Page 79 of Private Tutoring
Oh. So they didn’t know. I told them about Mr. Straplin, and Stephen swept me into a spinning whirlwind almost before I finished talking.
“I knew it.” He lowered me to the ground but held on tight. “Let’s go celebrate.”
“I have just the place in mind.” Roberto held open the passenger side door. “Shall we?”
“Harmony.” Delilah’s sharp voice cracked the still night air. She stormed toward me, a full scowl twisting her face into something unrecognizable.
39
HARMONY
Istiffened at the accusing tone. I’d hoped to avoid this confrontation a while longer. Better to get it over with and move on with my life. My resolve put steel in my spine, and the fact that Roberto, Stephen, and Matthew surrounded me in an instant gave me a shield of protection.
I didn’t need it against Delilah, but it was nice to have their full support. “Delilah.” The shortness in my tone caused her eyes to narrow.
Her top lip lifted in a sneer. “I see you managed to worm your way back into the spotlight. What did you do this time? Sleep with the dean?”
Stephen made a growling sound and took a step forward.
I held out a hand, planting my palm on his chest to keep him steady. He glanced down at me, openly curious as he examined my face. A slow, beautiful smile appeared, and he moved back to his original spot by my side.
Delilah snorted. “This is ridiculous.Youare ridiculous. You’ll do anything to get ahead. Well, I won’t let you. I’ll ruin you, Harmony. I’ll take your relationship to the media and bring you all down.”
She would too. I recognized the determination marring her face. She would burn down the whole world because of the rejection from Stephen and her jealousy. It had taken a while for me to understand it, but it made sense.
I was finally seeing Delilah’s true colors, and it broke my heart. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
Her mouth opened in a shocked inhale, followed by an immediate red creeping up her neck and into her cheeks.
I pushed forward, finally ready to face my former best friend head-on. It was past time I did this. “I’m not coming back to BAI.” I arched a brow and let myself smile. “But I am going to let them be a part of our child’s life.” I gave her no room to speak, forging ahead with every ounce of my anger. “I’m disappointed in you, Delilah. You were supposed to be my best friend. I trusted you with my secrets, with my broken heart and my fear, and you took advantage. I’m disappointed that you’re not the friend I thought, and it makes me sad to know that you’d hurt me like this when I have never done anything to you.”
Delilah snapped back a step, her body language going from tense and angry to something slightly softer. If I didn’t know better, I’d think my admonition reached deep enough to bring out regret.
“I would have done anything for you.”
Less than a parking space separated us, and the glow of the overhead lights scattered around the parking lot highlighted her high cheekbones and the sudden shifting of her weight to her heels. It seemed I’d caught her off guard, and she brought her arms up, crossing them over her abdomen in a protective gesture I recognized. She gripped her elbows the same way I did, squeezing and releasing several times before she spoke. “You say that, but you don’t mean it. I wish I could believe that you’d really have done anything for me, but you proved you wouldn’t when you started sleeping with him.” She pointed atStephen. “You knew I liked Stephen, but you still chose to have a relationship with him.”
Stephen’s arm brushed mine in a touch so light it might have been my imagination. “You were serious about that?” Genuine confusion tangled my voice. In all the talks we’d had with our sorority sisters when we talked about the Dream Team, I’d always thought it was a lighthearted comment. I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I never took any of that seriously. The way everyone talked, about how they thought the professors were handsome, didn’t clue me in that you really had feelings attached.”
“I did.” Delilah wavered between anger and confusion, her hands falling to her sides while her expression lost the anger.
Matthew put a hand in the small of my back. He stood behind me, and Delilah couldn’t see the touch from her place in front of me. I leaned into the comfort of contact and let the truth fall from my lips. “I never dreamed any one of them would want to be with me. I didn’t mean to catch feelings for Stephen, or for Roberto or Matthew.” I inclined my head toward each man, and they offered tiny, encouraging smiles. I loved that they didn’t interrupt. They supported me and let me deal with Delilah my way.
I almost took Stephen’s hand, but that would be a slap in Delilah’s face. “It all happened suddenly, Delilah, but I really do care for him.”
Stephen bent to whisper in my ear. “I’d like to tell her something. Do you mind?”
“Go ahead,” I whispered back.
He took my hand and laced our fingers together. Delilah followed the move, but it hit different with Stephen being the one to make the move. “I care for Harmony too. More than I thought possible. I’m flattered that you have feelings for me, but I can’t imagine being with anyone except Harmony.”
A tense moment of silence followed his confession. I’d known they loved me, but this open confession in front of Delilah solidified the truth of our feelings. They’d sworn to do whatever it took to protect me. Stephen proved that now by telling the woman prepared to ruin me that he stood with me, no matter what.
Matthew and Roberto too. Delilah didn’t care about them, but the united front we presented caused her to reconsider, or at least stop and think about her accusations and her threats.
Laughter filtered in from behind us. Anyone might walk out and find us at any second. We were not the only ones parked in this lot. Cars surrounded us, and it was a miracle we hadn’t already been interrupted.
“We can’t tell you what to do. You have to do what you think is right, but I hope you won’t let anger overrule your heart.” I took a step toward her, dropping Stephen’s hand on my approach. “I’m sorry that I hurt you. It wasn’t my intention.”
