Page 104 of Full Service

“But you slipped up.”

I sigh and run a hand down my face. “He’s irresistible. I blame him entirely.”

Dr. Brown chuckles, and I peer up at him, watching as he smiles.

“I could see that at the beach. The way he looked at you as well. I spoke to him, you know, just to make sure it was consensual. He said it was. Took the blame entirely.”

“Yes, well…” I don’t know what to say, so I just let my words trail off into nothing. It was his fault entirely. Him and that delicious ass.

“You’re probably wondering what we need to do about this.”

“Yes. I’m assuming I’m going to be let go.”

Dr. Brown is silent for a moment, his mouth slightly parted. “No, Dr. Sinclair. No need for that.”

My world stutters and pauses. “What?”

“No need for that. You’re not fired. Absolutely not. You’re a tenured professor and a damn fine one too. No, we won’t say anything about this. Everly is almost graduated. He has a month left. You two will just keep whatever it is between you two and will save any public displays of affection for home.”

I shift in my seat anxiously, almost unsure if I’m hearing things correctly.

“What?”

“Do I need to repeat it?”

I shake my head. “No. No. I heard you. I can absolutely do that. We can do that. No problem.”

“Please do. I don’t want this coming back to bite me in the ass.”

I shake my head so hard, my brain rattles in my skull. “It won’t. I promise.”

Dr. Brown meets my gaze finally, and I see his eyes soften. “Can I be honest with you? I haven’t seen you this happy in years.”

I feel my eyes sting and grow wet. “I haven’t been.”

“Then I’m glad we’ve decided on this. Life is short, Silas. You have to make the best of it.”

I nod, my throat clicking.

“I do. And I will. I promise that what happened at the beach won’t happen again.”

“Be sure of it,” he says with a nod.

He reaches across his desk, and I shake his hand.

“You deserve to be happy. Enjoy it.”

When I leave his office, I feel my steps grow lighter, almost buoyant. And by the time I arrive home, I’m floating on clouds of air.

“You didn’t message me!” Everly nearly shouts when I make my way into our house.

Yes, ours. It’s his and mine now.

Everything about this is ours.

I’ve decided this and refuse to change my mind.

“What happened?” he asks, almost running into me as he grabs on to my arms and shakes me slightly. “It’s bad, isn’t it? It’s bad. I took the blame. I told Dr. Brown everything. It was my fault. All of it.”