Page 27 of Whispers of Wisteria

“Then again, any sense of competition would be enough to force a male fae’s hand. I know your kind can take offense at a challenge.”

Now,thatdefinitely wasn’t true. I was perfectly fine with a challenge. Any kinship with the woman faded, and I frowned at her.

But she didn’t respond to my displeasure.

“So, what we don’t know is”—she crossed her arms over the table, eyes eager—“howdidthe two of you end up together? He’s quite special, I heard, and I was shocked to hear that Bryce would dally with a student, especially since you were already in a relationship with Finn Abernathy. Student/teacher relationships are highly frowned upon, even if he isn’t full-time staff.”

“What?” I almost choked and held my purse closer to my chest.

A relationship… withFinn? Never.

The innocent days of my youth, when I’d believed that might be a good idea, were long gone. I was older and more mature now.

Even more importantly, how could no one have informed me of this terrible rumor? Who would fall for this façade when it had such obvious plot holes?

Did I have to doeverythingmyself?

This was the perfect opportunity. Ms. McKinnen was the worst kind of gossip. Anything we discussed now was sure to spread throughout campus before the end of the day.

My words would be weighed and criticized. Once everything became known, people would look back to this moment, and it would be my first statement to the world about my place here.

Darn it. I wasn’t ready.

I swallowed, trying to push away my encroaching panic. My fingers tightened over the corner of the bag, and I sucked in a breath, ready to venture into my first public relations foray.

I couldn’t screw this up. I had to make it seem like we were star-crossed lovers.

I had to think like a politician.

“Bryce and I had a few setbacks at the beginning of our relationship.” I glanced toward the exit, and my face grew hot. I was only twenty feet from freedom. Now to hurry this along before I puked. “But we wanted to be together, so it worked out.”

There was no way that this statement could be misinterpreted. Go me.

“Really?” Ms. McKinnen frowned. “I’ve been wondering something. Mrs. Hamway is very traditional, especially when it comes to student-teacher relationships. I’m shocked that Bryce still has a job. What did she have to say about this? She knows, right? When is she returning?”

My breath caught, and my shoulders tensed. Professor Hamway?

Lord, I’d forgotten about my ex-biology professor. I hadn’t heard from her since she’d asked me to housesit and all this nonsense started.

I felt my expression darken, and my teeth clenched almost painfully. We’d had an agreement, and she still owed me money. I’d put up with nearlydying, but at least the boys should have taken care of any furniture replacements.

Whatever happened with her plants? I sure hoped Bryce was keeping an eye on things.

But what could I do? I’d have to get paid later.

“I don’t know the details,” I muttered. “Just that things have been taken care of.” The boys had said something to that effect. However, no one had bothered to illuminate me, and I hadn’t thought to ask.

What if they left her conservatory to wither?

A shame.

Ms. McKinnen raised a thin, brunette eyebrow. “Really?”

“Yes,” I said, even though I was now worried, despite the boys’ assurances, that all was okay.

I had no choice but to trust my ‘husband.’

And he’d probably let those plants die.