Page 155 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10
“Does that mean you’re enjoying your time off?” I asked as he slid into the driver’s seat.
“If I was enjoying my time off do you think I’d jump at the chance to drive two and a half hours to see the likes of you?”
I laughed. “Fair point.”
“And since I was coming down anyway, I brought that background check you wanted.” He reached around to the back seat, grabbed a folder, and plopped it on my lap.
For a few minutes we were quiet as he put the car into drive and made his way through Main Street traffic.
“She’s young,” he finally said.
I looked down at the folder in my hands. I wasn’t even sure if I wanted it anymore. Knowing everything about Penny, even if there were some skeletons in her closet, wouldn’t change my mind about pursuing her. “Not that young.” I put the file into my satchel without opening it.
“Is she one of your students?” he asked.
Maybe he’d judge me. But probably less than my psychologist would. I wasn’t going to give up Penny. I wasn’t even sure I could if I wanted to. And at least with Ian I had his signature on a confidentiality agreement. “Yes.”
Ian whistled.
At least he didn’t shake his head. “Speaking of which, maybe you could dig around to see what the rules are regarding professor-student relationships at the University of New Castle?”
“Like…a relationship relationship?”
“What else would I mean?”
“I don’t know…a rebound short-term thing?”
“I’m not sure the dean will care about how serious we are either way.” And I didn’t have the answer for him. All I knew was that I hadn’t had enough of her. Yet.
Ian hit his turn signal. “You probably won’t like what I’ll find. I think most schools frown on that kind of thing.”
I didn’t respond. What was there to say?
“Does that mean you’re coming back to New York soon?”
“I have no idea.”
“I could move down here, you know. I know you don’t need as much security outside the city, but I could rent an apartment inyour building and keep a low profile. I’d even be able to take care of stalkers.”
I laughed. He’d done a similar background check on Kristen Dwyer for me last year. But it wasn’t because I liked her. It was because I wanted to make sure her mental state was sound. I didn’t want her showing up naked in my apartment with a knife like a crazy person. But she was clean. Certainly cleaner than me. If someone did my background check they’d be a lot more concerned. I eyed my satchel. Maybe there were some reasons to check out Penny’s file…
“How’s Jen?” I asked. It was better to change the topic than give him any false hope of moving here. I didn’t need any security on campus. And it was a breath of fresh air to have time to myself, even if it was a little lonely. Besides, Penny made it significantly less lonely.
“How would I know?”
“I know you give her rides sometimes…”
“Oh. Well. Yeah.” He looked a little flustered. “She’s fine, I guess. Why?”
Weird answer.“I haven’t spoken to her in a few months. She’s relentless with trying to get me to patch things up with my parents.”
“She may have mentioned that.”
Of course she had.
“Are you going to talk to them soon? Pretty sure it’s driving Jen crazy that you’re fighting with them.”
“You’re a lot nosier than I remember,” I said.
