Page 886 of One More Kiss

“No, I’ll talk to him.”

“You are the last person he wants to talk to. Let me do this for you. For us.”

She dropped a quick kiss on his lips, and then was gone.

Ready to save the world.

Or at least the little world she sought to create with him, and him alone.

* * *

Even as an instructor,Lu could not enter Clyde’s all-male dormitory. He did not come down when the front desk attendant called him, so Lu camped out on a bench outside. He had to come down eventually, right?

Hours later, after she’d sat writing in the moleskine she kept in her handbag, Clyde appeared before her, foot tapping and arms crossed. “What do you want?”

She snapped her journal closed and stood up to face him, refusing to be talked down to by him. She stood slightly taller than him now, and felt on equal footing, more than equal.

He was in the wrong, and it would have been easy to come to him from a place of moral superiority, but she recognized his anger and shame and fear—had experienced it herself—so she suppressed the urge. “Please, sit.”

She motioned toward the bench, and took her seat. He followed suit, but crossed his arms across his chest, closing himself off to anything she had to say.

“We know it was you. I’m sorry you’re hurting and scared. I understand, believe me, I do. But Max’s life is hanging in the balance here. Trust me when I tell you he won’t say a thing to anyone about what happened between the two of you.”

“You want me to trust him not to tell anyone?” Clyde snapped. “He told you!”

“I already knew. I’ve known since last spring.”

Clyde’s eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. “How—”

“Much the same way I suspect you discovered Max’s secret. The theater is a dark, quiet place after hours, but that doesn’t mean you’re always alone.”

The young man nodded in acknowledgment, understanding Lu had seen him there with another male student. “Fair enough. But what is it you think I can do?”

“Tell the truth. Tell them you heard Max say it was untrue.”

“But he still lied.”

“Because telling them the truth…look what happened when they found out.” Lu clasped her hands together in her lap. How to get around that? “Tell them you lied.”

“What? And get myself expelled? Lose my job?”

“So you’d rather Max lose what he’s worked for instead?”

“No, I—Of course not. But how can I take back my words without incriminating myself?”

“Clyde, I’m not sure what will work. If anything. But the hearing is in two days. Please say you’ll do the right thing.”

She stood up again, and started to walked away.

“Miss Danvers?”

She stopped, but did not turn around. “Tell him I’m sorry. Truly. It won’t mean much, but please tell him.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “I will. I think it will mean more than you understand.”

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