Page 15 of Loved

“Well no wonder she’s pissed at you. She liked banging her professor, and now you’re not her professor anymore.”

I glared at him.

“I’m joking. But in all seriousness…you gotta talk to her about this stuff, James. She’s not your employee. She’s your girlfriend.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Which part?” Ian asked and took another bite of lasagna.

“Do I do stuff all the time without explaining it to you first? You’re acting like I’m a bad boss.”

“You are a bad boss.”

“What? No I’m not.” Where was this coming from?

“You threw a bottle of scotch at me once.”

“One time. Years ago.”

Ian shrugged. “Fine. Whatever. You’re a great boss. I just meant that you can’t just tell her how things are. You’re a team.”

Had he been talking to Dr. Clark too? “I was going to talk to her. About everything.”

“Even the cameras?”

God the fucking cameras were going to get me in trouble at some point. “Mhm.”

“That was very unbelievable.”

I laughed. “I’m going to tell her. It’s for her own safety. Speaking of which…how is the new addition to the security system going?”

“I already installed it. No more surprise Isabella visits. I promise.”

I nodded. I thought about his comment about my being a not-so-great boss. “I am sorry about last night, Ian. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. Of course it wasn’t your fault that the story got leaked to the press.”

“But Isabella was only here because…”

“Because the security system wasn’t perfect yet. Which is on me. I was just upset and I took it out on you.”

Ian smiled. “Like when you threw that bottle of scotch at me.”

“That was one time!”

He laughed. “Well, I am sorry you lost your job. I know how much you loved being a professor. Do you think you’ll be able to find a new teaching position somewhere else?”

Penny was here. I wasn’t going anywhere else. Besides… “Resigning pretty much put a nail in the coffin on that. I look guilty. No one’s hiring me again. I was lucky enough that Joe gave me a second chance here.”

“Sorry, man.”

“It’s fine.” I actually did feel okay. Calm. In control. It was going to be okay.

Ian didn’t look like he believed me.

“Really, I’m good. I thought I’d have to spend the rest of the day with Dr. Clark, but I’m okay.”

“If you say so.”

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out. I was hoping it was a text from Penny telling me she was coming home.

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