Chapter Thirty-Three Vivian
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: VIVIAN
T o say that the last week had been difficult would be an understatement. After a night of such highs for the guys had turned into such lows, our foursome had faced our first big trial with our relationship being outed. Throw into the mix that Theo’s parents had reacted just as he had feared they would. After a horrible dressing down in the parking lot of the arena by his father, Theo’s texts and calls to his parents remained unanswered. While he’d feared them financially icing him out as well, his accounts remained the same. It was almost as if they were buying him off.
After flying home from St. Louis, we’d holed up in the guys’ townhouse. While I knew that the media loved a sex scandal, I couldn’t believe how much interest they were putting into ours. Especially considering the guys weren’t even NHL players.
While the national media grew bored quickly, the local news revved into overdrive. We couldn’t even leave the house without reporters taking our pictures or shouting questions at us. It was ridiculous.
Our first blessing post-scandal came when the South Caroline Swarm didn’t revoke Theo’s offer. Of course, it was bittersweet since it meant that he would be gone from October to June. Although the guys and I offered to move to Charleston, Theo quickly vetoed that. He didn’t want me so far away from my parents with a new baby, not to mention being in a new city.
I don’t know how we were going to make it work besides weekend visits, but I knew if any four people could make it work, it was us.
Another blessing came about at graduation. Since the hockey season was over, we didn’t have to worry about repercussions there. However, the guys were still on the line with the university. After hiring an attorney via Zoom since we could barely leave the house, she informed the guys that there wasn’t anything in the code of conduct that could render an expulsion from school. Upon hearing that, I finally breathed a relieved breath.
As for how we were outed, we still didn’t have a definitive answer to that one. In my heart, I felt it was one of the caterers from the baby shower. Or maybe it was one of our townhouse neighbors who put two and two together.
Today I woke up determined to get my life back. My first order of business was to go back to work. When I came downstairs dressed, I wasn’t prepared for the guys’ reaction.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Theo demanded.
“To work.”
Theo shook his head. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
“I second that,” Bennett replied.
After pinching the bridge above my nose, I sighed. “While I appreciate the possessive vibe, you can’t keep me holed up in here forever. I need my job to provide for my child.”
“We will provide for the baby,” Grayson piped up.
“And last time I checked, you needed to leave the house for your jobs as well.”
Theo grinned. “I’ll support us with my NHL money.”
“And that won’t be coming in for several months. Until then, I need to work.” At the grunts of protest from the guys, I replied, “There hasn’t been a reporter staked out in days.”
“I’m waiting for a rogue one to pop out of the bushes,” Bennett mused.
“With everything going on in the world, I’m pretty sure even the local reporters have finally lost interest in the sex lives of three college hockey players and a university librarian.”
“Well, I am a future NHL player,” Theo argued.
Grayson rolled his eyes. “Yeah, dude, we know. You’ve reminded us a thousand times.”
Grinning, I threw my arms around Theo’s neck. “Once again, I’m so very, very proud of you.”
“Thanks, babe.”
He then slanted his head to bestow a smoldering kiss on my lips. Just when things started to get carried away, I wriggled out of his arms. “I have to get to work.”
“You should stay here, and we’ll work on giving you lots of orgasms,” Theo replied while wagging his brows.
“While that is very tempting, I need to get back to some semblance of normalcy.”
“Fine. But me or one of the guys is going to drop you off.”
Wrinkling my nose, I countered, “But that’ll just draw more attention to me.”
This time Grayson shook his head. “We’re driving you, Viv. So don’t argue.”
I huffed out a frustrated breath. “Then let’s go.”
After we all piled into Theo’s Range Rover, we pulled out of the driveway. I exhaled a relieved breath that no one popped out of the bushes or a car tried trailing us. Once we got to campus, Theo made sure to drop me off right in front of the library.
“I’ll see you back at nine.”
He winked at me. “We’ll be here.”
I smiled as I hopped out of the Rover. After waving goodbye to the guys, I then started up the stairs.
As I walked into the library, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the familiar, comforting scent. After putting my things down, I looked for my supervisor, Annette. I found her in her office behind the circulation desk.
At the sight of me, her eyes widened. With a nervous titter of a laugh, she said, “Vivian, I, uh, didn’t think I would be seeing you today.”
“I know. I probably should’ve called to let you know I was finally coming in.”
“Maybe you should have.”
Furrowing my brows at her, I asked, “Don’t you need me?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
I smiled. “Great. Where should I start?”
“Um, I suppose you could start re-shelving.”
“Will do.”
After grabbing a nearby cart, I pushed it towards the reference section. As I passed by a group of students, they lowered their voices and began to whisper. Embarrassment warmed my cheeks. I quickly glanced to make sure my shirt wasn’t unbuttoned or inside out.
By the time I reached the research section, I realized I’d been completely naive when I thought the whispers and stares were about my appearance. Of course, they had everything to do with the rumor about the guys and me.
I tried focusing on the task before me. Halfway through emptying my cart, two guys stepped into my path. With a lascivious smile, the dark-haired one said, “Well, well. If it isn’t the library’s resident whore.”
“Unless you have a library-specific question, I’m going to ask you to move,” I gritted out.
The blonde one winked at me. “What’s wrong? Do you only suck dick from hockey players?”
“Move.”
“I’m sure you’re dying for a fuck. Come in one of the study rooms with us, and we’ll make you feel real good.”
Since they weren’t moving, I shoved my cart at them before whirling around. As I started running away, they called, “Come back, cumslut!”
As I came around the corner of a shelf, I almost ran into Annette. “Um, I’m sorry. I was going to the bathroom.”
“Where are you cumslut?” a voice bellowed behind us.
Annettte’s hand flew to her throat as horror flashed in her eyes. “Vivian, I just came to find you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“I need you to come to my office.”
My chest constricted. “You’re firing me, aren’t you?”
After glancing around, she curtly replied, “I would prefer to discuss your employment in my office.”
The last thing I wanted to do after being verbally harassed was to go to Annette’s office to be reprimanded. I held up my hands. “That’s okay. I’ll just leave”
Remorse briefly flickered on her face. “I’m sorry, Vivian. While the Dean had left your employment up to my discretion, your presence is just too much of a disruption.”
I wanted to argue that I’d barely been here thirty minutes. But I knew what had happened was bound to happen again. Having the word “cumslut” shouted in the library wasn’t conducive to learning.
“I understand.”
As I started to walk off, Carlee sprinted up. One look at my face and her expression turned lethal. She quickly turned her wrath onto Annette. “You cannot fire her!”
“That is none of your business, Ms. Flannery.”
“Do you know who my family is? I will be happy to phone my father right now!”
“Carlee, don’t,” I pleaded.
Shaking her head, she countered, “They cannot fire you over this, Vivian. You’re the best damn librarian they have.”
I grabbed her arm. “I’m serious. Don’t fight for me.”
Her brows creased in confusion. “Are you sure?
Nodding, I replied, “It’s not good for me personally to be here, and it’s not good for the library either.”
Carlee’s expression turned forlorn. “But this was your life.”
She was absolutely right. For a time, it had been my world. I enjoyed every moment of serving Southeastern’s students. It had filled the purpose-driven part of my life.
But things change.
People change.
I would be lying to myself if I didn’t acknowledge how much my purpose in life had shifted after meeting the guys. It also went without saying how much being pregnant had changed my life view.
Although it wasn’t the way I would’ve wanted to leave, I knew it was the right thing. With a smile, I said, “It’s time for another life. One with the guys and one with my son. And maybe one with more focus on writing.”
“You’re sure?”
Nodding, I replied, “Positive.”
“Well, if you change your mind, just know I’m ready to ride into battle with you.” She winked. “Anytime.”
“That’s why I love you,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her.
She squeezed me tight. “I love you too, Hesper.”
A laugh burst from my lips. “Did you seriously call me Hesper Prynne from The Scarlet Letter ?”
Carlee pulled back to wink at me. “I mean, you are knocked up and have a symbolic scarlet letter here at Southeastern.”
“You know what? I think I’ll embrace that title.”
“How about we go celebrate your new life prospects with some Mexican?”
“As long as it's far away from campus,” I replied.
“Works for me.”
“And it’s my treat for you having my back,” I insisted.
“Girl, have you forgotten your job less? It’s on me.”
With a roll of my eyes, I protested, “I’m not broke, you know. I do have a nice side hustle with the Tudor books.”
She held her hand up. “Nope. Not happening.”
“If you insist.”
After threading her arm through mine, Carlee started leading me out of the library.