Page 29 of Snowed in with the Professor

I watched as my afternoon class left, the feeling of what was coming strong ever since yesterday when Amy had walked in on Grace and me.

I gathered up my papers and put them in my bag. When the final student was gone, I sat down and started going over the syllabus. This was pointless if I were being honest. I figured the board would call me in someday, perhaps sooner rather than later.

It wasn’t but a second later when I heard the door open. I glanced up and found Dean Richards standing there, a manila envelope in his hand, a guarded expression on his face.

I knew what this was about.

I’d been prepared for this visit.

So, I stood, meeting him halfway, neither of us saying anything for long moments. What could be said?

“Professor Baldwin,” he remarked in a professional voice, not one he’d used with me since he recruited me years ago.

I was acquainted with Hicks. I’d met his family, his children. We’d eaten dinner together. I considered him a buddy. But he wasn’t here on a social visit. He was here on official university action.

I had no doubt Amy would tell them. She went by the books about everything, and it was one of the reasons I’d picked her to be my TA. She could be trusted, was loyal, and played by the rules.

But that also had ramifications seeing as her catching me with Grace meant she hadn’t been able to keep it to herself. I couldn’t blame her, wasn’t even angry. In reality, I was happy she’d told the university.

It meant there was no more hiding, no more pretending I wasn’t in love with Grace… no more acting like I had any control where she was concerned.

“Dean Richards,” I responded in return and extended out my hand for the envelope. The look on his face told volumes, but then again, I hoped mine did as well.

I wanted him to see how unaffected I was, that everything had come full circle, that things had happened the way they were supposed to.

“You know why I’m here?” Although he phrased it like a question, I could hear in his voice he already knew the answer.

“I know.”

He sighed as if this were difficult for him. And maybe it was. We’d considered each other pals. He probably perceived this as a betrayal.

“The school has put you on suspension until further investigation. A hearing will be held tomorrow with more specifics on the situation. I’ll need you present first thing in the morning.”

I nodded. “And Grace?”

“She’s been notified as well. We’ll need her there to take her account of it all.”

“She didn’t do anything wrong. No disciplinary action will be taken against her.” Maybe I shouldn’t have been so hardened, demanding shit, given the fact I wasn’t in any position to do so. But I’d be damned if she got dragged under for this.

“She’s not to blame for this, Professor Baldwin.”

What Hicks really meant was that I was some predator preying on an innocent student. He could think what he wanted, as long as she was left out of it.

“What were you thinking, Seth?” he said softly, the man I’d called a friend coming through for a moment.

I didn’t answer his inquiry.

“Thank you, Dean Richards. I’ll be there first thing in the morning.”

I wasn’t going to tell him we loved each other, or that this was some lapse of judgment and I was sorry. Because it wasn’t.

I had Grace, finally, and I wasn’t letting her go.

That would most likely lose me my job, but so be it.

So be it, since it was all worth it.

She was worth it.