Page 62 of Bachelor

Leave my job. That sounded like the best route, but then what? All of my opportunities were across the ocean, and that kind of separation wasn’t something I wanted, not when Whitney would stay here and finish her degree.

I’d just started smoothing out the wrinkles in my shirt when the door opened without warning and Cassandra stepped inside, leaning on the doorframe. “Well, you’re having quite the day, from what I’ve heard.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I sat down behind my desk and opened my laptop.

“You didn’t hear? Someone posted in the student portal that you and Whitney are embroiled in an affair.” She wiggled her eyebrows at me. “Who would do such a thing to you?”

“Christian Brockford is a good place to start.” I pulled up my email, hoping she’d take the hint.

“Why?” She laughed, stepping forward and resting her elbows on one of the chairs. “Because he thinks you have a thing with Whitney?”

“Why don’t you go and ask him?” I said, giving her a harsh look over the top of my laptop. “I’m busy, Ms. Martins. I have class in thirty minutes, and to be honest, the drama between students is none of my business.”

“Only as long as the rumors aren’t true, right?” She flashed me a wicked grin.

“What are you doing here, Cassandra?”

“Checking on you, of course. I figured you could use a friend right now, unless you plan on running back to the student you hung out with all weekend. What’s his name? Tyler? Maybe he was the one who wrote that post because he’s jealous of the amount of attention you give to Whitney.”

“What are you insinuating?”

“That maybe there’s more to this. I wouldn’t put it past Whitney to make a pass at you, given her history—”

“Her history with what?” I ground out.

“So defensive...” she crooned, trailing a finger over the top of the chair. “You wouldn’t have these issues if you just took a hint and asked me out instead of pining over—”

I stood up abruptly, which startled her. She backed up a step but remained in the room. “Whitney Dahl is one of the most intelligent people I’ve had the pleasure of being acquainted with.”

“Acquainted...how?”

“She was my student last semester, and now she’s my TA because you approved it.”

“I guess you’re right. It’d just be a shame if anything came of this rumor, you know. Bad for you, even worse for her.”

“Why don’t you do your job as student advisor and handle this matter, then?”

She scoffed. “Do my job? What do you think I do all day—”

“Not working,” I cut in. “You made a fool of the university this weekend. You made a fool of yourself, too, getting drunk like that and falling all over me. If anyone is going to the subject of rumors soon, it’s you. Get out of my office, please.”

Her mouth formed a hard line as she looked me up and down. “Why are you protective of her?”

“No one else is, Cassandra. For someone who claims to know her family well, you don’t know anything about Whitney.”

“She’s the one making a fool of herself,” she argued, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ve tried to talk to her. She thumbs her nose at me like that all day. I had to go to Berkley, can you believe it? My family wasn’t wealthy or connected enough for me to attend Gatlington. But Whitney flushed this opportunity away.”

“An opportunity to find a rich husband and become a housewife in the Hamptons?”

“It’s suspicious, isn’t it? Why would she break up with Christian Brockford, and why would he be spreading rumors about her because of it? Something happened, and now I’m wondering if there’s more to the story. So I came here, hoping you’d enlighten me.”

“If you’re asking if I’m having an affair with a student, you need to leave before I take my complaints to the dean.”

She smirked and rolled her eyes. “Good luck, Professor.”

She turned and walked out but stopped in the threshold of the door.

“Rumors like this can get out of hand if you’re not careful.”

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