into it before pressing down the button.

“With all due respect, Dr. Sharpe, I don’t have your respect.”

Elia frowned and bowed her head slightly. “Elia.”

Kamryn shook her head, not understanding.

“Call me Elia, Kamryn. I’m not your teacher anymore. Certainly not after last night.”

Kamryn’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. It wasn’t until that moment that the memory of the kiss came barreling back into her mind, the way they’d wrapped around each other in the chilly night air, under the lights, the sounds and people all around them. But did she dare bring it up?

“I’m so sorry about that.”

Elia waved her hand in the air, brushing off the apology. “And stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Apologizing.”

Kamryn frowned. “I don’t know what else to do.”

“Eat this.” Elia pushed a plate with two pieces of toast in front of her, along with some butter. “It’ll help your stomach.”

“How’d you know…”

“You’re an odd shade of green.” Elia started more toast as Kamryn turned to the plate.

She wasn’t quite sure that she wanted to eat, at least not yet. She scraped the butter onto the toast and let it melt a bit before she took a small bite and chewed it slowly.

“I didn’t think you would wake up so early,” Elia said as she sat down with her own toast.

Kamryn finally glanced at the clock over the stove and sighed. It wasn’t even seven in the morning yet. “I’m not a very good drunk when it comes to sleeping off the hangovers.”

“Fair.” The toast crunched as Elia took a bite. “Do you want to try coffee?”

Kamryn hummed to herself and closed her eyes, testing her stomach and debating whether or not she could handle it. “Not just yet. Maybe in a little bit. Why are you being so nice to me?”

“You’re not the only one who has had crappy break ups.” Elia said nothing more as she took another bite of her toast and stared Kamryn down.

They sat there in silence a while longer, Elia finishing her breakfast and Kamryn nibbling her way through half a piece of toast. Was this all that it was going to take? Getting drunk, kissing her former teacher in a fit of panic and self-deprecation, and then crashing at her house because she was too drunk to walk home on her own? Kamryn winced at that thought. She really had done a number on her already sketchy reputation.

“I’ve worked in admin before, you know.”

“Have you?” Elia asked. “As Head of School?”

“No.” Kamryn’s cheeks heated again. “Assistant for a few years at Henry Kline Prep.”

“Ah.”

Elia should have known that if she’d read the CV that was sent out when Kamryn was hired. Either she’d been too mad to read it or the board hadn’t actually sent it like they said they did. Kamryn wouldn’t be surprised if either was the case.

“Are you ever going to tell me why they wouldn’t interview you?” Kamryn took a bigger bite of the toast, hoping this would be the last time her stomach recoiled in response.

“No.”

“Fair.” Kamryn held her breath. “I suppose I should head back to my apartment soon.”

Elia took her plate and rinsed it in the sink. “If you want, or you can stay here a bit longer and recover.”

That almost sounded like an invitation. Was it?

“I don’t want to impose,” Kamryn said, knowing that she had to be polite. She was just getting ready to stand up when another wave of nausea hit her, so she sat heavily back down. “But maybe I’ll give it another thirty minutes.”

“Wise decision.” Elia seemed almost amused by that.

“Ugh.” Kamryn groaned. “I have to say it again. I’m so sorry.”