“And it gets worse,” William said.
“Oh?”
“It seems that Dr. Stephens was also having an affair with Carl. First thing Carl did when he found them in bed together was to take pictures.”
Dean shook his head. “Sounds like a soap opera.”
“And then Carl sent the pictures to the school’s Facebook page. That was the first thing that popped up on my timeline this morning. Of course, someone pulled the photos, but by then it was too late.”
“Uh oh.” That meant virtually everyone on campus knew by now.
“Maybe you’ll get to keep your grant after all,” William said. “People are speculating that Dr. Stephens got preferential treatment because of her relationship with Vargas. This could be a great thing for you.”
“Not for Mrs. Vargas.” Dean had met her at a department function last year. She’d seemed like a sweet woman—one who didn’t deserve to be humiliated.
“Yeah, I guess. So do you think I could have my job back?”
Dean gritted his teeth. William hadn’t exactly done a stellar job for him. “I’ll think about it and let you know.”
The grad student remained silent.
“Thanks for the update, William.” He hung up then replayed the video of Bigfoot and Bigfoot, Junior on his laptop. And again. It was incredible, but…
Where was that euphoria he’d expected the moment he reached that brass ring of his career, of his lifetime? All he felt was a hollow disappointment—that his father was too far gone to appreciate the significance; and that the mammology department at the university was embroiled in an embarrassing scandal that would overshadow any scientific discovery in the near future. But the worst part was that he’d betrayed Ember’s trust. Knowing what she’d been through in the past, he should have come clean with her about the number of cameras he’d had from the start.
He couldn’t blame her for being angry. After reading those articles about her ordeal online, he knew better than to break her trust. In just a few short days, he’d come to care about her. He should have been protecting her, yet he’d done the opposite. Best course of action would be to get out of her life. He closed his computer and started packing up his things.
Ember finished giving Lycia her afternoon dose of antibiotics. Dr. Schlick had advised Ember not to ride the mare until her cut had mostly healed, which was just as well. After her argument with Dean that morning, she didn’t feel much like riding anyway.
Since Dean’s truck was gone and the guest suite cleaned out, she’d probably never see him again. Crumpling onto the bench outside Lycia’s stall, she rested her head against the wall. What would happen to her friends, and the entire town of Nocturne Falls when scientists and lookie-loos bombarded the place? Would they destory the beautiful mountain hamlet?
It would all be her fault if they did. She’d been foolish to trust Dean with her secrets.
The sound of a car engine drew her attention to the parking area.
Dean.
What was he doing back here?
Steeling herself, she headed over to his truck.
He gave her a tentative wave then opened his door and used his crutches to hop out of the cab. New lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. “I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”
Too emotional to say anything, she merely nodded.
“I removed the cameras.” Dean pointed his thumb at the bed of his truck, which was loaded with his camping gear and a couple of milk crates filled with photography equipment. “And everything else.” He leaned against the door and frowned. “I won’t tell anyone what I’ve discovered here. Well, in the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I sent the video to my dad.” His lips flattened. “Your secret’s safe with him, though.”
She remembered that he’d told her that his dad suffered from dementia. “I’m sorry. About your dad.” But relieved as well. “What will you do now?”
He scratched his head. “I thought I’d go visit my father in Tampa. Slowly, of course. Driving with my left foot is a little challenging. I’m in no hurry to return to the university.”
Was he giving up on his career? “What about your job?”
“I’ll return to the classroom for the fall semester.” A ghost of a smile settled on his lips, which looked so much more handsome on him than his sad face. “The mammology department is having…a public relations crisis. It could be a rocky ride there, at least for a little while.”
“So you’re sure you won’t reveal what you know about the locals here?”
He set his right hand over his heart. “I promise.” Pulling open his door, he threw her one last wink then climbed in. “Thanks for everything.”
She wanted to ask him not to go, to give the two of them a chance. But in the end, she just watched him drive away, taking her heart with him.
Chapter Nine
“Come on in, Dean.” Dr. Frazier, the interim department chairman, tipped his chin toward the seating area in his office.
Dean sat on the sofa, wondering if his job was in jeopardy. Faculty members had been dropping like flies since the beginning of the semester. A third of the staff had lost their jobs as a result of the investigation into the unethical practices that had been exposed after the ‘summer scandal.’ Dr. Vargas had been promoting his friends and lovers, who had, in turn, doled out resources and favors to theirs.
Dean hadn’t done anything unethical, but then, life wasn’t always fair. Sometimes, it was downright cruel. Particularly lately.
“Sorry about your father,” Frazier said.
“Thank you.” At least Dean had gotten to spend some time with him before the stroke last month. And he was pretty sure that when he’d showed the video of Bigfoot to his dad for the second or third time, his father had understood the significance.
“How’s the ankle doing?” Dr. Frazier asked.
“A lot better.” His doctor had removed the cast yesterday—six weeks to the day after he’d broken the bone. Strangely, he missed it. Which was ridiculous. He ought to be thrilled that he was walking normally now. The problem was, every time he’d looked down at the cast, he’d thought about Ember. Now that it was gone, it was as if his time with her had never happened.
At least she was still with him in his dreams.
“Well?” his new boss said.
Dean shifted in his seat. “Sorry, sir, I didn’t hear what you said.”
“I thought for a moment that you were underwhelmed with the offer.” Frazier chuckled.
“Offer?”
“To head up the department.”
Dean couldn’t believe his ears. “I had no clue that I was even in the running.”
Frazier handed him a slip of paper. “That’s what we’re offering for the first year.”
Glancing at the paper, Dean tamped down a gasp. The figure was twice what he was currently earning.
“The position is year round, though; no more traipsing off to the wilderness every summer in search of the abominable snowman or the tooth fairy.” He snickered.
Or an Amazon.
“I know you enjoy that sort of thing, but now’s the time for adulting.”
Dean’s jaw clenched, but he held his tongue.
“It’s a great opportunity for such a young man,” Frazier said. “You’d still be reporting to me, of course.”
“I’d like to think about it.”
Frazier widened his eyes. “Seriously?”
Dean stood. “Yes, sir. Can I let you know after the weekend?”
“Well, I suppose so.” Frazier walked him out of the office and clapped him on the back. “Just make the right decision.”
“I plan to.” As he headed to the parking garage, he replayed their conversation. Why hadn’t he jumped on the chance to be department chairman? Something didn’t feel right about it. In fact, nothing had felt right lately.
“Have a good weekend, Professor,” one of his s
tudents said as she passed him.
“You, too.” He negotiated his truck out of the garage then instead of driving to his apartment he got on the turnpike going north.
Adulting, indeed.
“She doesn’t seem like her old self.” Ember rubbed her horse’s neck. “She’s lethargic. Maybe I should call Dr. Schlick.”
Jordan took the mare’s face in her hands and looked into her eyes. “Are you feeling all right, Lycia?” After a moment, her friend nodded. “You didn’t like him at first, hmm?”
“Who?” Ember asked, even though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
“Dean,” Jordan supplied.
Ember’s insides ached at the mention of his name. “Does she miss him?” That would make two of them.
After a moment, Jordan furrowed her brow. “I see.” Turning her gaze on Ember, she said, “Not exactly. She did come to like him after he tended to her wound. What’s bothering her now is how his absence has affected you.”
So the mare had noticed. After Dean left, Ember had tried to get over him through distraction. She’d doubled up on her yoga classes, done a bit of online retail therapy, and had even considered opening the bottle of Chardonnay that Dean had inadvertently left behind. Thankfully, she hadn’t gone off the wagon, but she also hadn’t gotten rid of the wine, either.
“Your heart’s broken, isn’t it?” Jordan asked her.
Ember gritted her teeth to keep from tearing up. “I’m fine.”
Jordan huffed. “You are not fine.”
Didn’t matter. Dean wasn’t coming back. Lycia would have to get over it, just as Ember would. Eventually. “Maybe she’s lonely.”
Jordan gave the horse a piece of carrot. “Are you, girl?”
The horse whinnied. Ember looked at her friend for a translation.
“She enjoys being big horse on campus.” Jordan chuckled as she hugged Ember. “Give her time. I’ve got to head back to town. Dogs to walk, cats to babysit.”
“Are you working all weekend?”
Jordan rolled her eyes. “My business isn’t exactly in the black yet. Until I start making more money, I’ll take all the work I can get, whenever I can.”
Ember walked Jordan to her Smart Car as the moon rose over the pine trees. “Thanks for coming out,” she told her friend.”
As Jordan drove off, Ember glanced up at the evening sky again. The falls would be beautiful on such a clear night. Perhaps a trip up there would help Lycia’s mood.
And hopefully, mine.
She saddled up the mare then walked her out of the stables. Artemis accompanied them all the way to the end of the driveway. “Go back home,” Ember told the cat as the gates opened.
The kitty dutifully started back toward the house.
Ember took her time on the trail. The moon provided plenty of illumination, but since the horse’s run-in with a barbed-wire fence, Ember was extra cautious. When they got to the path leading up to the waterfall, she tied the mare to the same tree she had that first night when she’d met Dean.
It seemed so long ago, but less than two months had passed since he’d left.
No, she refused to dwell upon the loss. Lycia was obviously sensitive to her moods, so she had to keep a stiff upper lip. She patted the mare’s hind side. “I won’t be long, girl.”
When she got to her spot, she sat on her rock and took in the view. Since she was pretty sure that she’d seen Bigfoot in the area that one time, she’d gotten in the habit of scanning her surroundings, but saw no sign of the creature. The falls were the same as they’d always been, so why did the colors appear a little less dazzling now?
As she considered that, she realized that all her senses seemed duller lately; desserts didn’t taste as yummy, music wasn’t as uplifting, and even her favorite flowers no longer smelled as sweet. Perhaps that was another indication of her sullen mood. Ever since Dean had left, all the joys in her life had lost a bit of their luster.
Maybe she should take Jordan’s advice about Lycia to heart. With time, everything would return to the way it had been before. Since she and Dean had only spent a few short days together, she’d been so sure that his departure wouldn’t affect her much. In the weeks following, somehow, her feelings for him had grown rather than diminish.
But she had to keep reminding herself that Dean had misled her about the cameras. Although when she thought about his explanation, it did sound plausible, or at least—forgivable. So he’d only owned up to two of the cameras that first night, shortly after they’d met. In his defense, he’d been in a lot of pain. She’d overreacted. And that had cost her dearly.
“Is this seat taken?”
Her heart pounded at the sound of Dean’s voice. Was she dreaming about him again? She turned around and found him standing there. She could hardly suck in a breath. “What are you—?
“I’m trespassing again,” he said. “I hope you can forgive me.”
“I…I was just thinking about that.”
He sat down beside her. “I wanted to tell you something in person.”
She inhaled his cologne and held the scent in her lungs. It was the best thing she’d smelled since…he’d left. “Okay.”
“I’ve destroyed the video of Bigfoot, or whatever it was.”
She couldn’t hold back a gasp. “You did? Why?”
After several moments of silence, he spoke. “I’ve had a lot of time to think. You were right. If that footage got out, everything would change here. Same with the information about the locals. It would destroy their lives.” He met her stare. “Your life.”
She couldn’t believe this. “It was your life’s work. And your father’s.”
He lowered his head. “He passed away last month.”
“Oh, Dean.” She took his hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Losing him was hard. And it made me take a long look at myself, my life and career. Throughout history, science has helped humanity. But a lot of people have had their lives destroyed in the pursuit of research.” He squeezed her hand. “This place is magical. I didn’t know what that meant until I met you. I couldn’t bear the thought of destroying that.”
Her eyes stung. “I’m sorry I was so hard on you about the cameras.”
He waved off her apology. “You had every right. Honestly, you’re an amazing woman. You survived a kidnapping…and whatever else…”
“He didn’t rape me. I’m sure he would have if the police hadn’t rescued me.” That was the last topic she wanted to talk about, but for some reason she needed him to know about it.
“I want to keep you safe, always.” Sliding closer, he pulled her into his arms. “Sounds ridiculous to say when you can probably benchpress more than I’ll ever be able to do. If you trust your heart to me, I promise to guard it with my life.”
So many questions tumbled through her brain, but all she could manage was a nod. Dean pressed his lips to hers and kissed her with more passion than she’d ever dreamed possible. Finally, they broke apart.
He cradled her face in his palm. “I’ve fallen in love with you, and I don’t ever want to be away from you again.”
She felt the same way. “You live in Florida. How’ll we manage that?”
He smiled and rolled his eyes. “About that…” He told her about the job offer, and that he hadn’t yet given his boss an answer. “I love teaching. Stepping away from the classroom and into an administrative role won’t cut it. I was thinking of looking for a different position. Here. What do you think?”
Wow. He was willing to pull up stakes and relocate his whole life to be close to her. “I think I love that idea, as long as it’s what you want.”
“What I want is you, Ember Guerra.” He threaded his fingers through her hair. “Everything else is inconsequential.” He kissed her again. Desire sizzled between them.
“I should get Lycia back home.” She met his stare and gestured at the trail. “And probably you, too.”
&nb
sp; He stood and offered her a hand up. “Yes, I think so. We have some lost time to make up.”
Dean entered the bedroom and quietly shut the door. He’d left Ember in her bed hours earlier, and she was still asleep. Not that he begrudged her some much-needed rest. He’d kept her awake most of the night, and every night for the past week. In fact, they’d barely left the room except to eat and take care of the animals.
He stripped off his clothes then climbed into bed next to her, inhaling her sweet scent. When she softly purred, he couldn’t resist kissing her neck and raking his teeth over her left earlobe.
“Mm-hmm,” she murmured. Rolling onto her side, she gave him a sleepy smile. “What time is it?”
“A little after eleven.”
She gasped and sat up. “Did you miss your interview?”
He silenced her with another kiss. “Nope. You’re looking at the new biology teacher at Harmswood Academy.”
Throwing her arms around him, she squealed with delight. “Congratulations! We’ll have to celebrate.”
“Only if we can do it right here.”
“At the house? You want to have a party?” She smoothed down her hair. “I could invite my family. They’re a lot to handle, but you’ll love them. And they’ll love you, too.
“That wasn’t what I had in mind, at least not yet.” He pulled her on top of him. “I meant right here in this room, in bed.”
She raised her eyebrows and gave him that naughty grin he’d come to adore. “Chico travieso. Naughty boy.”
“Yes, I am.” Then he showed her just how naughty he could be.
About the Author
Wynter Daniels has authored more than three dozen romances, including contemporary, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance books for several publishers including Entangled Publishing and Carina Press, as well as for Kristen Painter’s Nocturne Falls Universe. She lives in sunny Florida with her family and a very spoiled cat. After careers in marketing and the salon industry, Wynter’s wicked prose begged to be set free. You can find her on the web on Facebook, Twitter, and her website.
Beauty and the Bigfoot Hunter Page 10
