Page 218 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 10
"So you have never dated any students besides Penny?"
"No, I have not."
"Can you really even date someone if you're married?"
I glanced at Penny. So she had told Melissa some things. I was kind of hoping she’d just talked about my good qualities, evenif they were few and far between. I turned back to Melissa. "I'm getting divorced."
"But you're technically still married."
"Melissa, my soon to be ex-wife has been cheating on me for almost as long as we were together. As far as I'm concerned, we are no longer married." Penny knew that I was uncomfortable talking about my personal life. It felt like she set me up, trying to get even more answers out of me. What else could she possibly want to know?
Melissa was finally quiet for a moment. "I'm sorry about your wife. But you are still married. How much longer will your divorce take?" She finally didn’t sound accusatory.
"I honestly don't know. I thought she would have signed the papers by now. I've given her everything she wants."
"It seems wrong to pursue a relationship in that situation."
"I have to disagree. There hasn't been anything that's felt so right in my life." That was the truth. And if Melissa didn’t see that, I wasn’t sure what else I could do or say to change her mind.
"It may feel right, but there are consequences. Won't you get fired if someone finds out about you and Penny?"
"Not necessarily."
"But aren't you thinking about Penny too? If this gets out, no one will believe the grades you've given her. No one will see her as just another student. Even other professors will question hergrades. I know that she's just with you, but people may think she's been with other professors too. Her whole college career will be in jeopardy. You may be fine with getting fired, but she still has to go to school here."
"I think that Penny can make her own choices." I could handle the onslaught of questions. But if Melissa thought I didn’t care about Penny, she was dead wrong. I had done nothing but think of Penny. That was why I’d tried so hard to push her away. But hearing those words fall out of Melissa’s mouth made my chest feel tight.I’d tried to save her from me.I looked over at Penny sitting on her bed. The tightness in my chest eased slightly when her eyes locked with mine. "I've thought about all the possibilities. And I'm willing to risk it as long as she is."
"I am." She smiled at me.
Every day it was growing harder to imagine my life without her in it. I saw a future. Did she see it too?
"And you aren't at all concerned about your age difference?" Melissa continued.
"No, it doesn't concern me.” It was honestly the least of my concerns, besides for every now and then when Penny’s immaturity seemed to show. But really, who cared about six years? After this semester and the next she wouldn’t even be my student any longer. “How about we have those brownies?" I suggested.
"Why, because chocolate makes all women's problems go away?" Melissa scoffed.
Jesus.What is with this girl? "I'm just hungry." I shifted in my chair. Melissa was tough to please. "What are you majoring in anyway, criminal justice?"
"I'll get plates,” Penny said. She hopped off her bed and found some paper plates from the closet.
Melissa was just staring at me accusingly. "No, political science."
"Do you want to be a lawyer?"
"This isn't really about me, James, it's about you."
"I was under the impression that we were supposed to get to know each other tonight."
"Yes, I want to be a lawyer. Now back to you. I find it hard to believe that you can't find someone to date that's your own age."
"The only person I want to date is Penny. I don't know what else I can say to make you believe me."
Melissa sighed. "Okay."
"Okay?" It was hard to believe that after all those pointed questions.
"I believe you. I'm sorry about all the questions. I'm just looking out for Penny. Dating a professor just isn't like her."
