Chapter 29
~
Ronan
“Run this by me again, would you?” Lucas sounded both puzzled and agitated at what I’d just shared with him. “Just to make sure I noted every detail.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You’re listening this time?”
“Just verifying the accuracy.”
“Well, pay attention then. Johnson found out I was sleeping with June. It’s safe to say that he knows you and Oren are involved somehow as well and how he came to possess that knowledge, only God knows,” I began.
Lucas looked caught between wanting to throw up either his breakfast or a fist at someone’s face.
“He tried to blackmail me with the information. Apparently, I was his biggest competition for getting tenure and he wanted me out of the way and I must say, a middle-aged professor sleeping with a student at his own university would certainly do the job,” I finished wryly.
Lucas frowned. “And that was what led to June’s application getting denied.”
I nodded grimly. “Oren has that sorted though. One less thing to worry about.”
“What are you planning on doing?” he asked.
“I’m going to see an old friend of mine to try and get ahead of this, preempt him from turning me in,” I said.
“You’re turning yourself into Abe Halliwell?” Lucas looked at me as though I’d just lost my mind.
“Hearing you say the words altogether like that is rather repulsive,” I said.
“There has to be another way around this instead of caving to William’s demands,” he insisted.
“There’s no time to sit and try to think of something,” I said decisively. I rose to my feet. “If I beat him to the punch, he has no leverage. And then June, you and Oren can potentially stay out of the crossfire.”
He shook his head. “This shouldn’t have to be your sacrifice alone. We all had a part to play.”
“Maybe. But I had the responsibility to end things if I saw it was getting too dangerous. As long as she’s okay and the two of you don’t get dragged down with me, I’ll be fine,” I said.
Lucas didn’t look as though he agreed but he couldn’t do anything to stop me.
The trek to Abe’s office felt like some kind of descent to hell. But I was resolute in my decision. I meant what I said to Lucas. I was the oldest, the one with the most experience. I’d been aware of the potential repercussions from the very beginning and I’d still chosen to take the risk.
It was best I tried to mitigate as much damage as possible.
“Ronan, good to see you,” Abe said, ushering me into his office.
He waved me over to the seat opposite his and I sat down, well prepared with everything I needed to say.
Abe, for his part, looked far too happy for a Monday morning this close to the final exams. “Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?”
“Yes,” I said, setting my shoulders back. “I have something that I need to confess to and I’m well aware of the potential disciplinary action that may result from this discussion.”
Abe narrowed his eyes at me, his brows knitted in anticipatory disappointment. “Oh?”
“I’ve been sleeping with one of my students.” Better to just get everything out as smoothly and fast as possible. “She’s in her final year and hasn’t technically studied under me during the year so far, but it’s still unethical. I thought it best that you heard it from me yourself.”
Abe stared at me for a few seconds, unmoving. There wasn’t so much as a noticeable expression on his face. Then he busted out laughing, a sound that actually jolted me.
“Ah, Ronan, was that it? Alright, well, I suppose I ought to let you off with a warning, then. Don’t do that again,” he said.
I was utterly confused. Was this the same man that stalked the halls and passageways looking for anyone he could sell out as long as it made him look better?
The same man who’d spent hours whining about Bass's alcohol dependency problem? And now here he was, evidently amused at the newly acquired knowledge that I’d been having sex with one of my students.
“I’m sorry, Abe, but I just… I don’t understand why you’re so blase about this,” I said.
“What, did you expect me to have you drawn and quartered?” he asked.
He shook his head. “Ah, Ronan, I’d have thought with you being part of the faculty for as long as you have, that you’d have realized by now just how much more common these sorts of things are than one would think.
My God, if every university had to fire each professor who was having an affair with one of their students, every faculty room would be empty. ”
I couldn’t quite mask my surprise at that. So this was a commonality clause; if everyone was guilty, no one was.
“Everyone involved was an adult, yes? Then I see no issue with it. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
It was only once I stood outside his office that I could feel my heart thumping in my chest.
For someone who was ordinarily so averse to risk, I’d been making all sorts of rash decisions lately.
I didn’t think twice about laying my own career on the line to protect June and even Lucas and Oren.
I didn’t quite recognize the impulsive man who was in my shoes right now.
But I think I was waiting a long time to meet him.
Lucas texted me that June was on the rooftop observatory, and I went there immediately to share the news. It felt like shedding weighted shackles and finally being able to run free without that existential fear of something crashing into the picture.
When I held her this time, it felt legitimate. It felt more real, more permanent. I filled her in on everything she missed out on and when she discovered my plan to essentially pre-sabotage my own career, she looked horrified.
“Ronan, what were you thinking!” She lightly shoved me, just hard enough for me to register the fear behind her response. Her eyes were wild and red-rimmed. “Are you crazy? After everything you worked so hard for, you were willing to just throw it all away and for what?”
“For you,” I said with a laugh. “All for you, June. I was willing to give it all up. Nothing would’ve mattered anymore if I couldn’t have this.”
She looked like she was about to cry. I pulled her into my arms.
“And now there’s no reason to be scared anymore. I can finally love you out loud,” I said.
She pulled back. “Did you just say you love me?”
“Yes!” I cupped her face in my hands and pressed my forehead against hers.
“June I’ve been in love with you for longer than I could admit it.
You’re the person who makes me feel brave enough to be reckless and to take the risks.
I want to be with you for the rest of my life. I love you, June Price.”
She wrapped her arms around me, dragging me into a kiss that left my head reeling. My hands found her waist, trying to bring her body as close to mine as possible. This was what I wanted forever, everyday. This felt like home.
“Isn’t this nice.”
We sprung apart only for Lucas and Oren to burst into laughter. I chuckled in relief. “Don’t you two have anything better to do than to sneak up on people?”
“Better than watching you almost torpedo your career in less than ten minutes? Absolutely not,” Lucas replied. “Besides, didn’t you say you wanted us on a roof one day?”
June slipped her arm around my waist and mine went over her shoulders as she leaned into me affectionately. Like she belonged there and absolutely yes, she did. “You guys will never believe it. Ronan here is now besties with Abe Halliwell.”
Oren’s face contorted into absolute disbelief.
“Is that a joke, I can’t quite tell,” Lucas said, looking from June to me and back again.
“I wouldn’t go that far. But it’s possible that I may have… misjudged him, just a tad,” I relented.
“Now this is a story I want to hear,” Oren said, folding his arms.
“Since when do you like gossip?” I shot back.
“Since it involves you.”
“Okay, here’s an idea. Let’s go out to eat tonight, all four of us. On me?” June offered.
The rest of us snickered. “Yeah right, as if we’re ever going to let you pay for that.”
As June tried to put up a fight, I mused about how right this all felt. Each of us felt like a missing puzzle piece that had somehow found its way to the rest. It was the closest feeling to a real family I’d experienced in longer than I cared to remember.