Mandy looked at Ivy. “Are you guys going to leave Casey in school? Or should we be looking for a tutor who can handle the full range of primary to secondary ed?”
Ivy drew a long breath. “It was a fight, but Kit and I have decided to keep her in the local middle school. For now. Provided she’s safe there and her being there doesn’t cause a safety issue for the other students. I’ll drop her off and pick her up. So I think, for now at least, you should find a teacher who can focus on Zavi’s special needs.”
“Will you help me cull through the applications and interview the applicants? I have no experience with that. And I’m wanting someone who can be both tutor and nanny. Don’t know yet if that’s going to be one person or two.”
“I’m an old hand at selecting staff. I’d be happy to help.”
Their lunch was served. Mandy had a Caesar salad, and Ivy had chicken parmigiana. “How’s Rocco doing? He seemed good at Ty and Eden’s wedding.” She grinned at Mandy. “Handled your belly dancing way better than I expected.”
Mandy looked over at her friend, and slowly shook her head. “I don’t know. I really don’t. Sometimes he’s so far away.”
“I’m here for you, you know, if you ever want to talk.”
Mandy pressed her lips together as she considered her friend. “Thanks. I don’t feel as if I have anyone I can talk to.” When Ivy looked a question at her, she said, “You’re married to his boss.”
“I’m married to his friend—and your brother. We both want you and Rocco to be well and happy.” Ivy reached over to take her hand. “Look, we have to be there for each other. Our lives are not in any way normal. I promise not to pass along to Kit anything you tell me about Rocco, unless you specifically ask me to. I’m worried about you. And I’m your friend.”
Mandy’s eyes filled with tears. She blinked to clear Ivy’s wavering image. “Thanks, Iv. I need you to be there for me.”
“And I am.”
Chapter Fourteen
Remi stared at the email from Clancy Weston. The questions he was asking were jarring—ones he shouldn’t know to ask. Dr. Zimmers had probably filled him in. There was just something in the way he asked if she was going to park her work with the Friendship Community for good.
“…The university isn’t going to offer you a sabbatical. If you don’t come back, they’ll fire you. I’m worried about you. There are other groups to work on, you know. You have other studies in flight. Focus on them. Sometimes, you have to do what’s good for you. You have to keep yourself safe…”
“Remi?” It wasn’t until Greer had called her twice that he caught her attention. “Doc?” She looked up, her mind still ensnared by her assistant’s cryptic email. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah.”
Greer looked around. “What are you doing in here?”
“Mandy felt it was a better place to concentrate. She was right.”
“Owen has the things you requested ready for us. Let’s have lunch, then pack up and head out.”
Remi blinked, trying to clear her free-floating concerns from her mind. She put her laptop away. “Can I leave my things in here?”
A corner of Greer’s mouth lifted in a one-sided smile. “You suddenly trust us?” Her hesitation was his answer. His face hardened. “Remember, I already have a mirror image of your laptop. If someone takes your laptop, I’ll rebuild it for you.”
“It’s not that.”
Greer frowned. “What else is eating at you?”
She shook her head. “Just an email from my assistant warning me about losing my job if I don’t stop my research.”
“Are you going to?”
Remi couldn’t keep the wince from her face. “I can’t.” She was driven to do what she did. She could no more stop than she could make rivers flow up mountains. She shook her head. “I can’t.”
He held her gaze. “Look, how would they know if you continued to prepare your work for publication, as long as you don’t publish anything? There’s no reason you have to lose your forward momentum.”
Remi looked at him. “You’ve heard of ‘publish or perish’? Well, it’s a real thing. At least for an assistant professor in my field.”
“So do what you have to do. Then do what you want to do. Make it happen.”
Remi slowly smiled. The world seemed so simple from Greer’s eyes. She nodded.
“You’re okay for how long? A few days? A week? When does the semester begin?”
“I have a couple weeks before I have to be back at the university.”
“We won’t be with the Friends that long. And if you have to go back to work before we’ve put this to bed, you can crash here, help us on weekends.”
“Is Owen going to tell the university I’ve gone back to the Friends?”
“I don’t see why he would, but I can warn him.”
“All right.” Remi followed him down the long hall into the living room and up the steps into the dining room. Lunch was another selection of buffet options. The meal was as chaotic as breakfast. People came in, made a sandwich, and left. Others sat at the table. Owen, the team’s boss, made a salad and took it someplace else.
The big blond guy sat next to her. Val, wasn’t he? “Doc,” he greeted her with a nod, then he leaned forward, looking around her to Greer. “It’s so nice you have a playmate, G.”
Greer chuckled, then blew a low whistle. “Unfortunate choice of words. I think I’ll just sit back and watch her rip your head off.”
Val arched a tawny brow as his Caribbean-blue gaze homed in on her mouth. “Oh?”
Selena joined them, a welcome tornado scattering the male bravado. “Give the professor a break. This is her first day with us.” She set her plate on the table and took a seat next to Greer. “Doc, you’re welcome to put them in their place or walk away.”
“I take exception to that, Sel.” Greer set a hand on his heart. “I’ve been a perfect gentleman.”