Because the truth would likely break Tally’s heart.
“No,” she shook her head. “But I have the security guard going through the camera feed that filtered around that time.”
My heart stuttered in my chest.
“Cameras?” I asked causally.
She nodded.
“Got them last month on a trial basis due to a few things missing from the simulation lab,” she nodded her head, leaning against the counter of the nurses’ station. “They’re in the main hall, right at the entrance into the college. In the teachers’ offices, two of the classrooms, and inside and outside the simulation lab.”
Thank God!
Nowhere near where I’d fucked my student.
Son-of-a-bitch, this wasn’t a good thing.
How had I not known about the fucking cameras?
“Why wasn’t the staff informed of these cameras?”
“They were…at the staff meeting you always manage to miss.”
I snorted, then started to chuckle.
“It’s the same night as church,” I told her innocently.
“It’s every other Tuesday,” she murmured. “Church is on Wednesday and Sunday.”
I grinned. “I wasn’t talking about religion.”
She rolled her eyes.
“Go to work, Dr. Tommy.”
I did, and the entire time I worried about how I was going to tell Tally that her best friend was a bitch without hurting her.
Which had to be the reason I was in such a foul mood when she stopped me in the parking lot.
It’d been twelve total hours with her on shift with me, and I knew I couldn’t hold the anger in any longer.
Not when she was in need of a friend and didn’t even know it.
She’d been sending me smiles ever since Lucia had left, as well as secret touches when nobody was looking.
When she stopped me in the parking lot by placing her hand on my tattooed forearm, I pulled away, trying to hold strong.
“What do you want?” I growled, trying to yank my hand back from her.
I’d been so lost in thought as I made my way outside that she’d startled me into reacting before I’d had a chance to control my features.
It wasn’t the hurt look that flittered across her face that made me stop and back pedal.
It was the anger as she glared at me.
“I have two more weeks, Thomas Tomirkanivov,” I snapped. “You can wait until I feel comfortable to have this type of relationship with you. Until then, we’re going to be friends when we’re not completely alone…and together when we are. If that means being in front of your club, that’s fine. I’m not comfortable being open about us in front of Hadley, and you can’t be mad at me for that. You said yourself that you didn’t find her trustworthy.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
She was right.
Fucking dammit.
“Fine.”
She rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers at me.
“My parents are heading out of town today for the weekend. I’d like it very much if you came to stay with me…or vice versa.”
“My older sister is coming into town, along with my parents for Ellen’s birthday,” I murmured. “I can’t stay tomorrow afternoon…but you’re welcome to come with me.”
She blinked, then nodded.
“I think I’d like that,” she admitted softly.
My lips twitched.
“You’ll come to my place?” she whispered. “Around eight?”
“Yeah,” I grunted. “I’ll be there…do I need to bring anything?”
She smiled then, brilliant and blinding.
“No,” she shook her head. “Just an empty stomach.”
My traitorous belly decided to start growling again, causing her to giggle.
“See you in a few, Hungry.”
I growled and took a step forward, causing her to jump and run, giving me a nice view of her ass as she ran toward her car.
Her SUV that had new tires, and what looked like a new paintjob, though it was hard to tell in the near darkness.
“Bye!” she called as she dropped inside.
I watched her go, not moving a muscle until I could no longer see her taillights.
And only then did I head to my bike, and toward my new, empty house.
On the way, I entertained the thought of having a woman who was over ten years younger than me, making my house a home.
Complete with a small pair of feet toddling around, filling it with giggles and happiness.
Chapter 19
If she starts removing her earrings while maintaining eye contact, you’re either in for the fuck of your life, or you better run. Either way you’re screwed.
-Fact of Life
Tommy
I arrived at Judge Slater’s house, aka my old house, two hours later.
This was a very bad idea.
I knew that.
But did it stop me from coming? From walking up to Judge Slater’s door even though he’d once had a restraining order against me? Hell no.
Knowing he wasn’t here was a good reason for that, though.
Knocking on the door and thinking about how odd it was to see this side of the door, I waited for long minutes while screaming sounded from inside, before letting myself in.
“Tally?” I called over the din of a very upset baby.
Tally called out something, and I followed the noise, ignoring the ache in my chest at seeing this house so different than it once was, and headed straight for the back bedrooms.
I passed what used to be Ellen’s room, and then Sonya’s, finally arriving at my old one.
It was now pink.
Very pink.
“What’s up?” I asked around the lump in my throat, my eyes automatically going to Tally where she was holding Tallulah against her chest looking haggard and beautiful.
“Oh, God,” she moaned. “Thank God you’re here.”
Then she gave Tallulah to me, and I automatically took her, bringing her into my chest, and blinked as she left the room.
And didn’t come back.
Tallulah stopped screaming the moment she was in my arms, her eyes still pouring tears, as she stared at me.
“What’s wrong, pumpkin head?” I asked her, wiping a few of her tears from her big blue eyes away with the pad of my thumb.
She’d grown exponentially since the last time I’d seen her. She was definitely a much heftier weight than she’d been the last time I’d held her like this.
“She’s not feeling well…” Tally said as she pointed at the floor.
So that was what the smell was.
“You have an upset tummy, pumpkin head?” I whispered roughly.
The thought of this little girl being sick was enough to bring me to my knees.
“She’s apparently been sick all day, but my mother never called me to tell me.” Tally dropped down to her knees next to a puddle of throw up, and cleaned it like she’d done it dozens of times before. “Though, I assume that’s because she wants me to graduate.”
I snorted and took Tallulah out of the bedroom I assumed used to be Tally’s and was now a little mixture of them both, and straight to the bathroom where I stripped her and placed her on the counter next to the sink.