Page 56 of Hello Forever
“He’s ex-military,” I pointed out. “He teaches a course on the history of U.S. Intelligence. He probably woregloves.”
Trevor shook his head. “I don’t get this guy. If he’s so tactical, why is he running around like a nut delivering letters? Be careful, okay? If you see him anywhere, just get thehellaway.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. “Okay. There’s something else I have to tellyou,too.”
“Why am I suddenlyworried?”
“Well, I tried to stay away from Cax, but it didn’t work out like I’d planned.” I explained how Cax had practically broken down my door last night after learning about the sexual harassment claim, and I confessed that he’d spent thenight.
Trevor didn’t admonish me. Instead, he looked thoughtful. “It’s clear that Cax is feeling a lot of pressure right now. It won’t be easy for him if he’s asked to choose between the people heloves.”
“He’s in a tough place,” I admitted.Ugh. I wasn’t looking forward to the look on Cax’s face if his father tried to cut him off from his brothers. “But he won’t incriminate me to make his father happy. He just wouldn’t do that. If the college asks him if I harassed him, he’s going to say no.” Whether our poor, doomed relationship would survive it, I had no idea. But Cax wouldn’t throw me under the bus to keep his family together. Of that I feltcertain.
Trevor nodded. “Okay. I’ll let you know if I hear anything back about the complaint we made. I’m expecting to hear something very soon. They have torespond.”
“Thank you,”Isaid.
“Hang inthere.”
* * *
Ispentthe rest of the afternoon designing a newspaper advertisement for Family Night. And then I tried to figure out what silly pictures a guy could tweet out when his team was playing Harvard. The oldest (and snootiest) college in the country didn’t have a cute, furry mascot. The big red H wasn’t easy for me to mock,damnit.
Around three o’clock I got an email that Ienjoyed.
Caxtastrophe to Axeldental: You know those modern kiosks at the library? I’m standing at one of them, grading essays. Sitting down isn’t all that comfortable today. (Totallyworthit.)
Axeldental to Caxtastrophe: Hope you’re okay. Because last night changed my life for thebetter.
Caxtastrophe to Axeldental: I need to be as good as new by tomorrow. Because I want arepeat.
Axeldental to Caxtastrophe: If you’re still sore, we’ll just have to switchthingsup.
Caxtastrophe to Axeldental: Huh. Oh—the pain! It’s gotten worse all of asudden.
Axeldental to Caxtastrophe: Maybe I could kiss itbetter.
Caxtastrophe to Axeldental: And now I’m hard in the library, standing at a kiosk. Walk on by, folks. Nothing to see here. *Ducks behind a Greekstatue*
Axeldental to Caxtastrophe: Can’t wait to see you for dinner tomorrow. Actually, let’s talk tonight? Can I call you around ten? I want to say goodnight. And a few other things. Pajamasoptional.
Caxtastrophe to Axeldental: Great. I’m free then. But now I’m stuck behind a statue for the foreseeable future. And I think I hear a tour coming. I’m just going to stare at this statue. But it’s a nude of course, and his ass reminds me of yours. Maybe my father is right. I’m a hopeless perv. I’m perving on a marblestatue.
Axeldental to Caxtastrophe: You’re a perv, but you’remyperv.
By the time I left the office, it was dark, and I couldn’t stop thinking about phone sex. I was a phone sex virgin, because I’d never been with someone who wanted me badly enough to try it. But I supposed I could figureitout.
There was only a smattering of new snow on the ground, so I headed through the park via the wooded path. If I survived Mr. Williams’s attack on my career, and lived over Josh and Caleb’s garage for years, I might need to invest in a pair of snowshoes. That mightbefun.
I wasn’t the only person in the park. A female jogger passed me, running in the opposite direction. Massachusetts was a sportier place than Ohio. Henning was the sort of town where people jogged through the park in thirty-degree weather withmittenson.
The sky was purple-black, though I could see a glow rising behind the Berkshires. There would be a moon tonight, but it hadn’t yet poked its head above the hilltops. I whistled as I continued my trek. At some point I thought I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn’t turnaround.
But Ishouldhave.
When the attack came, I was so close to home I could see the shimmer of porch lights on Newbury Street. One moment I was walking, then the next something collided forcefully with my head. I hit the ground, sprawling on the path, tasting dirt and snow. My head felt like it had been split in two, and I couldn’tthinkwhy.
Reflexes demanded that I try to stand up. But I didn’t get past an elbow on the ground before a kick landed atmyribs.
