The Girl Next Door
Chapter 50

The waitress returns with my Diet Coke and Mom's margarita.

"Just in the nick of time," she mutters, swallowing down half of it in one thirsty gulp. "Have you spoken to him yet?"

I shake my head. Like Beck, he's reached out. And like Beck, I've avoided his calls and texts. There is nothing he can say or do that will change the disgust and disappointment coursing through me. If he wasn't happy in his marriage, he should have done something about it instead of sneaking around behind Mom's back.

"As furious as I am with him," she says, "I don't want to cause a wedge in your relationship. No matter what happens between us, he is your father, and he loves you."

It's almost a relief when our lunch arrives. Mom needs something solid in her stomach to counteract the tequila. She's been snacking on the chips and salsa, but it's not enough.

I use my fork to push around the beans and rice on my plate. "I'm not ready to talk to him right now. He didn't only walk out on you, he walked out on me, too."

She reaches across the table and snags my hand. "He left me, honey. Not you. He loves you more than anything."

That may be so, but I'm too angry to deal with him right now. It doesn't escape me that the only reason he came clean about the affair is because I caught him in the act. And even then, he chose to lie before begrudgingly admitting the truth. He could have also let me know about the decision he arrived at before talking to Mom so I could have been prepared, but he couldn't be bothered to do that either.

So, no...I'm not interested in speaking to him now that he's shacked up with his w***e and living his best life. Maybe some time down the road, but not right now.

Mom points her fork at my plate. "You haven't eaten much. Aren't you hungry?"

I shrug. "Not really. Don't worry, I'll take it home for dinner."

She glances at her own untouched plate. "Yeah, me neither."

I'm concerned about her driving home, especially since she didn't eat much. "Do you want to come back to my place for a while?"

"No. I forgot to mention it, but I've decided to stay with Aunt Amy for a few days. She'll help me replace a lawyer and walk me through the process. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment."

Aunt Amy has three divorces under her belt, so she's an old pro at this. "I'm sure that will be helpful." I pause before asking point-blank, "Are you all right to drive?"

"I'm fine," she snorts and waves her hand. "It takes more than one and a half margaritas to knock me on my a*s."

My lips bow up at the corners.

That's probably true.

When I've finished picking over my enchilada, I set my fork on the table. "I'm going to run to the bathroom before we leave."

"All right, honey. I'll pay the check."

"Thanks, Mom. Lunch was nice."

"Not really," she chuckles, "but I love spending time with you."

I shimmy around the table and wrap my arms around her shoulders. "Maybe we can do this more often."

"I would love that," she says, leaning into my embrace.

I run to the bathroom at the back of the restaurant. Once inside, I take care of business and wash my hands before applying a bit of lip gloss. As I'm about to head out, the door swings open, and I do a doubletake as Dr. Hayes walks in. Everything inside me freezes.

"Mia! I wasn't expecting to run into you today." She pauses, carefully looking me over. "How are you feeling?"

Huh?

My brows slam together until I remember emailing her yesterday about the stomach virus I'd come down with. It wasn't a total lie. The idea of sitting in her class all the while remembering what she looked like on her knees between Beck's legs makes me want to throw up. "Much better, thank you." When an uncomfortable silence settles over us, I clear my throat and inch toward the exit. "I should really get back to the table."

As I take another step toward the door, her fingers wrap around my wrist. I glance at her hand in surprise.

A hesitant smile curves her pink-stained lips. "Could we talk for a moment before you run away?"

I shake my head. "Now probably isn't a-"

"I won't keep you long." She steps closer. "I promise."

Good time.

Ugh. Talking with Dr. Hayes is the last thing I want to do. It ranks right up there with talking to my dad or Beck.

My shoulders slump as I mumble, "I guess."

Her hand falls away from my wrist. It's odd that she can stand here and act like everything is perfectly normal. As if I didn't see her getting ready to blow one of her students.

The guy who was supposedly my boyfriend.

Pain blooms in my chest before I quickly stomp it out. I refuse to give Beck another moment of my time. I've given him way too much as it is.

Her attention stays locked on me as she leans against the counter. "I wanted to apologize for what you walked in on the other day. It was highly unprofessional of me to engage in a personal relationship on campus."

I blink, knocked off balance by her apology because honestly, it doesn't sound like much of one. "Isn't it inappropriate for you to be involved with one of your students?"

Her smile never falters. "It was consensual."

The little bit of food I've eaten for lunch threatens to revolt. "Was it?"

"Of course. Do you think any twenty-one-year-old male in his right mind would turn down s*x with one of his professors?" She shrugs. "Consider it a perk of my position," she laughs. "I keep getting older, but the guys stay the same age. It's fabulous." Gross.

The conversation I had with Beck at the library a couple of weeks ago forces its way into my consciousness. He'd tried telling me that Dr. H had been acting a little too friendly, and I'd brushed off the conversation. A pit settles in my belly as I consider the possibility that I was wrong. Maybe he wasn't as willing of a participant as I'd assumed.

As much as I don't want to discuss the topic, I have to get to the bottom of it. "How long has your relationship with Beck been going on for?"

"I wouldn't really call it a relationship." A smug smile plays around the corners of her lips. "More like a pursuit."

"On your part?" My breath becomes wedged in my throat as I wait for her answer.

She gives me a wink. "I love the thrill of the chase."

After I'd walked in on them in her office, Beck had once again claimed she'd come on to him. I wince, remembering my reaction. Instead of believing him, I had accused him of being a liar and walked away.

When another silence falls over us, Dr. Hayes reaches out to squeeze my arm. "I'm glad we could clear up this misunderstanding, Mia. I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

I blink out of those thoughts before shaking my head. "No, I'm sorry. It turns out I won't be able to TA for you after all."

"Excuse me?" She straightens as her voice fills with disbelief. "You're going to leave me high and dry for the rest of the semester because you walked in on a private moment behind closed doors?"

"No, that has nothing to do with it. The reason I can't work for you is because I've lost all respect for you. Ever since freshman year Composition, I've admired you. I thought you were someone worthy of emulating. But you know what? I was wrong. How can I look up to someone who uses their position of power to make s****l advances toward a student? What you did to Beck was s****l harassment, plain and simple." I c**k my head and narrow my eyes. "You realize he could file a complaint against you with the university." Her eyes bulge as her mouth drops open. "It was consensual," she whispers again.

"Is that what you tell yourself when you hit on guys half your age and make them feel like they have to trade s****l favors for grades?"

She makes a choking sound deep in her throat but remains silent.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." With nothing left to say, I push out of the bathroom and head to the table where Mom is waiting. My hands are shaking so badly that I have to press them together to make them stop.

Mom rises to her feet when she sees me. "Are you all right?" Her brow furrows as she searches my face. "You look awfully pale."

"I don't think the enchiladas are sitting well."

"Uh-oh." She wraps an arm around my waist and steers me through the restaurant. "We better get you home before they hit."

My lips lift. "Thanks, Mom."

I lean against her shoulder as we push through the doors and into the bright fall sunshine. Only then, do I suck in a shaky breath and force down all the emotions that churn dangerously inside me. Beck was telling the truth, and I didn't believe him.

I groan with the realization that I probably threw away the best relationship I've ever had. And there might not be a way for me to get it back again.