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“You can’t just waltz into my life and think that you’re going to take over and plug me into some void in your life. I can’t replace Mira for you. I can’t replace her as Daisy’s mother!” I spit my words at him, hoping they sting because I want him to hate me.
All the repressed fear I’ve been swallowing about losing someone I love again or him choosing someone else when his excitement for me fades like Natalie mentioned comes bubbling over and the only way I can seem to cope right now is by lashing out.
“I already lost the love of my life, and you can’t replace him.”
I watch as his face falls. It’s not anger or hatred, it’s defeat… sadness. It’s like I’m watching his heart shatter right in front of me and instead of helping him put the pieces back together, I scatter them even further.
He doesn’t say another word. He turns slowly, walking toward my front door, and then he leaves.
I fall to my bedroom floor, sobbing. I have nobody to blame but myself. He didn’t lead me on or choose someone else. He didn’t make me believe he loved me, then leave once I fell for him. He laid his heart at my feet, and I stomped on it.
* * *
I stare at the pill packet in my hand, Weston’s words from a week ago echoing in my ear. I feel like I’ve been existing in a fog of emotions this last week. Every night I’ve cried myself to sleep, reliving the words I said to him, wishing I could take them back. Wishing I could deal with my past and move on from it.
I miss him more than I thought I could miss someone. He was right about our chemistry, about the connection we have… or had. I feel panic grip my chest again as I think through what I’ve done. I close my eyes, taking in several slow breaths.
You’re scared because you know he’s right and you don’t want to admit that he is the love of your life. It doesn’t mean you’re replacing Carson. He was in your life for a reason, to show you that true love is possible, to pave the way for Weston to show you what it could be.
“Miss Flowers?” My eyes pop open, Mr. Fein’s voice startling me.
“Hi, Mr. Fein.” I plaster on a big fake smile, the same one I’ve had all week, pretending that everything is okay.
“Can you follow me down to my office for a few moments?” The expression on his face makes my stomach drop.
“Uh, sure. Is everything okay?”
“We’ll discuss it in my office.”
I follow behind him as we walk in silence to his office. He closes the door behind me. “Have a seat, please,” he says, pointing to a chair across from his desk.
Uneasy, I sit down.
“I have received some disturbing information and before I come across as accusatory, I want to hear your side of things first.”
“Okay.” My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest.
“A very reliable source told me that you are having some sort of relations with one of your students’ parents?”
I stare at him blankly, my palms sweating as I twist my hands in my lap nervously. I don’t know what to say. I’m trying to rack my brain with who would have told him about me and Weston.
“Well, Miss Flowers, do you have anything to say?”
“I, um, I won’t lie about something going on between me and We—Mr. Vaughn. Clearly, you are aware and I’m sure you know who it was with but…” I try to choose my words carefully here since I’m clearly in some sort of trouble. “I’m unsure how that is any of your business, or anyone’s business besides mine?”
“To reiterate, the individual who reported this is a very reliable source and they mentioned that they witnessed money being exchanged between you two.” His face grows redder. “So while dating a student’s parent isn’t technically against our rules here at Crestwood, we do have a code of conduct and ethics we ask that everyone on staff upholds and as you can imagine, payment for favors, sexual or otherwise, is most definitely not in alignment with that code.”
My mouth falls open. Now my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I’ve never been reprimanded at my job, never so much as a single infraction, and now I’m being accused of prostitution?
“What?” I practically shout the word. “I wasn’t paid for sexual favors, Mr. Fein. I was paid because I babysat his daughter one night, and then I—well, I went on a trip with him and his family to the Bahamas where I also helped with taking care of his daughter.”
“I figured you would deny it and I didn’t want to have to do this but…” He taps on his computer, then slowly turns the screen around where there’s a very clear color image of me and Weston kissing on his yacht in a tabloid.
“Oh my God.” My hand darts to cover my mouth. I never saw any photos or headlines about us together, then again, I didn’t go looking for them.
“As you can see, I’m having a hard time not believing what I’ve been told. So you admit, you did receive payment from Mr. Vaughn while being engaged in a sexual relationship with him?”
“Yes, sir, you’re correct.” I don’t bother trying to explain again that it wasn’t for the sexual acts because there’s nothing I can do to prove it.
