Page 78 of Coming Clean

“The board wants to seeeveryone who is receiving an award. Mrs. Renquist is going to runthrough the procedure.”

Jeremy sighed. Howcomplicated could it be? Someone would call his name, he’d walkedup and get the award, and maybe he’d say a word or two of thanks.That was it. This wasn’t the Oscars or anything. No one butuniversity employees and a few favorite students and family memberswere watching.

Dr. Buxton led Jeremy tothe far end of the ballroom where a small stage had been set upalong with several rows of chairs. A small group of men and womenwere gathered to one side of the stage, listening intently to a anolder woman in a royal blue pantsuit. Jeremy assumed she was Mrs.Renquist.

Angela, a professor fromthe math department, waved to Jeremy. He hadn’t realized she wasreceiving an award. She was one of his favorite co-workers, smart,sophisticated, sarcastic, all the things he admired in a fellowprofessor. He moved to stand beside her and Buxton hurried off toharass someone else.

Mrs. Renquist was goingover the order of events. Jeremy tried to listen but eventually histhoughts drifted and her voice became a faraway buzz. Why did theyall need to know who was going to be called first? Couldn’t theyjust listen for their award to be announced? Why hadn’t they simplyprinted a program and listed the order. He could imagine theanswer: “We’re aiming to be a Zero Waste institution and there willbe no unnecessary printing.” He doubted the board really caredabout wasting paper. What they did care about was money. They werea bunch of cheapskates, except when it came to having a boardmeeting catered.

“Dr. Parks?”

He looked up and had thefeeling he’d been called more than once. “Yes.”

“Are you unwell?” Mrs.Renquist asked.

“No ma’am. Just… um….nervous. It’s such an honor to be here.”

She narrowed her eyes,obviously skeptical. “We’d like you to read something of yours. I’massuming you’ve committed at least some of your poems tomemory.”

“Poems?”

“Yes, you do write poetry,don’t you?” she asked in a severe tone.

“I teach poetry and I studyit. I don’t write it professionally.”

She frowned. “Surely youhave a piece you can share.”

He was not reading one ofthe raw, heart-wrenching poems he’d written recently. “I can shareone of my favorite poems from my recent research.”

She waved a handdismissively. “Fine, fine.”

Jeremy had just enoughsocial acumen not to yell at her, stomp off, or even roll his eyes.Who was she anyway, and why was she giving commands? He’d probablybeen told at some meeting or via email. He tended to skimcorrespondence from Buxton. A few moments later, Mrs. Renquistreleased her charges. Jeremy had started to worry that she mightteach them all a dance routine or musical finale, but apparentlythey were simply going to walk up on stage in the usualmanner.

From his vantage point onthe steps leading to the stage, Jeremy scanned the room for Connor.Sadly, before he could spot him, he was waylaid by Thornton Ash,the most arrogant man in the School of Humanities, and that wassaying a lot.

“So, you won the prize thisyear? Good for you.” Translation: The committee is made up ofimbeciles. Ash clapped him on the back, nearly making him fall downthe steps. “I am a bit surprised they chose someone who’s going tobe leaving us, though.”

Jeremy frowned at him. “Ihaven’t left. I’m on sabbatical.” He most likely would beleaving—this gathering certainly wasn’t doing anything to endearWentworth to him—but he hadn’t shared his future plans with hiscolleagues.

Ash raised a brow. “You’rewealthy now. What need have you for all this?” he swept his handaround as if indicating the whole Wentworth experience with thatgesture rather than a room full of socially awkward people forcedto dress up and mingle.

“I’m hardly rich. Ireceived a small inheritance.” It wasn’t precisely small but hisfinances weren’t any of Ash’s business. “As of right now, I’mplanning to return to Wentworth in January.”

Ash grinned like a Cheshirecat. “That’s not what I heard.”

Fuck.Had Buxton said something?

“I heard you’d been offereda position at Claxton.” The son of a bitch was so fucking smugabout having inside information.

Jeremy had been required toask Buxton for a reference for the position at Claxton, and he’dasked Jeremy if he’d heard anything. Jeremy had told him about theoffer, but he’d also told him to keep it quiet. “As I said, myplans are unclear.”

“You’d be a fool not totake the position, but of course…” Ash’s words trailed off, hisjealousy crackling in the air like lightning.

Jeremy needed to get out ofthere before Connor came looking for him. “Look, Ash I’d appreciateit if you didn’t say anything.”

“You got an offer?” Angelaasked, obviously having overheard as she’d walked up.

“Yes, but I wasn’t going tosay anything until I’d decided what to do.”