Chapter 20
“It’s not fair.” Bella stomped her well-heeled foot on the tile floor. “We’ve hardly spent any time together the past two weeks. Friday is my birthday, and you won’t even take me out to dinner?”
Dropping his head into his hands, Collin asked himself why he’d invited Bella over to his apartment. He’d hoped she would be content to watch Netflix while he studied, but she’d misinterpreted his invitation, expecting his undivided attention. And when he’d explained the possibility that he might be kicked out of law school because his professor had accused him of cheating and how he was unlikely to feel like celebrating on Friday night, she’d thrown a hissy fit.
An angry face appeared in the back doorway—his roommate Garrett, whose current surgical rotation schedule had him in their apartment sleeping every evening from seven to twelve. “Could you please take this conversation elsewhere, or take the shrill screaming to a lower decibel?”
“I second that motion,” Blake called out from the kitchen.
Bella answered with a frustrated screech, curdling the fluid in Collin’s inner ears. Garrett growled something that shouldn’t have been spoken in the presence of a lady, but Collin figured Bella didn’t count.
“That’s enough.” Collin didn’t even bother to get up from the couch. “We’re done. Get out.”
“No!” she yelled, her face looking like she was about to explode. “You don’t get to break up with me! You’ve never even taken me on a proper date. You haven’t said a single nice thing to me, except one time when you complimented my shoes. Why do you think I keep wearing these stupid heels when they make blisters on my toes?” She kicked her shoe off and sent it tumbling across the room to ricochet off the front door. Her voice rose to a high-pitched frenzy. “You don’t get to break up with me. I’m breaking up with you!”
With those words, she marched across the room, retrieved her shoe, and stomped out. The door slammed behind her, jarring the walls and sending a picture crashing to the floor.
Blake ambled in from the kitchen, yawning and stretching. He glanced at the shattered picture and grinned. “Do ya want some coffee? Or do you need something stronger?”
Tension pulled at every tendon in his body. I need an entire bottle of whiskey, he thought. Aloud, he said, “I’ll take coffee.”
Blake poured two cups of thick black liquid, at least a day old, and popped them into the microwave. “What’s the story with Burkhalter? I heard you say he’s accusing you of cheating. I know you didn’t. Surely, it’s his word against yours, right? He can’t prove something that didn’t happen.”
Collin groaned. “You’re right—it’s my word against his—but his word counts for a lot more than mine.” As he’d done at least a hundred times since that fateful night at his birthday party, Collin agonized about why Olivia would choose to be with Burkhalter after hearing him profess his hatred for Collin. Did their friendship mean nothing to her? He would never have believed she could be so shallow.
Blake scratched his head, staring at the microwave until the bell chimed. He retrieved the coffee mugs and set them on the table.
“I know you don’t want to hear this, but why don’t you get your dad to offer a little donation to the school? I have a feeling your word would count for more if it was tinged in green.”
Collin clenched his jaw so tight he could hear enamel grinding against enamel. “If I can’t do this on my own, I don’t want it.”
“Come on, Collin. Don’t let your pride get in the way here. This isn’t you buying your way into law school or getting special treatment. This is stopping a grave injustice. Isn’t that why you’re in law school?”
Collin huffed his skepticism. “I think we all know most people are in this for the money.”
“Most people, but not you.” Blake said, tapping his pen on the table. “You’re afraid of money, as if the money itself is somehow innately evil.”
“There’s that old saying, you know, ‘Money is the root of all evil.’”
“Actually, that’s a scripture,” Blake corrected. “And it really says, ‘The love of money is the root of all evil.’”
“Really? That’s what it says?”
“Look it up.” Blake took a sip of coffee and spewed it back into his cup. “Ughh! That’s awful!”
“I’ll make some fresh,” Collin offered, moving to set up the old-fashioned coffeemaker. “I suppose I should give in and get one of those one-cup-brewers, but it bothers me to pay as much for a single cup as I do for an entire pot.”
Blake emptied his mug into the sink. “What are you going to do about Burkhalter? Aren’t you going to fight this? You have to stand up for yourself.”
“Standing up for myself is getting me nowhere. My cousin offered to go to bat for me a while back, and I’m taking him up on it. He’s going with me tomorrow morning before my Contracts final, to talk to the dean.”
“Is your cousin a big donor? Someone who can throw his money around?”
“Steven could—he has enough money to do it. But I’d rather he’d vouch for me, instead.”
“There you go, with that money hang-up. Why not let him use his money for a good purpose? There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“No, I don’t want to buy my way out. If I can’t convince Dean Whittier I’m innocent, I don’t want to be there. It’s a matter of integrity.” With the coffee grounds measured, Collin filled up the water reservoir and pressed the start button.
“What’s your integrity going to get you if they kick you out of law school? A big fat zero.”
“It’s par for the course. Every part of my life seems to be cratering. Like tonight, for instance.” He stared at the coffeemaker, willing it to work faster.
“Yeah, sorry about Bella. Hate to see her go.” Blake covered his mouth and coughed as if the lie got stuck in his windpipe.
“You don’t have to pretend you liked her. I didn’t care for her, either.”
“Man, I’m glad to hear you say that. I thought maybe you’d lost your mind. What did you ever see in her, anyway? I mean, aside from her very obvious physical assets?” He palmed his own pectorals, as if there were something more substantial in his hands.
“Don’t be crude.”
“Sorry. My sisters would box my ears for that.” He ducked his head in shame. “But the woman is a leech.”
“It’s my fault, not Bella’s. She was standing there at the opportune time, when I saw Olivia and Burkhalter together. I was so jealous, I would’ve flirted with a flagpole. She may be shallow, but I led her on.”
The vibration of a cell phone on the table drew their attention. Blake leaned over and read the caller ID. “It’s Olivia.”
Collin froze, hesitant to answer. Every single day for the past two and a half weeks he’d punished himself for hanging up on her. Yet he hadn’t drummed up the courage to call her back. For one thing, he hadn’t decided whether to apologize or yell at her. Seeing evidence of her continuing relationship with Burkhalter hadn’t helped his attitude. His sadistic professor loved to post images on social media of himself with Olivia, probably aware that Collin couldn’t help looking at them. Blake raised a questioning brow and answered the call.
“Hi, Olivia. This is Blake.”
Furious, Collin shook his head, waving his hand in front of Blake’s face and mouthing, “I can’t talk.
His double-crossing roommate ignored his frantic signs. “Sure, he’s right here. He was fetching us some coffee. Let me get him for you.”
Blake covered the phone with his hand and sliced Collin to tiny pieces with his eyes, speaking in low, menacing tones. “You made me call and apologize to this girl so you could stay friends. Now you’re going to talk to her and prove to me I didn’t humiliate myself for nothing.”
He held out the phone, and Collin took it, staring at it like a poison snake that might bite at any time. Blake gave him a sharp poke in the ribs—a friendly, but painful encouragement.
“Hello. This is Collin.” He utilized his I’m-talking-to-a-salesman voice. Firm. No nonsense.
“Hi. This is Olivia.” Her timid tone betrayed her guilt. “I guess you know that already.
Though his pulse raced, he felt reasonably calm. In control. He needed to keep the upper hand. “Why did you call?”
“I needed to talk to you, to tell you something. You see, tomorrow I’m doing something, and I thought, what if I never get a chance to talk to you again?”
He tried to hang onto his anger, but the note of fear and regret tugged at his heartstrings. “Is it a final exam?”
“Uhmm, kind of like that. Even more scary.”
“Listen to me. You’ll be fine. I’m sure your entire family is praying for you.”
“I don’t even care about that,” she said. “I only care about you being angry. I want you to understand.”
“Okay. Explain it to me. This time, I’m listening.”
“Are you finished with the class Fitz teaches? You took your final already?”
“I’ll be finished with his final tomorrow, at noon. Why?”
He heard sniffing. “Never mind—I can’t tell you. I shouldn’t have called.”
“Fine.” Fury flowed into his brain, clouding his judgment. “I think this conversation is over.”
“Wait, Collin.” She made a sobbing sound. “I’m not really with Fitz.”
“You know what? I don’t believe you. I don’t know what your game is, but as long as you’re playing with him, I’m out. If you need something, call him.”
He disconnected and stood, watching the phone as if Olivia might jump out of the screensaver image of a concrete jungle.
Something swiped the back of his head in a glancing blow.
“Ow!” He probed his scalp with exploratory fingers, expecting a lump.
“Collin…” Blake leaned against the counter, his fists on his hips. “You’re an idiot. And a jerk.”
“Wait a minute—”
“I don’t know what she said, but I know she was crying. And only a jerk hangs up on a girl who’s crying. And only an idiot would cut off a girl as hot as Olivia, no matter what she said.”
“You don’t know the whole story.” Collin said, his hands shaking with rage. “She’s dating Burkhalter.”
Blake’s mouth dropped open. “Are you positive?”
“I saw them kissing. In fact, everyone at my birthday party saw them. There’s no doubt.”
“What did she say when you confronted her?”
“We haven’t discussed it.”
The squinty-eyed, mouth-twisted-to-one-side expression told him Blake still adhered to his you’re-an-idiot opinion.
“Whatever!” Collin sulked, dropping to a chair at the table, pushing frustrated hands through his hair. “I can’t deal with her right now. I’ve got enough on my plate, trying not to get kicked out of Columbia without investigating why my former friend is fraternizing with the enemy.”
“Let’s make a deal. I won’t threaten you with the same bodily harm with which you threatened to make me call Olivia immediately, if you promise to call her back tomorrow, the minute you settle this with the dean.”
Right on cue three raps sounded on the door, granting him a temporary reprieve from his roommate’s uncomfortable demands.
Collin jumped to his feet. “That’s going to be Steven, my cousin. He’s coming over so we can rehearse our arguments.”
He opened the door for Steven to enter, and heard Blake’s startled gasp behind him.
“Steven Gherring?” Blake stared like a zombie for a minute, before offering his hand to Steven. “I’m Blake. Nice to meet you.” He aimed his heated glare at Collin. “Collin failed to mention his cousin’s last name was Gherring. Probably because he has some kind of phobia about money. What else haven’t you told me, Collin? Is your uncle the king of England?”
Steven laughed as he shook Blake’s hand. “In Collin’s defense, until recently, he had valid reasons for distancing himself from my side of the family—me, in particular. But hopefully that’s changing now.”
“It is,” Collin affirmed.
Dismissing Blake with a nod of his head, Steven drew Collin to the living area. “Coincidentally, after you called to tell me about Burkhalter today, I stopped by Martha’s and got an earful. Did you know Olivia’s involved in all this?”
“Yes, I’m afraid I knew.” His throat tightened as it always did when he thought of Olivia’s betrayal.
“And you’re okay with that?” Steven eyebrows made upside down V’s. “Don’t you think that’s asking a little much? As if a kidney wasn’t enough.”
A pang of self-reproach wrenched his chest. “You’re right. I haven’t expressed much gratitude that she found a donor for Martha.”
“That’s not exactly how I would describe it.” Steven chuckled. “Normally, ‘finding a donor’ doesn’t involve volunteering your body for surgery.”
“Olivia’s the donor?” Collin’s tongue tangled inside his suddenly-parched mouth.
“You really didn’t know?” Steven made a tsking sound, while Collin’s nervous system went haywire. “I wondered how you could be so cavalier about it. Personally, I think this game she’s playing with Burkhalter could be dangerous. Especially in light of the fact none of her family knows about it.”
“I don’t approve of what she’s doing with Burkhalter.” Collin didn’t bother hiding the bitterness in his tone. “But she didn’t ask my opinion.”
“Yes, I suppose she couldn’t protect you if you knew about it.”
“Protect me from what?”
“From Burkhalter, of course. Though it didn’t work.” Gherring looked ready to sock someone in the jaw.
“Are you implying Olivia was merely pretending to like Burkhalter?”
“Yes, I am. That’s exactly what Martha told me.”
Collin reveled once again in righteous anger. “I’m fairly certain I have something to disprove that notion.” Collin opened his laptop and found the downloaded video files. He’d saved them, along with all the photos, but had never felt like viewing them. “I have these videos from my birthday party at The Slipstream. One of these videos shows Olivia and Burkhalter going at it inside a video dance booth.”
“Was there sound with it? Burkhalter might’ve said something we could use to our advantage.”
“I don’t know if there’s audio with the video. I didn’t torture myself by watching it. I saw it in person and, believe me, once was enough.” Collin hardened his jaw, nursing his resentment.
Steven cocked his head, observing him at an angle. “You’re in love with Olivia, aren’t you? And she’s in love with you, as well.” He smacked his palm on his forehead. “That explains everything.”
“I don’t know what crazy planet you’re from. But back here on earth, you made two unfounded assumptions and nothing has been explained.”
“Forget that.” Steven waved his hand in the air. “I want you to check for audio on those video files.”
“These have a time stamp, and I know about when Burkhalter was in the booth with Olivia. Let me pull it up.”
A few minutes later, the image of Burkhalter’s back filled the screen, with Olivia’s body obscured, except for her feet. Dance music blared in the background, but Collin could clearly hear their conversation. With every word Burkhalter uttered, Collin felt his blood pressure rising, pulsing in his ears. Again and again, Olivia defended his honor. Burkhalter grew more aggressive, and Collin heard the quake in her voice, though her words were bold.
“Wait!” Steven pressed pause. “Play that part again.”
Collin backed the video a bit and Burkhalter’s voice rumbled, “It doesn’t matter what grade Collin earns on his final examination. If I say he failed, he’ll be out of there so fast your head will spin.”
“That’s it—we’ve got him.” Steven clapped him on the back.
Collin should’ve felt like celebrating. But he didn’t. He didn’t care about proving his innocence. He didn’t care whether or not he got kicked out of Columbia Law.
Olivia hadn’t been kissing Burkhalter in the dance booth that night—she’d been defending Collin. Why was she dating Burkhalter now? Was Steven right? Had she simply been responding to Burkhalter’s threat? If so, why hadn’t she explained immediately after the birthday party?
She tried, you idiot. You hung up on her.
“I can see why you’re in love with her.” Steven gave a sympathetic pat on his shoulder. “Smart. Beautiful. Defends you against a jerk like Burkhalter. Fakes a relationship just to protect you. Gives up her kidney to save a friend. You could hardly do better. Congratulations!”
His throat constricted. Aching. Painful. His mind replayed Olivia’s plaintive phone call and his own calloused response.
I am the scum of the earth.